366 Prof. Hausmann on the Composition af'the Ancient 
were more highly esteemed in ancient, as they are in modern 
times. 
The vases dug up in Lower Italy are found in Grecian sepul- 
chres more or less concealed beneath the surface of the ground, 
and constructed of stone in a rectangular form, placed near the 
remains of the dead body, and sometimes also suspended upon 
the walls ; as is clearly shewn by the excellent representations de- 
lineated by Knipius, added to Teischbein’s plates of vases, as well 
as by the accurately executed models exposed in the royal collec- 
tion of vases at Naples. Many vases are often found in the same 
sepulchre, of various sizes and qualities. Some of these sepulchres, 
which are small, and constructed of rough stones, usually con- 
tain a smaller number of a coarser kind. In other sepulchres of 
larger size, constructed of hewn stones, and covered over with 
slabs like the roof of a house, some of which I have seen before 
the gates of the ancient Passtum, vases of superior quality are 
found in greater number Sometimes they occur in their ori- 
ginal position, and in a perfect state of preservation ; at other 
times, however, they are crushed and destroyed. Some of them 
have retained in a surprising degree their polish and original 
colours; others, especially those dug up in moist places, are 
slightly incrusted with a white calcareous substance, easily so- 
luble in acids, which has probably been precipitated upon them 
from the water that had penetrated through the walls of the se- 
pulchre. This preservation of vases, constructed at so remote a 
period, of such frail materials, and with so thin a coating, is a 
subject of much interest, and not less than the perfection of the 
art as practised by the ancients, invites to the investigation of 
their mode of formation. 
We shall endeavour to distribute the most ancient earthen- 
ware vases, whether Greek or Etruscan, according to their mode 
of composition, into classes, for the purpose of obtaining a more 
distinct perception of their varieties. 
We shall place in \hQ Jirst class those vases in which the co- 
lour of the clay is natural, without glaze or other coating, or 
painting. Of this kind are some vases which were dug up at 
* Hamilton in Bocttiger’s Work cited above, I. 1. p. 34. 
