The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-08-30
Crack Vases. Mi.named Etruscan.

II was i'm the last century that excavations
I'm the cemeteries of Etruria brought first To
light large numbers of ancient vases paint
ed with scenes from the mythology ana inc
daily life Of Greece. NJ nrst they were
called Etruscan vases. in spite OF the TACT
that not only their art ana thelr suDecI
but also their inscriptions were purely
Greek. Il is only i'm late wears that the iact
has been discovered that they were mpor-
tatiOn, from Greek factories coming IN the
earlier period from COrinth or Chalcis, ana
after "A time principally from Athens. We
may congratulate ourselves on the fortunate
circumstance that the wealthy Lucumos OF
Etruria thought it in good taste to ad0rn
their houses and 10 fiji their graves with
these delightful vessels. our ain il ines
Unable. II is true that Greek vases nave a
language Of their own. and probably even
well-infOrmed and artistic visitors pass
through the vase rooms OF our museums
without feeling much interest in their con-
tents. But the language is well worth
learning.
There is no class Of ancient monuments
which has risen so rapidly of late years IN
the estimation Of archTolOgists. The SUI
dents. who take the pains to understand
Greek vases. soon discover not only that
their il. within the limits which Is studlOus-
Is observes most admirable. but also that
they carry with them more Of the ndNOr oil
ancient life than even sculpture or CONS.
They not only give Us abundant intorma-
ton as 70 the beliefs, the cults, ana the GUS
toms Of Greece. but they put us at once
If only they have escaped restoration IN
modern Italian workshops, on terms Of
friendship with the potter who moulded and
the painter WHO decorated them. Clay,
with It's marvellous durability. preserves
for us not only the ultimate design OF the
worker. but his first sketch, his second
thoughts. his mistakes and careles.nesS,
MS happy Inspirations. and the oDslacles
which inieriered with their realization. y
vase bears the same relation 10 sculptured
relief which a diary bears 10 formal his
torical treatise. 10 l. more local, tempo
rary. and personal. And M the same time
vases are among our most serious docu-
ment, i'm matters Of mythology and mythOg-
raphy. Every year they are used more ana
more for comparison with the plots OF the
tragedies OF Eschylus and Euripldes ana
the lyric tales of Plndar. Miss liar-
ri,On applies the test Of vases. As sue
is perfectly justified in doing, in order
10 determine the comparative antiquity OF
various versions OF Attic myths. and their
popularity amOn- the people. How Tar
brighter and ircsher is this source OF knOWl-
edge than the musty, pedantic pages OF an
ApOli0dOrlls or "a Hyginus. In contact win
the actual works of the Attic potters, the
conventional compositions Of the AleXan-
dgian mythologists fail to pieces and we
nave. in the place Of complicated struc-
lures Of NEUROLOGICAL gingerbread, myths
living and growing, crossing and recross-
ing, springing from the heart OF the people,
aud finding expression in their customs. 1t
is. then, no small advantage that We derive
from the excavations at the Acropolis. that
they really lay solid foundation for the
construction of history Of ancient vase
nainting.-rhe Quarterly kevleW.