508 | 
procuring for the double or triple of their 
weight, and for from five to fix times 
their weight when they are of gold. The in- 
feriptions fhould be nearly this, EcESTAzIB; 
fometimes it is deficient in {ome ofthe 
letters, fometimes they are reverfed. 
Thefe medals generally reprefent a head 
oif one fide, and a dog on the reverte. 
Drepanum or Trapani—Some_ vefliges 
of antiquities are dilcoverable upon 
Mount Erix, fix miles diftant from Tra- 
pani, but they do net appear to be of any 
importance. 
Pheenician Medals are found between 
Palermo and Agrigentum. As this coaft 
‘was occupied by the Phoenicians for a 
-confiderable length of time, and fince 
them by the Carthaginians, I am_par- 
ticularly anxious to procure antiquitiés of 
this defeription, as they are becoming 
very fcarce. If chance fhould throw any 
of thefe medals into your hands, I beg 
you will take them, and at the fame time 
inform yourfelf in what particular {pot 
they have been found # but as it is poffible 
that you may have fome Arabic medals 
brought te you, which are of no import- 
ance to me, it is neceflary I fhould inform 
you how to diftinguifh them. 
1. The Arabic medals in 
filver are very thin and light. Thofe of 
the Phoenicians are thicker, and when 
they are of the fize of a. fhilling, their 
thicknefs is nearly that of a half-crown- 
piece: the price is always nearly the 
fame. ‘Thofe of bronze have only one or 
two letters, and are of but little value ; 
thofe of filver contain one, two, or three 
words, and are worth four or five times 
their weight. If you fhould meet with 
any of gold, having the fame number of 
words, the price fhould be relatively the 
fame. 
2. The letters on the Arabic meddis 
are joined, thofe on the Phoenician are ie- 
parated. 
3- T annex a piate of Phoenician me- 
Galjlions in filver, formerly ftruck in S&- 
cily, which will ferve as a f{pecimen. 
Medals.of this fize are called medallions. 
If by chance you fhould meet with that 
of No. 3, pl. +. which bears on the fide 
reprefenting Viétcry znd the Horfe the 
Greek word Alonry=10Y (Dionufiou) of 
Dinyjfius, King of Syracufe; I would 
with you to give three or four Louis for 
it: the ethers are worththree or four times 
their weight. 
Baron de Riedezel * mentions a fmall 
old and in 
* Voyage en Sicile et dans la Grande 
Giéce, page 23. 
- — 
‘ 
Infirudtions by the Abbé Barthelemy ts M. Houel, : fan. 7 
ifland, fituated between Trapani and 
Marfanna, bearing at prefent the name 
Saint Partaleon, which is faid to be the 
ancient Motya, where, according to Thu- 
cydides, the Phoenicians. built a town,, I 
with to be informed whether any Pheeni- 
cian medals are found there, and of what 
kind they are. ts 
Selinus—Twelve miles to the eaftward 
of Mazara, are the Ruins of Selinus, 
where you will find the magnificent re- 
mains of the three temples of which 
Dorville has contented himfelf with giving 
the plans.* Your draughtf{man might make 
fome more accurate plans, containing the 
dimenfions of the whole, alee the fepa- 
rate parts. .Thefe ruins richly deferve 
the attention of architects. Fazeilo men- 
tions having feen three quarries, in the 
neighbourhood, from which the ftones 
have been taken, and where there are {till 
to be feen columns half carved in the rock: 
one quarry is fituated near the niver, at 
two miles diftance from the town; an- 
other four miles to the northward, in & 
place named Bugilifer; the third ina place 
called Ramunura, fix miles to thee weft - 
ward. Theie quarries ftill retain the 
name of Latomic. 
Silver medallions and medals are found 
at Sclinus, with this infcription, SEAINON- 
TION (Selinontion) of the Selinontians. 
Sciacca—In proceeditig along the coat 
you willarrive at Sciacca,formerly Therme 
Selemtinz, on account of its containing 
various baths. Fazello} mentions one of 
thefe baths in the form of a cave, whereare 
ftill to be feen the remains of the benches’ 
placed for the convenience of the bathers. 
He adds, that above thefe, benches there 
are fome letters, confiderably effaced, 
which have not as yet been decyphered, 
and which are not in any known language. . 
Perhaps they are Phoenician! Baron 
de Riedezel { fays they are Greek charac- 
ters: but this.wants confirmation. =| 
Agricentum, or Girgenti—Here your 
draughifman will have ample fcope for ex- 
ercifing his talents, more efpecially if he 
-underftands architecture. I would recom- 
mend your taking the plates of the Ruins 
of Girgenti out of the ‘* Antichita Sict- 
liana, by Father Pancrace, a Theatin | 
the firt part of which was printed at. 
Naples in 1751, but met with fo little -. 
fuccefs that the author relinquifhed his 
intention of contiviuing the work. Idonot 
know what is become of his other draw- 
HM sf 59 yok Fe a Bs ed 
* Sicula, page 7Q, 7f- 
+ De Reb. Sic. page 429. 
} Voyage en Sicile, &c. page 30. 
r ingSe 
