The Grotta Querciola, so called from its owner, surrounded by double frieze of frescoes, representing, in the upper series, a banquet with musicians and dancers, and, in the lower, a boar-hunt in a forest, with horses and dogs, and men brandishing spears for the attack and axes for cutting their way through the thickets. The latter fresco has sometimes given the name of "Grotta della Caccia del Cignale" to this beautiful tomb, which is much injured by damp. It was discovered in April, 1831.

The Grotta del Triclinio, or Del Convito Funebre, was discovered in 1830. Five figures at the upper end of the chamber are reclining at a banquet, attended by a boy with a wine jug, while a man is piping to them. Above, are vines, with men gathering the grapes. Along the walls are figures, male and female, violently dancing, in different attitudes, and separated by trees and flowers, with birds on their branches, and rabbits beneath, perhaps indicating that the feast took place al fresco. On either side of the entrance is a man on horse-back, and, above them, two panthers. The sloping sides of the ceiling are painted with chequers of colour, and its broad central beam is adorned with ivy and lotus leaves.

The Grotta del Morto, opened 1832, is one of the most interesting of the series of tombs, though one of the smallest. In its frescoes an aged Etruscan lies on his death-bed, while his daughter is about to give him a last kiss: other figures stand near in attitudes of grief. The word "Thanarsela” is written above the head of the lady, and "Thanaueil" over that of her father. On the opposite side of the chamber naked figures are dancing and drinking at a feast in honour of the dead. Funeral wreaths hang round the walls of the tomb.

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In this, as in all the tombs, the flesh of the males is painted red, but that of the women left uncoloured. The paintings here are greatly effaced.

The Grotta de Pompei, or Grotta del Tifone, discovered 1832, is deeper than the others, and of great size. The roof is supported by a great square pillar, like those at Cervetri, and a triple tier of stone seats surrounds the chamber. On these are a number of stone sarcophagi, once surmounted by recumbent figures, of which two only remain perfect. One of the paintings which decorate the walls, considered by Dennis to be "of much later date and higher style of art" than those in the other tombs, represents a miniature procession, in which the dead, a youth and a girl, are driven by demons to Hades. One of them has his claw upon the shoulder of the youth, and brandishes a hammer, the emblem of supernatural power, in the other hand. The heads of both are twined with serpents :

"Serpentelli e ceraste avean per crine

Onde le fiere tempie eran avvinte."

Dante.

There is something very attractive in this picture, with its lost story. Mrs Hamilton Gray thinks that Dante must have seen it before he wrote of Francesca da Rimini, and that in the agonized faces of those who are led away he read :

"Nessun maggior dolore

Che ricordarsi del tempo felice

Nella miseria."

Inferno v.

In front of the central pillar is a square mass of rock, which is supposed to have been an altar, on which sacrifices were

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made to the Manes. The front of the pillar itself bears an Etruscan inscription of nine lines, almost obliterated. Three sides of the pillar also are painted, one with a female figure ending in foliage, the others with Typhons.

"One of these two figures is particularly fine. The attitude of the body-the outspread wings—the dark massy coils of the serpent-limbs -the wild twisting of the serpent-locks—the countenance uplifted with an expression of unutterable woe, as he supports the cornice with his hands--make this figure imposing, mysterious, sublime. In conception, the artist was the Michael Angelo of Etruria."-Dennis.

The Grotta del Cardinale, in a hollow which leads towards the site of the city, was discovered in 1699, and finally opened in 1780 by Cardinal Gerampi, Bishop of Corneto. This is the largest of the tombs, being fifty-four feet square, with a low flat ceiling, divided by concentric squares, and supported by four massy pillars of the natural rock.

Only the outlines The figures repre

The paintings in this tomb have been greatly injured by the shepherds, who used to light their fires here, before it was protected by the Papal government. can be traced, and that with difficulty. sent, for the most part, a contest of good and evil spirits for the souls of the departed, like those which so long after were depicted by Orcagna at Pisa, and by Luca Signorelli at Orvieto. In one striking part of the series a soul is being wheeled in a car before the judge by good and evil genii, who try to draw different ways. The evil genii are all black.

"There is one scene from this tomb of very remarkable character, delineated by Byres, which is not now to be verified, as it has too much perished. It represents two children, Cupid and Psyche, the latter with butterfly-wings, embracing each other; with a good genius on one side, and an evil one on the other. They appear to have the

* Hypogai, or the Sepulchral Caverns of Tarquinia, by James Byres, 1842.

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same symbolical meaning as the Cupid and Psyche of the Greeks, for the evil genius is drawing Cupid, i.e. the bodily appetites and passions, towards the things of this world, represented by a tree and a labourer 'hurrying along with a huge stone on his head, as if to intimate that man is born to trouble, and his lot below is all vexation of spirit; while, on the other hand, Psyche, or the more exalted part of human nature, draws him back, and her persuasions are seconded by the good genius, who, be it remarked, does not seize the soul, like the antagonist principle, but tries, with outstretched arms and gentle looks, to win it to herself. Behind her is a gate, through which a soul is calmly passing, as if to contrast the tranquil bliss of a future existence with the labour, unrest, and turmoil of this. It is a simple truth, eloquently and forcibly told." -Dennis.

These are the most important of the tombs. The next group of sepulchres is further on across the Montarozzi, two miles from Corneto.

The Grotta delle Bighe is covered with much-injured but once brilliant frescoes, representing on the end wall a banquet, on the side walls dances. The paintings are in a double frieze, the lower and larger of the two having a red ground. The smaller frieze is crowded with figures, and among them are several bigæ, or two-horse chariots, whence the name given to the tomb. In the pediment over the door are two leopards and two geese, in the pediment above the banquet is a large amphora with a small naked figure on either side, and, beyond these, seated figures crowned with myrtle and olive.

The Grotta del Mare consists of two small chambers measuring fifteen feet by ten, and derives its name from four sea-horses painted upon the pediment of the outer chamber.

The Grotta del Barone, so called from Baron Stachelberg, by whom it was discovered in 1827, is decorated by a single narrow frieze, with a border of coloured stripes. The subject seems to be a race and the distribution of prizes.

The Grotta Francesca, discovered by Chevalier Kestner in 1833, is decorated with representations of a funeral dance, with pipes and castanets.

The Grotta delle Iscrizioni, discovered in 1828, is unlike the others. It is not situated in flat table-land, but is entered from the face of the cliff opposite the hill of Turchina. It is sometimes called the "Grotta delle Camere Finte" from the false doors, which form part of its decorations, one in each wall. Between these are different pictures, games and dances being the subjects. Two figures seem to be playing at dice, two naked men are boxing, two others are wrestling. In another compartment is a horse-race, in another a Bacchic dance. On the right of the entrance is a boy sacrificing a fish upon an altar, before which stands the divinity with a rod in his hand. Over his head is written "Welthur." Above the entrance are two panthers, and beyond them, on either side, a recumbent fawn and a goose. On the opposite pediment are panthers, lions, and stags.

"The inscriptions in this tomb give us some insight into its history. The first is a long semicircular line of letters, and may be translated'The Priestess Caesanna Matuessa calls these games in honour of the Lar deceased, the glory of his age, the protector of our temples and our commerce.' Following this comes the funeral procession. First, the newly-elected Lar Matuesius, perhaps brother to the priestess,—then the families of the Lucumones, who are his nearest of kin, or whose offices oblige them to bear a part in his funeral train. One individual only is given of each family, on account of the confined space in which they are represented. Here we see (identified by the names inscribed on the walls) the Lenea and the Pompey, both very noble houses of Tarquinii. Following them, the Prince Aruns Athvinacna representing the younger branches of the ruling house. Aruns means a cadet prince. After this come the Laris Phanuris or sacred mourners for the king, and the Velthuri or presidents of the various games and sacrifices. The races are contested by the royal guard, here called 'Laris Larthia' or