ANCIENT CITY REVEALED

Hokitika Guardian, 24 June 1929, Page 7

ANCIENT CITY REVEALED

SOME IMPORTANT FINDS. Grandiose vestiges of an Etruscan city in Italy which nourished about five centuries before Christ, have been found on lands owned by the Counts of Ana. This territory is situated at ....irzaiioitu, about 20 miles from Bologna, in the Valley of Apennines. The family entered in possession of the vast estate in 1801, since which time their descendants have taken great interest in tracing the ancient Etruscan city and iorming a local museum. As far back as 1550 a studious s lriar, Leandro .Alberti, wrote a book about tbe place, then called Misanello. Tie described many erf the old ruins and walls, partly above ground and partly covered with earth, which, he quaintly supposed, were vestiges of ..oine city built by descendants of Aoali, who had wandered thither after : ,e Deluge. The ruins, he said, betrayed a mysterious civilisation, hut why lie prelerred to trace it to the .sons of Noah is not clear. Successive scholarly Counts of Aria have by patient labour of 90 years, laid the entire temples and a large altar of sacrifice. The stone is artistically cut and sculptured, and from various evidences some of the habits of the citizens may be inferred. Many of them must ha.ve carried on artistic pottery work, as the remains of five furnaces such as were, used by the Etruscans have been found. Tbe weaver’s art must also have been exercised, as certain triangular stones with a hole at the top have been found in great numbers. These the Etruscans used as weights for their looms. The foundations of many of the houses remain, and some still have parts of their doors intact, showing their general character and design.

A necropolis, or burial place, has also been found. It has walls of sculptured stone and numerous arches, indicative of a high state of civilisation. In the crypts many articles of bronze —necklaces, bracelets, and statuettes —were found. All were artistically worked.