DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.786#0177
160 VOLTEBRA.—The City. [chap. xr,.
would appear that this family was numerous as well as
powerful. It has become extinct only in our own day.1
In 1831, Signor Giusto Cinci, to whom most of the
excavations at Volterra of late years are due, discovered
the vestiges of two tumular sepulchres, which had been
covered in with masonry, in the form of domes. Though
but slight vestiges remained, it was evident that the
cone of one had been composed of small rectangular
blocks of tufo, rudely hewn, and uncemented ; the other,
of large masses of travertine, also without cement, whose
upper sides proved the structure to have been of irregular
polygons, though resting on a basement of rectangular
masonry.2 This is the only instance known of polygonal
construction so far north in Italy, and is the more remark-
able, as every other relic of ancient architecture on this
site is strictly rectangular. Though the construction of
this tomb betokened a high antiquity, the alabaster urns it
contained betrayed a comparatively recent date,3 and
seemed to mark a reappropriation of a very ancient
sepulchre. These domed tombs must have borne a close
analogy to the Treasuries of Atreus and Minyas, and also
to the Euraghe of Sardinia, and the Talajots of the
Balearic Islands.4
size. Inghirami thinks it was the early which he refers most of the urns of Vol-
Christians who overturned the urns in terra; but he generally inclines to too
these tombs, in their iconoclastic zeal. recent a date. He has given full par-
1 See the next Chapter. ticulars of these tombs, together with
2 These monuments were only 5 feet illustrations. Ann. Inst. 1832, pp. 26—
apart. Each cone had a basement of 30, tav. d' Agg. A.
such masonry, about 9 feet square, and * These were genuine specimens of
beneath one of these were several courses the tholus, or domed structure of the
of rude blocks, below the surface of the Greeks, such as we see it in the Treasury
ground, and resting on the doorway of of Atreus at Mycence ; and they are the
the sepulchre, which was composed of only instances known of such tholi in
two upright blocks, crossed by a third as Etruria, though one has been found some
a lintel. ages since at Gubbio, the ancient Igu-
3 Jnghirami says, as late as the seventh vium, in Umbria, where the celebrated
or eighth century of Rome, the period to inscribed tablets, called the Eugubian
would appear that this family was numerous as well as
powerful. It has become extinct only in our own day.1
In 1831, Signor Giusto Cinci, to whom most of the
excavations at Volterra of late years are due, discovered
the vestiges of two tumular sepulchres, which had been
covered in with masonry, in the form of domes. Though
but slight vestiges remained, it was evident that the
cone of one had been composed of small rectangular
blocks of tufo, rudely hewn, and uncemented ; the other,
of large masses of travertine, also without cement, whose
upper sides proved the structure to have been of irregular
polygons, though resting on a basement of rectangular
masonry.2 This is the only instance known of polygonal
construction so far north in Italy, and is the more remark-
able, as every other relic of ancient architecture on this
site is strictly rectangular. Though the construction of
this tomb betokened a high antiquity, the alabaster urns it
contained betrayed a comparatively recent date,3 and
seemed to mark a reappropriation of a very ancient
sepulchre. These domed tombs must have borne a close
analogy to the Treasuries of Atreus and Minyas, and also
to the Euraghe of Sardinia, and the Talajots of the
Balearic Islands.4
size. Inghirami thinks it was the early which he refers most of the urns of Vol-
Christians who overturned the urns in terra; but he generally inclines to too
these tombs, in their iconoclastic zeal. recent a date. He has given full par-
1 See the next Chapter. ticulars of these tombs, together with
2 These monuments were only 5 feet illustrations. Ann. Inst. 1832, pp. 26—
apart. Each cone had a basement of 30, tav. d' Agg. A.
such masonry, about 9 feet square, and * These were genuine specimens of
beneath one of these were several courses the tholus, or domed structure of the
of rude blocks, below the surface of the Greeks, such as we see it in the Treasury
ground, and resting on the doorway of of Atreus at Mycence ; and they are the
the sepulchre, which was composed of only instances known of such tholi in
two upright blocks, crossed by a third as Etruria, though one has been found some
a lintel. ages since at Gubbio, the ancient Igu-
3 Jnghirami says, as late as the seventh vium, in Umbria, where the celebrated
or eighth century of Rome, the period to inscribed tablets, called the Eugubian