FLOOR. J 
SECOND VASE ROOM- 
125 
quities from the Blacas, Temple, and Castellan i Collections 
have been incorporated. 
The Greek Fictile Vases are arranged in Wall Cases (60—72, 
1-23), and in the detached Cases in the centre. A large 
proportion of the subjects represented relates to Dionysiac 
festivals, to Venus and Cupid, or to funeral offerings. 
The figures are painted in red or white on a black ground, the 
details being sometimes picked out in crimson or yellow. The 
black varnish is less brilliant than in the earlier styles, and 
the shapes of the vases less elegant ; the ornaments are more 
florid, the composition more pretentious and elaborate, and 
the drawing mannered and often careless. These charac- 
teristics mark the decline of the art of vase-painting. 
Cases 60-70 contain the black modelled ware, among which will be 
found many shapes imitated from vases in metal. Among them is a 
series of vases found at Capua, remarkable for elegance of shape and 
richness of gilt ornament. Cases 71-2 contain a series of vases from 
the Cyrenaica. 
On the Table Cases in this room are the following select 
o 
vases and terracottas : — 
Table Case A. 1. Krater : Death of Priam and meeting of Menelaus 
and Helen : reverse, Olympic Deities, meeting of two heroes, and 
battle of Greeks and Amazons. (Minervini, Bullettino Archeologico 
Napolitano, 1858, p. 145.) 2. A terracotta urn from Athens, con- 
taining bones. 3. A kernos formed by four vases grouped together on a 
stand, and ornamented with reliefs. 
Table Case B. 1. A collection of terracotta figures found in tombs 
at Tanagra in Boeotia. They are remarkable for grace and refinement 
in the composition and modelling. 
2. A terracotta group of two female figures playing with astragali 
or knucklebones. Capua. Castellani. 
Table Case C. Two Panathenaic amplwroe, both inscribed with the 
name of the Archon Pythodelos (B.C. 336). Cervetri. Castellani. 
A third, with the name of the Archon Niketes (b.c. 332). Capua. 
Castellani. 
Table Case D. 1. Krater: The initiation of the Dioscuri at the 
lesser mysteries at Agra ; reverse, Dionysos, Plutos, and other figures. 
— PourtaVes. 
2. Krater: Lykurgos slaying his family; reverse, Pelops, Hippo- 
damia, Myrtilos. 3. Krater: Scene in Hades : Orpheus holding Cerbe- 
rus. — Blacas. 
Table Cases E, G. Six Panathenaic amphora, from the Cyrenaica. 
One of these bears the name of the Athenian archon Euthykritos, (b.c. 
328); on another is the name of the archon Nikokrates,(B.o. 333) ; and 
