DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.785#0600
492
SOVANA.
[chap. XXVI.
judge if there has been sculpture in it; but the soffit of
that part which remains is decorated with medallions.
The whole monument is elevated on a base, without any
traces of steps, and must have had an imposing appear-
ance when perfect; whilst in its ruin, decorated as it is
with the trees which grow out of the crevices, and have
partly occasioned its destruction, it presents one of the
most picturesque objects which my portfolio contains."7
The style of this monument marks it as of no very
early date, and it is probably of the time of Roman
domination in Etruria. No tomb is seen below it, because
the passage to it is not cleared out; yet there can be no
doubt of its sepulchral character. This portico seems
but a small portion of a much mightier monument; in
truth it is highly probable, from the traces of art on the
adjoining rocks, that there has been on this spot, as Mr.
Ainsley observes, "an union of objects of architectural
grandeur, not to be seen in any other part of Etruria."8
1 Bull. Inst. 1843/p. 155; and Gentle-
man's Mag., Oct. 1843, p. 418. I can
add little to this accurate description;
yet as I am the only traveller who,
beside Mr. Ainsley, has visited the spot,
it may be well to remark, that I am
by no means certain that the decorations
of the column and pilaster represent
human heads. The surface of the tufo,
out of which the entire monument is
hewn, is so decayed, that it is difficult to
determine the point, but to my eye there
was some resemblance to large pine-
cones, a common sepulchral emblem
among the Etruscans; yet analogy would
rather favour the heads. See Bull. Inst.
1830, p. 136. Mon. Ined. Inst. II. tav.
XX. No volutes are now remaining in
these capitals, and it can only be from
analogy that Mr. Ainsley deems them
to have existed. Mr. Ainsley's accurate
plans and sections of this monument
will be found in the Mon. Ined. Inst. III.
tav. LV., and a further description in
Ann. Inst. 1843, pp. 224—7.
The dimensions of the portico, accor-
ding to my measurement, are:—Height
of the column and pilaster 15 feet 6
inches; of the capitals, 2 feet 6 inches;
of the head, 1 foot 4 inches. Diameter
of the column nearly 3 feet. Breadth
of the pilaster, the same; its relief, 1 foot
6 inches. Distance between the capitals
at the hypotracheliwm, 3 feet 1 inch. The
height of the podium, or base, varies
from 7 to 8 feet. The portico is 7 feet
deep; but its width is not easy to deter-
mine, owing to the injured state of the
monument. Mr. Ainsley thinks it about
26 feet wide. Of the second column but
a stump now exists; the intercolumnia-
tion is 2 feet 8 inches.
8 The rocks adjoining retain traces
of the chisel and of stucco, and there is
SOVANA.
[chap. XXVI.
judge if there has been sculpture in it; but the soffit of
that part which remains is decorated with medallions.
The whole monument is elevated on a base, without any
traces of steps, and must have had an imposing appear-
ance when perfect; whilst in its ruin, decorated as it is
with the trees which grow out of the crevices, and have
partly occasioned its destruction, it presents one of the
most picturesque objects which my portfolio contains."7
The style of this monument marks it as of no very
early date, and it is probably of the time of Roman
domination in Etruria. No tomb is seen below it, because
the passage to it is not cleared out; yet there can be no
doubt of its sepulchral character. This portico seems
but a small portion of a much mightier monument; in
truth it is highly probable, from the traces of art on the
adjoining rocks, that there has been on this spot, as Mr.
Ainsley observes, "an union of objects of architectural
grandeur, not to be seen in any other part of Etruria."8
1 Bull. Inst. 1843/p. 155; and Gentle-
man's Mag., Oct. 1843, p. 418. I can
add little to this accurate description;
yet as I am the only traveller who,
beside Mr. Ainsley, has visited the spot,
it may be well to remark, that I am
by no means certain that the decorations
of the column and pilaster represent
human heads. The surface of the tufo,
out of which the entire monument is
hewn, is so decayed, that it is difficult to
determine the point, but to my eye there
was some resemblance to large pine-
cones, a common sepulchral emblem
among the Etruscans; yet analogy would
rather favour the heads. See Bull. Inst.
1830, p. 136. Mon. Ined. Inst. II. tav.
XX. No volutes are now remaining in
these capitals, and it can only be from
analogy that Mr. Ainsley deems them
to have existed. Mr. Ainsley's accurate
plans and sections of this monument
will be found in the Mon. Ined. Inst. III.
tav. LV., and a further description in
Ann. Inst. 1843, pp. 224—7.
The dimensions of the portico, accor-
ding to my measurement, are:—Height
of the column and pilaster 15 feet 6
inches; of the capitals, 2 feet 6 inches;
of the head, 1 foot 4 inches. Diameter
of the column nearly 3 feet. Breadth
of the pilaster, the same; its relief, 1 foot
6 inches. Distance between the capitals
at the hypotracheliwm, 3 feet 1 inch. The
height of the podium, or base, varies
from 7 to 8 feet. The portico is 7 feet
deep; but its width is not easy to deter-
mine, owing to the injured state of the
monument. Mr. Ainsley thinks it about
26 feet wide. Of the second column but
a stump now exists; the intercolumnia-
tion is 2 feet 8 inches.
8 The rocks adjoining retain traces
of the chisel and of stucco, and there is