48 Prof. Hausmann on the Composition of' the Ancient 
one. This, however, is of very rare occurrence in vases : I have 
seen an instance of it in a vase of Grecian origin, in the Royal 
Collection at Naples. In these parts I have found no indica- 
tion of their having been formed in moulds : they seem, without 
exception, to have been made by the hand and instruments. 
8. Composition of the Plastic Ornaments of Vases. — The 
plastic ornaments which we find upon vases, have been made 
by the wheel, or in some other way. Of the former kind 
are all those simple ornaments, whether raised or impressed, 
with circular outlines, which surround certain parts of vases, as, 
for example, the upper margin, or ball of the lid, which have, 
without doubt, been formed, in a way similar to that employed 
by our potters, by means of certain instruments. 
To the plastic ornaments not prepared upon the wheel, be- 
longs the raised work, which is sometimes, though rarely, seen 
in the principal part of vases, and more commonly on the handles. 
Some black Etruscan vases, preserved in the public collec- 
tion at Florence, are furnished with raised ornaments on the 
principal part or body. Two large vases, of elegant form, are 
encircled by vine tendrils. Others of them have raised figures 
of animals. Some again, with a narrow neck, are terminated by 
vine-leaves. In others there are rounded raised lines, which rise 
from the bottom to the bulging part of the body, or descend to 
it from the neck. The handles are ornamented in this way, 
not only in the black Etruscan vases, but also in the painted 
ones of Grecian origin. They are often terminated by heads or 
entire figures, beautifully imitated, or are made to assume the 
form of twisted serpents, or are marked with depressed or raised 
lines. 
It is a question whether these ornaments have been made by 
means of moulds, or simply by the hand. From the inquiries 
which I have made in regard to this matter, I am inclined to 
think, that all those plastic ornaments have been formed with 
the hand, by means of simple instruments, and not by moulds, 
as is now practised. 1. Because no marks of moulds, no seams, 
for example, are to be observed ; 2. Because small differen- 
ces are commonly found in ornaments of the same kind : the 
heads or figures of handles, for example, in the same vase, dif- 
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