DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.42080#0031
ITALIC TOMB-GROUPS: NARCE 18B
11
Its lid which was attached by a wire to a bronze loop on
the shoulder furnishes a close parallel to ours. Cf. also
the zones of alternating large and small dots on the
bronze flask from the Warrior’s Tomb, Tarquinii,
Montelius PI. 289, 6.
18. Bits with rings similarly striated were noted in the
Museo Topografico, No. 9551 from Fossa 8, Poggio alia
Guardia, Vetulonia; the bits from Tomb 18, Este, NS.
1907, p. 180, Fig. 121, seem also to have striated rings,
although the illustration is too poor to determine the
point definitely.
NARCE 18 B
Under the single number, 18 B, were listed by Frothing-
ham the contents of two well-tombs with no indication
of how the pottery and other objects should be divided
between the two tombs. Both tombs were excavated
by Benedetti “in a different part of the necropolis from
that excavated by Mancinelli on the slope of a hill op-
posite Monte lo Greco to the right of the hill on which
the ancient city stood and near its base.”
Pottery
1. Cinerary Urn. PL IV. M.S.l 130, H. 0.284 m.,
D. 0.32 m. Both handles missing and a portion of rim.
Fabric of coarse texture, core black, buff below surface
which is brick red. No polish. The surface is corroded
but there remain traces of white pattern on the rim and
shoulder. In regard to the decoration of this and the
three following vases, Frothingham wrote as follows:
Their especial interest lies in the fact that they [these
two urns and their covers] are two out of the only four
pieces of pottery discovered at Narce which have dis-
closed the existence of a new form of decoration. I mean
the application of bands of lead in geometric patterns
and lines to the plain pottery. The greater part of this
decoration came off before reaching Philadelphia. It is
so easily brushed off, like dust, that it is probable that
many pieces were found with this decoration on their
surface and that it was brushed off by the diggers in a
careless cleaning of the vases before being seen by
archaeologists. The tombs with the other two examples
of this decoration were purchased by Barnabei for the
Papa Giulia Museum.
That the white patterns on Italic vases have been de-
stroyed by careless cleaning and handling is most prob-
able; but that the pigment was composed of anything
other than fine white clay is equally improbable. A
quantity of fragmentary burned bones are still within
the vase.
2. Bowl Used as Cover for the Foregoing. PI.
IV. M.S.1130a, H. 0.123 m., D. 0.264 m. Both han-
dles broken. Fabric of coarse texture, brown at core,
outer surface maroon to black. Handmade. Poor
polish. Asymmetrical shape. Of the white decoration
noted by Frothingham there may be traced a white line
on the shoulder which makes a right-angled turn upward
after passing below a handle.
3. Cinerary Urn. PI. IV. M.S.1131, H. 0.248 m.,
D. 0.307 m. Abrasions of surface. Fabric of medium
fine texture, core reddish brown, outer surface black.
Inferior polish. Handmade. On the shoulder are a
few white diagonal lines which may well be the remnant
of a white pattern. Very scant traces of threads of a
textile in which the vase was wrapped. The bones
within the jar are those of an adult.
4. One-handled Cover for the Foregoing. PI.
IV. M.S.1131a, H. 0.076 m., D. 0.23 m. Intact.
Fabric and technique as in the foregoing. Inner face
of handle grooved. On either side of the handle on the
rim are vertical lines of rope pattern arranged in groups
of threes. Between the outermost groups on either side
a vertical ledge. In the center of the base a bronze stud
indicating that the piece was intended to be used as a
cover. Traces of white pigment on the shoulder are
unmistakable; there seem to have been horizontal bands
joined at intervals by transverse lines to form an open
network pattern.
5. Bowl. PI. IV. M.S.1132, H. 0.077 m., D. 0.143
m. Intact. Fabric and technique as in the foregoing
but clay more nearly reduced. One horizontal handle,
three knobs.
6. Jug. PI. IV. M.S.1133, H. 0.069 m., D. 0.074
m. Intact. Fabric and technique as in the foregoing.
Color of outer surface of clay mottled. Five parallel
incised lines above the shoulder, and below these five
parallel waved lines.
7. Stand. PI. IV. M.S.1135, H. 0.96 m., D. 0.082
m. Intact. Similar fabric, crudely shaped by hand,
brown to black throughout. Inferior polish. Two
string holes.
8. Similar Stand. PI. IV. M.S.1136, H. 0.955 m.,
D. 0.073 m. Base broken.
9. In the record photograph of this tomb is pictured
a cup with a high handle of the type of Narce 1, No. 28,
PI. XXXI, but this vase cannot now be located in the
Museum.
Objects Other than Pottery
10. Bronze Fibula.
PL IV and Fig. 2. M.S.
1137b, L. 0.076 m. End
of pin missing. Hollow
cast with plugged oblong
vent hole on lower sur-
face. Bow ornamented
with transverse bands alternately plain and filled with
herring-bone pattern.
Fig. 2
11
Its lid which was attached by a wire to a bronze loop on
the shoulder furnishes a close parallel to ours. Cf. also
the zones of alternating large and small dots on the
bronze flask from the Warrior’s Tomb, Tarquinii,
Montelius PI. 289, 6.
18. Bits with rings similarly striated were noted in the
Museo Topografico, No. 9551 from Fossa 8, Poggio alia
Guardia, Vetulonia; the bits from Tomb 18, Este, NS.
1907, p. 180, Fig. 121, seem also to have striated rings,
although the illustration is too poor to determine the
point definitely.
NARCE 18 B
Under the single number, 18 B, were listed by Frothing-
ham the contents of two well-tombs with no indication
of how the pottery and other objects should be divided
between the two tombs. Both tombs were excavated
by Benedetti “in a different part of the necropolis from
that excavated by Mancinelli on the slope of a hill op-
posite Monte lo Greco to the right of the hill on which
the ancient city stood and near its base.”
Pottery
1. Cinerary Urn. PL IV. M.S.l 130, H. 0.284 m.,
D. 0.32 m. Both handles missing and a portion of rim.
Fabric of coarse texture, core black, buff below surface
which is brick red. No polish. The surface is corroded
but there remain traces of white pattern on the rim and
shoulder. In regard to the decoration of this and the
three following vases, Frothingham wrote as follows:
Their especial interest lies in the fact that they [these
two urns and their covers] are two out of the only four
pieces of pottery discovered at Narce which have dis-
closed the existence of a new form of decoration. I mean
the application of bands of lead in geometric patterns
and lines to the plain pottery. The greater part of this
decoration came off before reaching Philadelphia. It is
so easily brushed off, like dust, that it is probable that
many pieces were found with this decoration on their
surface and that it was brushed off by the diggers in a
careless cleaning of the vases before being seen by
archaeologists. The tombs with the other two examples
of this decoration were purchased by Barnabei for the
Papa Giulia Museum.
That the white patterns on Italic vases have been de-
stroyed by careless cleaning and handling is most prob-
able; but that the pigment was composed of anything
other than fine white clay is equally improbable. A
quantity of fragmentary burned bones are still within
the vase.
2. Bowl Used as Cover for the Foregoing. PI.
IV. M.S.1130a, H. 0.123 m., D. 0.264 m. Both han-
dles broken. Fabric of coarse texture, brown at core,
outer surface maroon to black. Handmade. Poor
polish. Asymmetrical shape. Of the white decoration
noted by Frothingham there may be traced a white line
on the shoulder which makes a right-angled turn upward
after passing below a handle.
3. Cinerary Urn. PI. IV. M.S.1131, H. 0.248 m.,
D. 0.307 m. Abrasions of surface. Fabric of medium
fine texture, core reddish brown, outer surface black.
Inferior polish. Handmade. On the shoulder are a
few white diagonal lines which may well be the remnant
of a white pattern. Very scant traces of threads of a
textile in which the vase was wrapped. The bones
within the jar are those of an adult.
4. One-handled Cover for the Foregoing. PI.
IV. M.S.1131a, H. 0.076 m., D. 0.23 m. Intact.
Fabric and technique as in the foregoing. Inner face
of handle grooved. On either side of the handle on the
rim are vertical lines of rope pattern arranged in groups
of threes. Between the outermost groups on either side
a vertical ledge. In the center of the base a bronze stud
indicating that the piece was intended to be used as a
cover. Traces of white pigment on the shoulder are
unmistakable; there seem to have been horizontal bands
joined at intervals by transverse lines to form an open
network pattern.
5. Bowl. PI. IV. M.S.1132, H. 0.077 m., D. 0.143
m. Intact. Fabric and technique as in the foregoing
but clay more nearly reduced. One horizontal handle,
three knobs.
6. Jug. PI. IV. M.S.1133, H. 0.069 m., D. 0.074
m. Intact. Fabric and technique as in the foregoing.
Color of outer surface of clay mottled. Five parallel
incised lines above the shoulder, and below these five
parallel waved lines.
7. Stand. PI. IV. M.S.1135, H. 0.96 m., D. 0.082
m. Intact. Similar fabric, crudely shaped by hand,
brown to black throughout. Inferior polish. Two
string holes.
8. Similar Stand. PI. IV. M.S.1136, H. 0.955 m.,
D. 0.073 m. Base broken.
9. In the record photograph of this tomb is pictured
a cup with a high handle of the type of Narce 1, No. 28,
PI. XXXI, but this vase cannot now be located in the
Museum.
Objects Other than Pottery
10. Bronze Fibula.
PL IV and Fig. 2. M.S.
1137b, L. 0.076 m. End
of pin missing. Hollow
cast with plugged oblong
vent hole on lower sur-
face. Bow ornamented
with transverse bands alternately plain and filled with
herring-bone pattern.
Fig. 2