Cupid on a Ram's Head,

Heracles strangling the Nemean Lion.

it, and commentary on it, will be found in Rose, Inscript. Græcæ, p. 29, Inscriptio Elea. It came to the Museum from Mr. Payne Knight. A pair of drop earrings from a tomb at Same in Cephalonia : four glass astragali, and an ancient terracotta impression from the die of a coin of Larissa found at Leucas in Arcadia: a strigil from Melos a conical and pyramidal object from Castrades in Corcyra (Corfu): seven leaden bullets for slings from Saguntum, and three bronze bulls from Corfu.

In Case 93, portions of an ancient lyre and two flutes in wood, found in a tomb near Athens: a gilt myrtle crown of lead and terracotta, and glass mosaic tesseræ, from the roof of the Parthenon when converted into a Greek church previous to the taking of Athens by the Turks, procured by Mr. Burgon at Athens: and some leaden sling bullets.

In Case 94, several iron strigils, a knife, and a pair of iron fetters, found in a cella behind the Pnyx at Athens: a very curious small jar used to hold the Lycian eye-ointment, and bearing the name of the physician Paramousæus: a very complete collection of leaden weights, consisting of the mna and various subdivisions of it, marked

with dolphins, tortoises, half-tortoises, and crescents: a bronze ticket, and a pecten shell found in a tomb at the Peiraeus, All these objects were procured by Mr. Burgon.

Cases 95 and 96 contain a few more statuettes of Greek and Roman Divinities, &c. Among them are an Erinnys or Fury: thirteen small figures of Heracles in various attitudes: two Sirens; two sphinxes: one of the Lares, with a cup and cornucopiæ: Philoctetes: two figures of Victory and one of Fortune: a head of Polyphemus curiously represented with one eye: six small figures of Cupids and several Lares.

Case 97 contains a collection of objects found by Mrs. Cattley in tombs at Panticapæum (Kertsch). They consist of a gold carving and a fibula; a necklace of glass beads; combs; portions of a dress; and a wooden leg from a tripod table.

Cases 98-112 consist of a miscellaneous collection of Greek and Roman objects, not yet classified or arranged. Among them may be seen, astragali of chrystal, carnelian, and ivory-dice, many of which appear to have been anciently loaded—tesseræ or tickets for the games-hair-pins and busts of ivory-large bands for the head, and portions of architectural members in opaque glass and composition-some very beautiful specimens of ancient glass, consisting of small vases, pateræ, &c.—one fragment is remarkable for the great beauty of the iridescence upon it :-fragments of valuable cups in carnelian, onyx, jasper, &c., and a chrystal vessel holding gold. In Cases 101-103 are various figures of animals in bronze: among them are some bulls in fine workmanship, and a hare dedicated to the Prienian Apollo by Hephaestion: it was found in the temple of that god at Priene: heads of a lion, ram, and panther, from the soffits of Etruscan sepulchres: styli for writing, with flat ends to erase or smooth the wax: stamps, which, it is conjectured, were used by the potters: keys, plates, and various specimens of enamel work, and a large number of Etruscan and Roman fibulæ and finger-rings. Some of these are of a very late period.

Above Cases 7-28 are paintings in fac-simile from the sides of a tomb, found at Vulci in 1832, representing various games of leaping, running, the horse and foot-race, &c.; and above Cases 38-58 are fac-similes of another tomb at Vulci, much mutilated: their subject is not quite determined, but Pluto and Proserpine appear near the centre. The chequered ceilings of the tomb are represented above the Cases on the South wall of this room.

VASE ROOM.

In the account which we shall give of the contents of this Room, we propose to follow the same plan which we have pursued in other parts of the Museum collections, to give first a general outline of the objects which may be found in it, and a rough classification of them, and then to select from each class a few specimens which it is worth while to notice more particularly. The labour of description is, however, much lessened in this room by the careful arrangement which it has already undergone, and it will be therefore only necessary for us to state preliminarily the order in which the vases are placed in the cases, and the different heads under which it will be convenient to describe them, with reference to the different styles of art to which they respectively belong. We may add that considerable progress has been made towards a complete catalogue of the whole collection of vases, and the first volume of this catalogue is now printed, and will be, in a short time, in the hands of the public.

Commencing on the left hand, as the Room is entered from the Egyptian Room,

Cases 1-5 contain the oldest specimens of Vases fabricated of a coarse brown ware, often in imitation of wooden vessels, by the ancient inhabitants of Etruria, and discovered for the most part at Vulci, Chiusi, and Cervetri (the ancient Cære).-These vases vary considerably in size, and have often figures upon them in relief; but no instances occur of the use of paint. Their date is probably between B.C. 660 and B.C. 416, after which period Greek influence appears to have prevailed over the native power of the Etruscan people. From their dark colour, the material of which they are made has a great resemblance to basalt.

Cases 6, 7 contain those vases which are next to the former in antiquity; with pale back-grounds and figures painted upon them in a deep reddish maroon colour. The representations on them are generally those of animals, as lions, stags, sphinxes, and cocks, with

borders composed of flowers and fantastic ornaments. These vases have been for the most part found at Vulci in Etruria, and at Nola in Campania, and have sometimes been called Nolan-Egyptian, or Phœnician, because in their pattern they bear some resemblance to the Egyptian vases, though there can be little doubt that they are the productions of early Greek artists. They bear considerable resemblance to the vases found at Corinth by the traveller Dodwell; their date is from between B.C. 660 and B.C. 520, corresponding with the period of the Mythic arrival of the Greek potters, Eucheir and Eugrammos, who are said by Pliny to have been brought to Etruria by Demaratus from Corinth. By this means, it is possible that the antique style of vase painting, then in use at Corinth, may have been conveyed into Etruria. As compared with the first class we have mentioned, these vases may be considered to be of foreign origin.

Cases 8-19 contain early vases, with black figures upon red or orange-coloured back-grounds, with a considerable proportion of mythological subjects. They show an advanced style of workmanship both in their form and in the paintings on them, and some of them, from their size, are noble specimens of the art of pottery. The general character of the painting in the male figures is rude and clumsy, with great prominence of some of the muscles; but the drawing at the same time is often careful. In the female figures the eyes are generally long and almond-shaped. The drawing of the horses is generally very spirited and good. These vases are generally found at Vulci, Canino, and to the north of Rome.

Cases 20-30 contain the finest and most perfect specimens of ancient vase painting. They are found chiefly at Canino and Nola, and exhibit in the treatment of their subjects the utmost care and finish. The ground of these Vases is a black varnish, the figures being either left of the natural reddish colour of the clay, or painted of that colour.

Cases 31-55 are of a later style, and have been chiefly procured from the province of the Basilica, which lies to the south of Rome. Their subjects are for the most part selected from the Dionysiac cycle. Among them will be found, in Case 35, some rhytons or drinking-cups, fashioned in the shape of the heads of animals. Down the centre of the room, are placed specimens selected chiefly for the excellence of their workmanship, with one or more subjects painted on each side, and belonging to the last two classes. A large proportion of them have subjects from the Mythological or Heroic Legends. For convenience of subsequent description, we propose to adopt the following classification of the vases according to their art, which

will be found nearly coincident with the chronological arrangement we have just spoken of.

I. Early Italian Ware.

II. Black Etruscan Ware.

III. Red Etruscan Ware.

IV. Miscellaneous Varnished Ware, mostly of the Early

Period.

V. Italian Vases of Archaic Greek Style.

VI. Vases of Transition Style.

VII. Vases of the finest Greek Style.

VIII. Vases of the Basilicata and latest period.

Before, however, we proceed to individual description, it seems worth while to say a few words on the origin and progress of the art of pottery and vase painting in Italy.

Now, though nearly all the vases in the Vase Room were found in Italy, and are of Italian origin, there is good reason for supposing that the finest specimens of the workmanship of Etruria and of Magna Græcia were the result of their connexion with the Greeks: the Mythological subjects depicted on their vases and the art with which they are painted clearly point to such a connexion.

It must, however, be remembered, in attempting to trace the progress of this art in Italy, that there were from remote antiquity two distinct races occupying different portions of that Peninsula—the Oscan or Sabellian tribes in Lower and Central Italy, of which the Romans were descendants; and the Etruscans or Rasenians, in the district north of Tiber. The chief seat of the latter people was round Care and Tarquinii (Tarchonion). Both were affected by Hellenic influences, but in a different manner; the races of Southern Italy, chiefly by the Greek colonies, which settled in Magna Græcia, at Vulternum (Capua) and Nola; those of Northern Italy, by their intercourse with Corinth, as we have already mentioned. The temple architecture of the Etruscans was an offshoot of the Grecian Doric with considerable modifications, and their tombs, in the peculiarity of their construction, recall the Mausoleums of the Lydian rulers. From a general consideration of the remains of Etruscan art Müller has inferred that the sombre and severe spirit of the Etruscan nation has shown itself in Art to be much more receptive than productive, inasmuch as at its early acquaintance with Greek, and especially Peloponnesian artists, it faithfully appropriated their style, and adhered to it for centuries.