DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.847#0168
158 TAKQU1NIA.
a mighty ruler of the land, with his ministers and
followers, such as the immense and once splendid tomb
at Caere, of which the Regulini Gallassi cells formed
a part. The one which we are now considering
must have been of very moderate size, and con-
tained few if more than one body; but it is interesting
from its superior state of preservation. We saw the
substructions of others, with several entrances which
had been the doors of distinct tombs. An Etruscan
necropolis must have had a striking effect, crowded
with such monumental mounds, crowned with lions
or sphynxes, and based upon foundations of solid
masonry, with doors all round, and having cope-
stones adorned with lions, sphynxes, and griffins.
In the major part of these monuments, by which
the cemeteries of the Etruscan cities were filled, it is
probable that the mounds were artificial, and raised
after the surrounding wall had been built. But
in the case of large tumuli, such as that which
contained the Lucumo at Agylla, who must have been
great as Mezentius himself, or that nameless one at
what is now called Monterone, at the door of which
the. Duchess of Sermoneta was in vain attempting to
knock, not having even found it when we were
there, it is evident that advantage had been taken
of a natural hillock, which was pared down and
trimmed into right conical shape and sepulchral
fashion, and surrounded with a massive wall, by way
of base, which contained the doors into the various
funereal chambers. The grandee in whose honour
all this preparation had been made, reposed like a
a mighty ruler of the land, with his ministers and
followers, such as the immense and once splendid tomb
at Caere, of which the Regulini Gallassi cells formed
a part. The one which we are now considering
must have been of very moderate size, and con-
tained few if more than one body; but it is interesting
from its superior state of preservation. We saw the
substructions of others, with several entrances which
had been the doors of distinct tombs. An Etruscan
necropolis must have had a striking effect, crowded
with such monumental mounds, crowned with lions
or sphynxes, and based upon foundations of solid
masonry, with doors all round, and having cope-
stones adorned with lions, sphynxes, and griffins.
In the major part of these monuments, by which
the cemeteries of the Etruscan cities were filled, it is
probable that the mounds were artificial, and raised
after the surrounding wall had been built. But
in the case of large tumuli, such as that which
contained the Lucumo at Agylla, who must have been
great as Mezentius himself, or that nameless one at
what is now called Monterone, at the door of which
the. Duchess of Sermoneta was in vain attempting to
knock, not having even found it when we were
there, it is evident that advantage had been taken
of a natural hillock, which was pared down and
trimmed into right conical shape and sepulchral
fashion, and surrounded with a massive wall, by way
of base, which contained the doors into the various
funereal chambers. The grandee in whose honour
all this preparation had been made, reposed like a