ISO 
room xi. abroad. These are arranged in the same man- 
Antiquities. ner as the modern coins. 
ANTE-ROOM. 
ante-room. No. 1. In the centre or the Ante-room, at the 
Antiquities, head of the stairs, is placed the celebrated Bar- 
berini vase, which was for more than two cen¬ 
turies the principal ornament of the Barberini 
Palace. This vase was purchased of Sir William 
Hamilton nearly thirty years ago, by the Duchess 
of Portland, since which period it has been more 
generally known by the name of the Portland 
Vase. It was found about the middle of the six¬ 
teenth century, two miles and a half from Rome, 
in the road leading to Frascati. At the time of 
its discovery, the vase was inclosed in a marble 
sarcophagus, within a sepulchral chamber, under 
the Mount called Monte del Grano. The ma¬ 
terial of which the vase is formed is glass: the 
figures, which are executed in relief, are of a 
beautiful opaque white, and the ground is in per¬ 
fect harmony with the figures, and of a dark 
transparent blue. The subject of these figures 
is extremely obscure, and has not hitherto re¬ 
ceived a satisfactory elucidation ; but the design 
and the sculpture are both truly admirable. This 
superb specimen of Greek art was deposited in 
the British Museum, in 1810, by His Grace the 
Duke of Portland. 
No. 2. An ancient painting in fresco, repre¬ 
senting 
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