DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.786#0281
264 ORBETELLO. [chap, xlvi,
Orbetello has further interest for the antiquary. The
foundations of the sea-wall which surround it on three
sides, are of vast polygonal blocks, just such as are seen
on many ancient sites of Central Italy—Norba, Segni,
Palestrina, to wit—and such as compose the walls of the
neighbouring Cosa. That these blocks are of ancient
shaping no one acquainted with the so-called Pelasgic
remains of Italy can for a moment doubt; and that
they are also in great measure of ancient arrangement,
is equally manifest; but that they have been in some
parts rebuilt, especially in the upper courses, is also
obvious from the wide interstices between them, now
stopt with mortar and bricks. The masonry tells its
tale as clearly as stones can speak — that the ancient
fortifications, having fallen into decay, were rebuilt with
the old materials, but by much less skilful hands, the
defects in the reconstruction being stopt up with mortar
and rubble—that the blocks, even where they retain their
original positions, have suffered so much from the action
of the elements, especially from the salt waves of the lake,
which often violently lash the walls, as to have lost much
of that smoothness of surface, and that close, neat fitting
of joints, which characterise this sort of masonry; and that
the hollows and interstices thus formed have been in many
parts plastered over with mortar.4 Ancient masonry of
their lights, and making an ever the usual material in roads. Still less
moving illumination on the surface of likely is it that they have been brought
the lake. from Cosa, for the walls of that city on
4 Hoare (Class. Tour, I. p. 61) came this side, and towards the sea generally,
to the conclusion that the blocks in are too perfect to have supplied so
these fortifications must have been great a mass of material; and again
brought, either from some Roman road, the masonry of Cosa is wholly of lime-
or from the neighbouring ruins of Cosa. stone ; that of Orbetello is principally
But they are of larger size, and of of crag, or marine conglomerate, as
much greater depth than the ancient though it had been quarried near the
paving-stones ; nor are they of basalt, shore.
Orbetello has further interest for the antiquary. The
foundations of the sea-wall which surround it on three
sides, are of vast polygonal blocks, just such as are seen
on many ancient sites of Central Italy—Norba, Segni,
Palestrina, to wit—and such as compose the walls of the
neighbouring Cosa. That these blocks are of ancient
shaping no one acquainted with the so-called Pelasgic
remains of Italy can for a moment doubt; and that
they are also in great measure of ancient arrangement,
is equally manifest; but that they have been in some
parts rebuilt, especially in the upper courses, is also
obvious from the wide interstices between them, now
stopt with mortar and bricks. The masonry tells its
tale as clearly as stones can speak — that the ancient
fortifications, having fallen into decay, were rebuilt with
the old materials, but by much less skilful hands, the
defects in the reconstruction being stopt up with mortar
and rubble—that the blocks, even where they retain their
original positions, have suffered so much from the action
of the elements, especially from the salt waves of the lake,
which often violently lash the walls, as to have lost much
of that smoothness of surface, and that close, neat fitting
of joints, which characterise this sort of masonry; and that
the hollows and interstices thus formed have been in many
parts plastered over with mortar.4 Ancient masonry of
their lights, and making an ever the usual material in roads. Still less
moving illumination on the surface of likely is it that they have been brought
the lake. from Cosa, for the walls of that city on
4 Hoare (Class. Tour, I. p. 61) came this side, and towards the sea generally,
to the conclusion that the blocks in are too perfect to have supplied so
these fortifications must have been great a mass of material; and again
brought, either from some Roman road, the masonry of Cosa is wholly of lime-
or from the neighbouring ruins of Cosa. stone ; that of Orbetello is principally
But they are of larger size, and of of crag, or marine conglomerate, as
much greater depth than the ancient though it had been quarried near the
paving-stones ; nor are they of basalt, shore.