The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1878-01-15
sEIANA's sARCoPHAoUs.
What Was Found in a Girls Tomb
At Chiusi.


From the Academy.
The archaeological treasures Of Italy
have lately been increased by y mag
nificent monument Of Eiruscan art, in
the shape of a sarcoPhasus in terra-cot-
tn. recently discovered ut Chuiusi by
Signor Pietro Bon>i Casuccini. The
sarcophagus differs from that of Cor
neto IN It's characterization and its COW
er. Instead of a simple pointed roof
we have the usual couch, on which re-
ciines Young woman. almost lite size,
brightly painted in colors winch have
lost none Of their freshness. She leans
with her lett elbow on two pillows,
and with the other hand raises the
veil which covers her head and de-
scends upon her breast. she is dress
ell in 4 double tunic. gathered in at
the waist bv knotted and embroiier-
ed girtle. and closed at the throat by
golden clasp in the shape of a winged
Gorg,r. \ golden crown ornaments
her hair; round her throat is u necklet
composed Of small dmHeoos; in her
ears are gold pendants: and golden
armlets clasp her naked arms. Her
left hand adorned with five rings,
holds the ,'atsiu of the eternal banquet.
and from under her long skirt appears
little foot imprisoned in IN exquisite
ieweled sandal.
The coffin which has the form of a
base supporting the beautiful s;aui.,-
cfan, shows. in relief, five Ionic p:la--
terS. and between these are two ex-
tended rosettes and two pattern. With
the skeleton was found a Roman as M
eialis. without the name of the fsiHm-
-ir moDrtariHs. This coin Is most valu-
able Is enabling IT, to fix approximate
IL the date of the monument. IL Is Il
. fact that the asses u,siot.s were - uck
I in Rome in the year 80 of the city,
AMI lasted until the Ter P,P;r' in 655,
while from Cos they were struck but
rarely. AMI always bearing the name
uf the min;-mas;ers. Near the sarco-
phagus we're several silver Objects
such rs a small Vase. small patera, a
comb. bodkin for the hair, various
plates Of different sizes, a pair pincers
for pulling out hairs, be-iis these
were two little ivory oH,phon for un
guents. bronze vase, and some small
crystal balls.
The buried girl. whose effigy we SCI
on the cover, was a Seiana, as We
learn from On inscription engraved
On the border Of the sarcophagus and
repeated OH the plaster. Some so,ant,
nave maintained that the inscription
commemorate two individuals. of whom
one-the husband--desired to be bur
led beside the beloved partner Of the
brightest DAYS Of his life. But this
idea is opposed, first Of all, by the fact
tha, the urn contained only one skel-
eton: and next BY the consideration
that the inscription on the border was
hidden by the plaster employed in
closing the cover, thus rendering nee.
essary new inscription. which was
painted in red on the stucco itself.
Over and above the artistic value,
the sarcophagus Is interesting also
from the fact that the first inscription
was impressed on the sarcophagus
while still wet, by movable types.
nor would this be the first example OF
such knowledge existing among the
ancientS.
The place in which the sarcopha.
gus was discovered is called La Marti.
nella. 1t is a hill to the northwest OF
the town. The appendages Of the
principal tomb, instead Of door, have
tiles bearing inscriptions which repro.
duce externally the names engraved
or painted on the urns within. Many
Of the tiles have been collected. but
not those, unfortunately. which re-
veal the name of the fair Seiana.
whose body did not find place in the
principal (emb. but was buried in the
iocu'us nearest to the entrance on the
left side of the road. Inside the large
chamber was sarcophagus and cover,
originally broken, and mended with
lead. Like the rest, it was decorated
with paintings. so eEaced however,
that it was impossible even to make
out the inscription traced on the edge
with brush.
The remaining three 'oeuii contain
ed small urns in Cetona stone (CetOna
is the name of hill in the neighbor-
hood and sarcophagus in terra Gotta,
bearing on the cover female figure
as large as life, and enveloped COM
pletely in a winding sheet. But not
one Of the many urns and sarcophagi
thus found is equal in beauty to that
Of Seiana, which fairly may be regard
ed rs one of the most beautiful monu-
ments of Etruscan art which has vet
come down to us.
The sarcophagus in question Is in
Rome. The Minister Of Public In
struction Signor Coppino, who has op-
portunely ordered it to be bought.
would DO we'll to have it exhibited in
I