TOM

492

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find that great pains were taken to preserve them by em-

, balming and similar methods. The practice of burning thebodies would seem to be of later date, and at no period oftime universal; under these circumstances, however, the asheswere usually preserved with great care in some structure setapart for that especial purpose. Great reverence has alwaysbeen shown for the bodies of the departed ; a feeling whichhas been exhibited in different manners, according to the timeand place : the interment would appear to have been alwaysconnected with some religious rite. In some places, the bodieswere simply inhumed or deposited in the earth without anyerection above them, save that of a tumulus of earth ; inothers, they were embalmed at great expense, and placed instructures of greater or less magnificence; whilst in othersagain they were deposited in natural caves or excavationsbeneath the surface of the earth.

Perhaps no people have ever expended greater care upontheir dead than the Egyptians, a fact which may be readilyaccounted for by the tenets of their religion. This nationwas accustomed to adopt both the latter practices, as is mani-fest by their building those vast structures, the pyramids,which have been proved to have been erected for the pur-pose, as well as by the existence of an extensive range ofexcavations below the surface of the ground. Of the latter,as well as of the pyramids, will be found an account underthe article Egyptian Abchitectuke, and of the Pyramids,under that article.

Many sepulchral grottos have been found in the plains ofEtruria . They are hollowed out of a rock, sometimes dis-posed in the form of a cross, or with three wings, and atothers squared in different proportions. Doors have beenformed to lead from one grotto to another ; and we also findthem above each other. These grottos are not very deep, andthe interior is often adorned with paintings. In Campania,also, several tombs have been discovered, containing Etrus-can vases. They are represented as being formed by anenclosure of cut stones, and covered with a sort of roof orflagstone shelving on both sides. The dead body was stretchedout on the ground, the feet turned towards the entrance ofthe sepulchre, and the head ranged against the wall, fromwhich were suspended, by bronze nails, vases of terra-cotta,whilst others of a similar kind were disposed around thebody.

At Agrigentum , the tombs are a sort of troughs rangedone above another, sometimes arched, or chambers with rent-holes in the roof, only two inches apart from each other. Insome parts of Greece and Italy are sepulchral chambersexcavated in the rock, and formed like a bell, as at Am-phissa. In the valley of Ispica, in Sicily , Denon foundtombs, formed out of a hollow stone, upwards of 5 feet longand 15 inches wide.

; Tumuli , or large mounds of earth, are of very ancientdate, and are to be found in various situations. They arefrequently found encompassed by a large square wall, as thatof Alyattes in Lydia, of ADgyptus in Arcadia, and of Phocusin iEgina, besides many others in Greece and Asia , and inwestern Scythia. In one, with a circular wall, which wasopened between Smyrna and Pergamus, were found galleriesand chambers. One of the tumuli in the plain of Athenshaving been opened, was found to contain a chamber finelyconstructed of large blocks of stone, in which was a vase ofterra-cotta, with figures and inscriptions.

Of a similar kind, though of smaller dimensions, werethose mounds which are termed barrows, and which arecommon in many parts of Europe and Asia. “ The Russians ,in effecting a practicable road to China , discovered, in fiftydegrees north latitude, between the rivers Irtish and Obalet,

a desert of very considerable extent, overspread in many P® _with tumuli or barrows.” One of the largest of these ^rows was opened by the Russian government, and . „found to contain the body of a prince. “ After reIIl0V ^a very deep covering of earth and stones, the workmento three vaults constructed of stones of rude workmanThat wherein the prince was deposited, which was i® ,centre, and the largest of the three, was easily disting' 11 ^by the sword, spear, bow, quiver and arrow which lay ®him. In the vault beyond him, towards which his f ee ^

were his horse, bridle, saddle, and stirrups. The

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the prince lay in a reclining posture upon a sheet ofgold, extending from head to feet, and another sheet jof the like dimensions was spread over him. He was wrapr,^in a rich mantle, bordered with gold, and studded withru^and emeralds. His head, neck, breast, and arms na ^ . c ' e9 g,without any ornament. In the lesser vault lay the P rin j ace ddistinguished by her female ornaments. She was P j, 9reclining against the wall, with a gold chain of many fset with rubies round her neck, and gold bracelets rounarms. The head, breast, and arms were naked. f Jl ,e , 0 |dwas covered with a rich robe, but without any borderor jewels, and was laid on a sheet of fine gold, and coover with another. The four sheets of gold weighed ^pounds. The robes of both looked fair and compl eie ’upon touching, crumbled into dust.” The tombs neat ^gamus in Asia Minor are cones of earth with c ^ ,aD ^ r j ( jat eS

foP®’

vaults constructed in the interior. The tomb of '[form,in the Crimea , is an immense tumulus of liemispherica ^

constructed with huge masses of stone of an irregular ( j_

heaped together without the aid of cement of any . a tThis kind of construction is the same as that to be »° ^. er yTyrus and Mycene , and is supposed to have beenancient date. See Pelasgian Architecture. _ . . n< j ofThe Romans do not seem to have adopted this t lii 9sepulchre, for although tumuli have besn discovere oll rcountry containing articles of Roman workmanship) ^ uJ .j a l-best antiquaries do not allow such to have been tn -^dplaces of the Romans themselves, but rather of R° ne r»'Britons, or of Britons engaged in their service. .“ e -g r jtn> 0 ’characteristics of a Roman place of interment in 0 rappear to consist simply of the plain grave, wit gg amore stone pillars bearing an inscription, and som ^niisculptured device. At Chatham hill in Kent , a oJO poS e ^sepulchre was discovered, of which the walls were i^. c0 ve reaof rubble-stone and hard mortar ; the wall fh' st ’ rtlll cn t9was 30 feet in length, and intersected by three a Pj gte; w® 3

with thpir wnlls_ Onp enactment which was COmP_ ^ fl 1 ®

with their walls.

9 feet 3 incheswalls covered with

One apartment which wasby 7 feet 3 inches, with the insm c;h fine white plaster, on which were^P^

side^d

01

11 UiiO iriui 11110 niiivv fiiiiuvvi) *

stripes of black and red. The urn containingtb® ge p®l'the deceased, was deposited on a pavement within ^ a n®chre, and round it were several vessels of differedshape, paterae, &c. A Roman sepulchre, discovertwo hundred and fifty yards from the wall of the city ^ j j0 llo'^was an oblong room with a ridged roof, covered w® a 1111

Roman tiles; it was about 3^ feetcontained several urns all standing on

long

t1l« d V

in

A burial-vault was discovered in Oxfordshire , fr 0 ® 5

, and 8 h>ff n pS r

the planking-stones. The human remains were a ^ u j t fr® 1 ®titions of a dissimilar width, which crossed the ^ut jeast to west, and were built with Roman red tile ® n

• 1 rni a 1 Aipt *

inches square. The

were two tier ^ a ,. were discovered among the rubbish-two tiers of sepulchral recesses, and above wero« ra