68 Antiques, 



A great numher of antique vases have recently been discovered 

 at Cariosa, in the kingdom of Naples, in a most magnificent 

 ancient tomb. Two of these vases are peculiarly interesting to 

 the antiquarian. One of them is of a most extraordinary size, 

 and its equal has never Ijeen yet discovered. It exhibits thirty- 

 six painted figures, besides many emblems in various compart- 

 ments, probably alluding to the labours of Hercides. On the 

 neck are two elegant cars drawn by four superb white horses, 

 being the chariot of the Sun and of Aurora. At the bottom 

 there is a tetrastyle temple of the Tuscan order, in which as if 

 in a niche are two personages of a dignified appearance, who 

 seem to be Pluto and Proserpine. Lower down tliere is a Her- 

 cules armed with his club, combating Cerberus, besides various 

 other figures not yet found out. 



This vase, although very fine, is nevertheless, with respect to 

 design and delicacy of workmanship, inferior to the other, which 

 is smaller, and presents twenty-eight figures also in different 

 compartments. We there find likewise the cars above described, 

 and the tetrastyle temple ; but we also read in the architrave 

 of the temple, in excellent Greek characters, KPEONTEIA. On 

 the left hand there is another figure, under which is written 

 irrOTHS ', and on the right hand there is a female, over whose 

 head we read MEPOFH. Higher up are the two letters ZN. 



We also see on the left an interesting image of Death, 

 EI A fl AON AHTOT is written over it. This image is repre- 

 sented in company with another wrapped in a black cloak, and 

 with a menacing visage. Upon the head of the latter is a kind 

 of two-curled wig. In the middle of the inner compart- 

 ment there is a figm-e representing Fury, OISTPOS, and on 

 the two sides two other figures ; that on the left representing a 

 man (.lason) lA^^flN, who is about to throw himself down; the 

 other is Medea, MHJEIA. 



All the amateurs and antiquarians who have seen the above 

 vases prono'jncc them to be the most valuable in Europe, on ac- 

 count of t-'ie.r size, thevarietv of the figures, and ihe delicacy of 

 the design. The tomb in which they were found is hollowed 

 out of the solid stone. In the inside there are bas-reliefs re- 

 presenting hunting-matches : there were also found in'-ide two 

 casques, i cuirass, tv^-o pieces of leg armour, and a kind of or- 

 nament i ■; the cuirass ; all of which were gilt. Vases were 

 also found without any figures or ornaments. The nianber of 

 figures on each of the two great vases amounts to fifty. A de- 

 tailed account, with drawings, is about to be published. 



A variety of antiquities have been recently discovered in the 

 environs of Astracan, and particularly among the Tartar steppes 



in 



