DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.847#0311
288 vulci.
some tombs which had lately been excavated, and
were still open. These lay entirely uncovered like
very large and immensely deep modern graves, and
we thought we traced a close approximation to the
Roman columbaria, in the niches hewn in the faces
of the rock which formed the sides of the grave,
and in which the bones and ashes of the deceased
had been deposited. There were heaps of broken
vases and cinerary urns, but all of the most ordi-
nary quality, though of elegant shapes, lying about
in every direction. And at the bottom of some of
the graves we saw thin plates of metal, which looked
as if they had once belonged to armour; but our
search for anything worth picking up was fruitless.
We did not proceed to Cosa, neither do I know
whether any graves have been excavated there, but
its walls are more entire than those of any other
Etruscan town remaining, and an arch and several
towers may be traced. Saturnia, not far from it, but
inland upon the Albegna, has the same sort of walls,
and there painted graves have been found. Many
of the old towns upon the sea, where Italians some-
times go to shoot the wild boar, must offer a rich
field to an antiquary, if it is true, as I have heard,
that columns, and the heads and legs and arms of
statues, are sometimes seen sticking out into the
water, or above it, soliciting, as it were, either to be
brought forth to the light of day, or to be allowed a
comfortable rest beneath the blue and quiet waves.
We found the great crimes, and those most exe-
crated in this part of the country, to be sheep-steal-
some tombs which had lately been excavated, and
were still open. These lay entirely uncovered like
very large and immensely deep modern graves, and
we thought we traced a close approximation to the
Roman columbaria, in the niches hewn in the faces
of the rock which formed the sides of the grave,
and in which the bones and ashes of the deceased
had been deposited. There were heaps of broken
vases and cinerary urns, but all of the most ordi-
nary quality, though of elegant shapes, lying about
in every direction. And at the bottom of some of
the graves we saw thin plates of metal, which looked
as if they had once belonged to armour; but our
search for anything worth picking up was fruitless.
We did not proceed to Cosa, neither do I know
whether any graves have been excavated there, but
its walls are more entire than those of any other
Etruscan town remaining, and an arch and several
towers may be traced. Saturnia, not far from it, but
inland upon the Albegna, has the same sort of walls,
and there painted graves have been found. Many
of the old towns upon the sea, where Italians some-
times go to shoot the wild boar, must offer a rich
field to an antiquary, if it is true, as I have heard,
that columns, and the heads and legs and arms of
statues, are sometimes seen sticking out into the
water, or above it, soliciting, as it were, either to be
brought forth to the light of day, or to be allowed a
comfortable rest beneath the blue and quiet waves.
We found the great crimes, and those most exe-
crated in this part of the country, to be sheep-steal-