Page:Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography Volume I Part 2.djvu/127

 868 ETRUBIA. BO much attenUon as to require a brief notice. The j present many varieties in their constroction and decoration, so that none of these styles can be fixed upon as peculiarly national or characteristic They are sometimes chambers hewn out in a cliff or wall of solid rock, occasionally with architectural decora- tions cut in the same (Cattel cTAuOj Bieda, Nor- ckia)i more frequently without such ornaments, or with a mere door cut in the rock : sometimes sub- terranean chambers surmounted by tumuli, ather of loose earth and stones, or built up with masoniy into a more regular form (Tarquinii, Volaterrae); often mere chambers sunk in the earth without ai^ trace of such superstructure : again these chambers are sometimes circular, sometimes square; the en- trances not unfrequently arched or vaulted, while the chamber itself is usually flat-roofed, and ofien has the ceiling adorned with beams and coffers, in imitation of the abodes of the living. The internal walls of some of the tombs are adorned with paint- ings, and this decoration is found both in those hewn in the rock, and those sunk beneath the level of the soil: it is, however, peculiar to Southern Etruria, and is by no means general even there. In one respect the sepulchres of Etruria are distin- guished fh>m those of the Romans, that they are always subterranean, never mere structures raised for the purpose of containing the tomb; there are in many instances, as abneady mentioned, tuperttmctures of an architectoial kind, but the actual chamber in which the dead bodies are de- posited is sunk beneath these, often at a consider- able depth below the surface. The account pre- served to us by PUny (xzxvi. 13. s. 19) of the tomb of Porsena is certainly exaggerated and fisbu* bus in its details and dimensicms, but had doubtless some foundation in truth; and some analogies to it have been remarked in the existing remains of several Etruscan monuments. (Dennis, vol. ii. p. 389.) A labyrinth, such as is sud to have existed at the base of this tomb, has been also discovered in or wood, we hear but little from ancient authors; and the existing renudns, though numerous, are mostly of inferior interest, inm the late period to which they bdong. Of this class are especially the numerous sarcophagi and urns or chests for ashes found at Volierrciy Perugia, and Chkui, the fronts of which are adorned with reliefs, generally repre- senting subjects from the Greek mytholc^ or poe- tical Mstory, while on the lid is a recumbent figure of the deceased personage. These urns are carved in a soft sandstone or alabaster, and are for the most part of indifierent execution, and certainly belong to a declining period of art, though bearing unques- tionable evidence of Greek influence, both in the subjects chosen and in the mode of their treatment There remain, however, a few statues of figures in a sitting position, found only at Chiusi, which pre- sent a much more archaic character: as well as certain cippi or stdae with figures in a veij low, almost flat, reh'ef, and a strong rigidity or severity of style resembling the Egyptian. (Dennis, vol. ii. pp. 336--338; Micali, Pop. Ant. Ital. pL 54—58.) But the Etruscans exoriled in many other branches of the Plastic Arts, and especially in all kinds of works in bronze. Their skill in this department is celebrated by many ancient authors, and is attested •also by specimens still extant. The "Tuscanica ETBUBIA. signs,** which, according to Pliny (xxxlv. 7. s. 16), were dispersed not only over iJl Italy, but other parts of the worid also, were principally oif this mats- rial : and so numerous were they, that the dtj di Voltdnii alone was said to have cootuned.two thou- sand bronze statues. (/Md) They were chane- terised by a stiff, archaic style of art, resembling the eariy Greek or what has been called the Acgiae- tan style, but which seems to have been retsioed in Etruria for a much greater length of tune than is Greece. Some of the extant specimens, howerer, present more freedom of design and gteat beaatj of execution. The best examples of Etruscan worb of art of this charscter are the celebiated Sie- Wolf in the Capitol, the Chimaera in the galkiy it Florence, the " Arringatore " or Orator in the same coUectioii, and a statue of a boy in the rouseun at Leyden. (All these are figured by llicali, AnL Pop. Ital pi. 42—44.) Innumerable smaller figures in brome have beer found m Etruria, and -evidently represent the " Tjr- rhena sigilla " of the Romans (Hor. Ep. l 8. 181; Tertull. Apol 25): besides these, they were par- ticularly celebrated for their brome candelabn, which were eagerly sought after both by Greeb and Romans (Athen. xv. p. 700), and of which many beautiful specimens still remain ; as well as for a variety of other ornamental utensils in the same material (/6. i. p. 28. b.; Micali, ib. pL 32—41.) Another branch of art which appears to have been peculiarly Etruscan, was that of the en- graved bronze minws (erroneously termed Paterae^ of which some hundreds have been discoveted, snd no doubt can exist of their being of native Etnscaa manu&cture, the nscriptions which occur on them being uniformly in Etruscan characters; thdr st^li of execution, however, varies greatly, and is often of a very rude description. (Gerhard, uberdisMe- talispiegel der Etrusber, Berlin, 1838.) Nor wen they less skilful workmen in other metals; thdr em- bossed cups of gold were celebrated among the Greeks, even in their best days, and the beauty of their necklaces and other ornamental goldsmith's work is sufficiently proved by eadsting specimens. Not less celebrated were the Etruscan worics ia earthenware or Terra Cotta. These were not con- fined to small objects, such as vases or domestio utensils, but included whole figures and statoei, many of them of Urge size, with which they adorned the exterior, as well as the interior, of their tempks. Hence the custom was introduced at Rome, where even the temple of Jupiter in the Capitol was ia early times surmounted by earthenware statues of Tuscan manu£acture. (Vitruv. iii. 3. § 5; Cic. ds Div. i. 10; Pint P<^ 13; Plin. xxxv. 12. s. 45.) Closely connected with this branch of art was the Etruscan pottery, in the manufacture of which they undoubtedly excelled ; but the only descriptions of works of this kind that can be r^;arded as of true native origin are the red ware of Arretimn, which seems to have been much used in Soman times, and the black ware of Olusium, adorned with figures in relief, many of them of a grotesque and strongly oriental character. [Clusium.] The painted vases, on the contrary, which have been found in great nnmben at Clusium, Tarquinii, and especially of late yeara at Vulci, though commonly known by the name of ErRrscAN vases, bear un- questionable evidence of Greek origin. This is proved by their perfect similarity, and, in many cases, even identity, with similar works found in Campania,