DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.847#0243
224 TARQUINIA.
The gates of such Cyclopean cities are generally mere
interruptions of the walls, with an immense stone
laid across by way of architrave, and an approxima-
tion of the stones of the gateway to each other,
tapering towards the top. Of these gates, the finest
specimens extant are at Allatri, Segni, and Arpino.
The Etruscan style is much more perfect than these,
and denotes a far higher grade of architectural taste
and knowledge. The hest specimens that I have
seen of it are the magnificent walls of Cortona,
Fiesole,and Perugia; and to give an idea of the style
of the gate, I subjoin a drawing of that of the citadel
of Ferentinum. Belonging to this style appeared
to be the remains, which we found at Tarquinia,
and which I conceive to be solid remnants of Etrus-
can grandeur, surviving the less massive fabrics
of the Roman municipia, and telling us how great
the whole must have been, of which they form but
a fragment.
After spending a long time at the acropolis,
seated on the foundations of the temple, we re-
turned to our carriage by a different way, in or-
der, if possible, to make more discoveries.—
We descended another side of the hill of Tarquinia,
and crossed a curve of the valley which divided the
city from the necropolis. During this descent we
examined some large and beautiful specimens of
Etruscan architecture on the steep slope of the hill,
which had formerly belonged to the outer wall of
the city. When we returned to Corneto, we asked
The gates of such Cyclopean cities are generally mere
interruptions of the walls, with an immense stone
laid across by way of architrave, and an approxima-
tion of the stones of the gateway to each other,
tapering towards the top. Of these gates, the finest
specimens extant are at Allatri, Segni, and Arpino.
The Etruscan style is much more perfect than these,
and denotes a far higher grade of architectural taste
and knowledge. The hest specimens that I have
seen of it are the magnificent walls of Cortona,
Fiesole,and Perugia; and to give an idea of the style
of the gate, I subjoin a drawing of that of the citadel
of Ferentinum. Belonging to this style appeared
to be the remains, which we found at Tarquinia,
and which I conceive to be solid remnants of Etrus-
can grandeur, surviving the less massive fabrics
of the Roman municipia, and telling us how great
the whole must have been, of which they form but
a fragment.
After spending a long time at the acropolis,
seated on the foundations of the temple, we re-
turned to our carriage by a different way, in or-
der, if possible, to make more discoveries.—
We descended another side of the hill of Tarquinia,
and crossed a curve of the valley which divided the
city from the necropolis. During this descent we
examined some large and beautiful specimens of
Etruscan architecture on the steep slope of the hill,
which had formerly belonged to the outer wall of
the city. When we returned to Corneto, we asked