The world-famous Portland Vase has a more sensational story behind it than a mere bad breakage. might seem to warrant, and its earlier days lie in the realm of mystery and romance.
One summer afternoon three hundred years ago some peasants stood examining a large mound about three miles outside the city gates of Rome. They had been ordered to dig it level with the earth, as the land was to be cultivated. The labourers had only been working on the mound for a few hours when one of them pitched forward and vanished into the ground. The others stupidly regarded a black mouth gaping in the earth. Their spades had opened a classical burial vault, Forgetful of the plight of their unhappy comrade below, the workmen raced to the nearest spot to buy torches, The vault might be full of treasure, and their hearts pounded with eager ne: into the depth:
But all the first-comer ilent vault in the flickering glare of his cypress torch was a mi stone coffin covered with a network of rich carvings. The men made only half-hearted attempts to raise the great coffin lid, for their courage had failed because of superstition, religious awe of the dead and the tense stillness of. the ages.
They reluctantly abandoned the mound, and in hopes of a substantial reward reported their discovery to the antiquaries attached to the Vatican.
Rome's antiquaries were quickly at the tomb. The great coffin was raised by pulley from the vault and taken on a cart to the Barberini Palace Rome. residence of Pope Urban VIII.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.