PORTLAND VASE, ETC. 
ROOM IX.] 
83 
Corbridge, in Northumberland, and was presented by His Grace the 
Duke of Northumberland , 1774. 
A bas-relief, representing a Roman standard of the second legion, 
between a Pegasus and Capricorn ; underneath is leg. ii. avg. 
A colossal head, marble. 
A small Roman altar, with a bas-relief in front, of Mars, as a Ro¬ 
man general, holding a spear and shield. 
A small Roman altar, similar to the preceding. 
A pig of lead. 
EIGHTH ROOM. 
At present unoccupied. 
NINTH OR ANTE-ROOM, (up stairs.) 
To the left, at the foot of the stairs leading to this Room, a circular 
vase, or capital of a sepulchral cippus, decorated with foliage and the 
symbolical serpent. 
No. 1. In the centre of the Room is placed the celebrated Barbe- 
rini Vase, which was for more than two centuries the principal orna¬ 
ment of the Barberini Palace. This Vase was purchased of Sir Wil¬ 
liam Hamilton considerably more than thirty years ago, by the Duchess 
of Portland, since which period it has been 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 
from Frascati. At the time of its discovery, the vase was inclosed in a 
marble sarcophagus, within a sepulchral chamber under the Mount 
called Monte di Grano. The material of which the vase is formed is 
glass: the figures, which are executed in relief, are of a beautiful opake 
white, and the ground is in perfect harmony with the figures, and of a 
dark transparent blue. The subject of these figures is extremely ob¬ 
scure, and has not hitherto received a satisfactory elucidation ; but the 
design and the sculpture are both truly admirable. This superb spe¬ 
cimen 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, representing deer; it was 
found in a subterraneous chamber at Scrofano, about sixteen miles 
from Rome. From the collection of Sir William Hamilton. 
No, 3. A bas-relief, in stucco, representing a winged boy, or ge¬ 
nius, carrying a pedum across his right shoulder. From the collection 
of Sir William Hamilton. 
No. 4. An ancient painting in fresco, representing a female figure 
holding a patera, on which a vase is placed. Presented , in 1771, by 
the Earl of Exeter. 
No. 5. An ancient painting in fresco, representing two females 
seated, in the Arabesque style, on the curling branches of a plant; one 
of them is holding a vase, the other a tambourin. Between these 
figures is a bas-relief, in stucco, representing a human head surrounded 
with ivy, and underneath are two birds drinking out of a well. Pre¬ 
sented, in 1757, by Thomas Hollis, Esq. 
No. 6. Decorations of Roman armour, found in Britain. 
No. 7. A Persian sextant. 
