A R G S. 
by those who followed the corpse; by some CHAP. 
VIII. 
translated imagines ; by others, grata munera. 
From the light thrown upon the subject by a 
view of the sepulchres themselves, there is every 
reason to believe that these beautiful vases, with 
all the lamps, lachrymatories, and earthen vessels, 
found in Grecian tombs, many of them being 
highly ornamented, were the gifts alluded to by 
Euripides, either to the dead, or to the Gods of 
the dead. Hence, perhaps, we arrive at the 
meaning of the Inscription mentioned in the sixth 
Chapter of this volume, as found uponan^Memaw 
lamp, " Socrates, accept this animal ! " Pure 
clay was an offering to the Gods*. Another 
curious subject of inquiry suggested by these 
relics, is this : Whence originated the custom? Origin 
It is undoubtedly of much earlier date than Custom, 
any thing purely Grecian. In the most antient 
sepulchres of the Celts, in all parts of Europe, 
earthen vessels are also found of the simplest 
form and rudest workmanship, apparently 
possessing a degree of antiquity far beyond the 
age denoted by any of the Grecian terra-cottas. 
PAUSANIAS mentions a terra-cotta Soros that was 
dug up at Argos, supposed to have been that 
(4) See Greek Marbles, p. 70. Comb. 1809. 
VOL. VI. H H 
