Whilst some peasants were recently digging up their plot of ground
near the Church of S. Rocco they came upon a subterranean tomb,
which, upon examination, was found to contain arms, shields,
sacrificial implements, jewellery, utensils, and other objects of
value and interest. We may remind our readers that Præneste was
destroyed by Sulla,--that is, the ancient city founded by the Greeks,
and surrounded by the Pelasgic wall. This tomb is of that period, and
measures five metres by three, and is composed of large blocks of
tufa, without cement. The vault had fallen in, and thus damaged some
of the objects, the principal of which are:--
_Personal Ornaments._--1. An object which might be called a huge
fibula, as without doubt it was sewn on a dress. It is made of a
rectangular piece of solid gold, 0.17 m. long, 0.10 m. wide. The borders
and the central line are ornamented with bands, worked "a meandro,"
ending with lions' heads. On the flat surface _one hundred and
thirty-one_ animals, such as lions, sphinxes, and sirens, stand or
crouch. The skill with which the gold is worked in the most
microscopic details is quite wonderful. 2. A fibula of gold, 0.12 m.
long, not different from the Etrusco-Roman shape. 3. A few yards of a
golden fringe or _fimbria_, which trimmed the edge of the dress, and
in which the movable strings are attached to a band or heading,
ornamented with swallows and crows. 4. A stick of silver, which seems
to have ended with a hand, and might be considered as a sceptre. 5.
Many clasps of gold, on which are fixed couples of lions and sirens of
the same material.
_Utensils: Familiar or Sacred Supellex._--1. The funeral-bed, with the
framework of oak-wood and the ornamentation of bronze. On the junction
of the four poles of the frame are groups of _telamones_, whose heads
are dressed with huge feathers, not unlike South American caciques;
chimeras carrying away human bodies; dogs persecuting lions, &c. 2. A
kind of strong-box, inlaid with exquisite bas-reliefs of ivory, coated
in gold, and representing heads of monsters, lions eating up bodies
dressed in Eastern fashion, Egyptian boats, females in priestly
attire, battle-scenes between horsemen and infantry, &c. 3. Three
cylinders, 0.19 m. long, 0.027 m. in diameter, inside of which are
concealed sticks of palm-wood. 4. Two tripods, with their basins or
_lebetes_, round the lips of which are human figures and monsters
looking inside. 5. Tazza of gold and silver, 0.18 m. in diameter, with
reliefs representing an Eastern king hunting cynocephali, or some
other kind of monkey. 6. Tazza of pure gold, 0.12 m. high, in the shape
of a Greek "skyphos," with handles ending with winged male figures. 7.
Several other cups of blue Phœnician glass, of gold and silver, and
pure silver, one of which is exceedingly interesting, as it bears the
signature of the artist. The paleography of the letters resembles
that of the stones of _Mesa_ and _Esmunazar_; and the text, taken as a
whole, recalls to mind the signatures of the cuneiform contracts
discovered in Assyria, which belong to the seventh century before
Christ. And such is certainly the date of the signature found at
Palestrina, which has been interpreted by Professor Fabiani, "Esmunie
'ar ben 'asta." The same philologist thinks that the artist must be
contemporary with, if not anterior to, Euchyros and Eugrammos; and if
so, Esmunie 'ar would be the earliest goldsmith whose name is
historically known, with the exception of Bezaleel (Ex. xxxi.), B.C.
1491.