Hello world, this is my first blog entry!
From now on and as [ dewil.ch ] I’ll try hard to report and to share with you some thoughts and news right ‘out of the flock’.
Flock coming home, close to the ancient acropolis of Tarquinia
It’s already midst of November. I think «Eros & Thanatos» might be a coherent theme, to give birth to a blog in the eleventh month of a closing year.
Looking back on 2008 and remembering September. When we visited and travelled through the mythical Etruscan landscape in the north of Rome.
Villanovian urn, Vulci
This archaic and self-conscious exponent of the Villanova culture rested in a shady corner in front of Vulci museum’s portal. It was more than obvious to me—and seemingly even more so by the appearance of two iron rings, that are holding tight and with strength this raw figure out of a beaten stone—, when I took the picture of this bulky thing: that it might be a fellow of a phallic faction!
Two days before we met them already for the very first time on the hill of Tarquinia necropolis. Grey and gathered together by a small group, suffering from its unspectacular aspect in front of the entrances to the famous mural painted tombs of Tarquinia’s underworld.
Looking like disarmed guarders, impotent and dismantled in front of the masses of the touristic tomb raiders. Who are attending here from all over the world. These visitors are curiously entering the steep steps towards the tombs and taking in the colorful abode of the dead.
Several carved stone cases, used as cinerary urns, Tarquinia
Later on I learned, that these funny and forgotten sculptural figures—spread over a small corner of Tarquinia necropolis—were used a long time ago as cinerary urns. Ten years ago, after all those times, they were discovered on the slope of the hill overlooking the Mediterranean Sea.
As time went by this burial practices must have been given up. As far as an aristocratic elite—grace to their prosperity and increasing wealth—was able to spend some money for their personal luxury and lustful hereafter.
The Tomb of The Floggings, Tarquinia
The burial characteristics relate the Villanovan culture to the Central European Urnfield culture (c. 1300 -750 BC). Cremated remains were placed in cinerary urns and then buried. [ Wikipedia ]
Sketches of Etruscan Places and other Italian Essays, or Etruscan Places, is a collection of travel writings by D. H. Lawrence, first published posthumously in 1932. In this book Lawrence contrasted the life affirming world of the Etruscans with the shabbiness of Mussolini’s Italy during the late 1920s. [ Wikipedia ]
All photos by [ dewil.ch ] (cc) September 2008
