Description of Plate XXII.
THE GRAFFITI,
Or Scratchings on Marble by the Workmen of the Second Century.
A. An athlete, commonly called a wrestler; but the athletes were more than merely wrestlers, they were often men of high rank, and fought with weapons also, sometimes with fatal results. This is a prize-man with his palm-branch in his hand.
B. Athletes.—On this fragment of marble the drawing is very indistinct, but there appear to be two figures only, with arms in their hands, and their heads bare, their helmets being on a table behind them. Inscriptions are scratched upon these, which are rather difficult to make out, but seem to be—on one, IVTOR (?); on another, LIMENI NIKÆ; on a third, OVIM. The rest are too indistinct to be read.
C. A hunt of wild beasts.—This is extremely curious, but not very distinct in the original, and therefore not in the photo-engraving, which admits of no restorations. There are five animals all of the same kind, but what animal they are intended for it is not easy to say; they have claws, the heads look like wolves’. Each has a broken cord hanging to its neck. There are two huntsmen with spears in their hands running after them; they are clothed in tight dresses, with bands round the waist and the knees, and with buskins on their feet.
THE COLOSSEUM.
PLATE XXIII.
GRAFFITO OF THE PODIUM, &c.
COLOSSEUM. GRAFFITO OF THE PODIUM etc.