Northeastern Collections

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RICHARD D. DE PUMA

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<L'ERMA> di BRETSCHNEIDER
 CORPVS SPECVLORVM
ETRVSCORVM

U.S.A. 4: Northeastern Collections

Amherst - Mead Art Museum, Amherst College

Bryn Athyn - Glencaim Museum, Academy of the New Church
Bryn Mawr Ella Riegel Memorial Museum, Bryn Mawr College
Newark - Newark Museum
New Haven - Yale University Art Gallery
Northampton - Department of Classical Languages and Literatures, Smith College
Norton - Watson Gallery, Wheaton College
Philadelphia - University Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, University of Pennsylvania
Poughkeepsie - Frances Lehman Loeb Art Center, Vassar College
Princeton - Princeton University Art Museum
Providence - Rhode Island School of Design Museum
Worcester - Higgins Armory Museum; Worcester Art Museum

Text and Drawings by

RICHARD DANIEL DE PUMA

<<L'ERMA>> di BRETSCHNEIDER
 Published with the assistance of the Getty Grant Program
and the National Endowment for the Humanities, a federal agency

Corpus Speculorum Etruscorum. U.S.A. - Roma : <<L'ERMA>>

di BRETSCHNEIDER. - v. ; 33 cm.
Nell'occh.: Coordinated by the Istituto Nazionale di Studi etruschi
ed italici.

4: Northeastern Collections / text and drawings by Richard Daniel

De Puma. - Roma: <<L'ERMA>> di BRETSCHNEIDER, 2005.
251 p. : in gran parte ill. ; 33 cm.
ISBN 88-8265-325-0

CDD 21. 739.5 1209375

1. Specchi etruschi - Stati Uniti d'America - Collezioni
I. Dc Puma, Richard Daniel

RICHARD DANIEL DE PUMA

Corpus Speculorum Etruscorurn
U.S.A. 4: Northeastern Collections
© Copyright 2005 by <<L'ERMA>> di BRETSCHNEIDER
Via Cassiodoro, 19 - Roma
© Copyright 2005 by RICHARD DANIEL DE PUMA

Tutti i diritti riservati. E vietata la riproduzione

di testi e illustrazioni senza il permesso scritto dell'Editore.
 CONTENTS

Acknowledgements...................................................................................Pag. 11

Abbreviations............................................................................................>> 13

Notes on classification and terminology...................................................>> 15

CATALOGUE OF ETRUSCAN MIRRORS AND HANDLES IN NORTHEASTERN

COLLECTIONS..............................................................................................>> 25

Amherst, Massachusetts: Mead Art Museum, Amherst College >> 27

1. 1946.82 (Undecorated circular mirror) ............................................. >> 27

Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania: Glencairn Museum, Academy of the

NewChurch ................................................................................ >> 27
2. 05.XX.29 (Thetis and Achilles) ........................................................ >> 27
3. 05.XX.52 (Two-figure composition) ................................................. >> 29

Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania: Ella Riegel Memorial Museum, Bryn

MawrCollege .............................................................................. >> 29
4. M-12 (Dioskouroi flanking two goddesses?) .................................... >> 29
5. M-72 (Non-figural) ........................................................................... >> 30
6. M-75 (Undecorated circular mirror) ................................................. >> 31
7. M-114 (Athena and a god?) .............................................................. >> 32

Newark, New Jersey: Newark Museum ........................................... >> 32

8. 50.35 1 (Dioskouroi and two divinities?) .......................................... >> 32

New Haven, Connecticut: Yale University Art Gallery .................... >> 33

9. 1952.52.8 (Dioskouroi) ..................................................................... >> 33

Northampton, Massachusetts: Department of Classical Languages

and Literatures, Smith College ................................................... >> 34
10. 25.56 (Dioskouroi) ............................................................................ >> 35
11. 87.31 (Undecorated piriform mirror) ................................................ >> 35
6 CSE, U.S.A. 4

Norton, Massachusetts: Watson Gallery, Wheaton College .............Pag 36

12. 54.001 (Dioskouroi) .......................................................................... 36
13. 54.002 (Two warriors) .......................................................................>> 36
14. 54.003 (Two youths) .........................................................................>> 37
15. 54.004 (Warrior and woman) ............................................................>> 38
16. 54.005 (Undecorated circular mirror) ...............................................>> 38

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: University Museum of Archaeology

and Anthropology, University of Pennsylvania .......................... 39
17. L-29-161 (Undecorated circular mirror) ........................................... 39
18. L-29-162 (Undecorated circular mirror) ........................................... 40
19. MS 1499 (Four-figure composition) .................................................>> 41
20. MS 1500 (Two dancing women, perhaps maenads) .........................>> 42
21. MS 1505 ("Lasa") .............................................................................>> 43
22. MS 1658 (Undecorated piriform mirror) ..........................................>> 44
23. MS 1675 ("Lasa") .............................................................................>> 44
24. MS 1694 (Dioskouroi) ......................................................................>> 44
25. MS 1695A ("Lasa") ..........................................................................>> 45
26. MS 1695B ("Lasa") ..........................................................................>> 45
27. MS 1695C (Undecorated circular mirror) ........................................ 46
28. MS 1762 (Herakles, Eros and a satyr) ..............................................>> 46
29. MS 1763 (Hermes and Dionysos on Mount Nysa) ..........................>> 47
30. MS 2309 (Dioskouroi) ......................................................................>> 48
31. MS 2316 (Dionysos, Semele and Hermes) ....................................... 48
32. MS 2632 (Dioskouroi) ......................................................................>> 49
33. MS 3261 ("Lasa") .............................................................................>> 50
34. MS 5444 (Purification of Orestes) ....................................................>> 50
35. MS 48-2-201 (Satyr and maenad) .....................................................>> 53
36. MS 86-35-14 (Praenestine mirror) ....................................................>> 53

Mirrors of Doubtful A ntiquity in Philadelphia, Nos. 37-39 .................... >> 54

37. MS 52-35-3 (modem: Gathering of the Gods) .................................>> 54

Two Mirrors formerly in the Classics Department Collection,

University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia ...................................>> 56
38. Mirror A (modem: Peleus and Thetis) ..............................................>> 56
39. Mirror B (modem: Three male figures) ............................................>> 57

Poughkeepsie, New York: Frances Lehman Loeb Art Center, Vassar

College........................................................................................>> 58
40. 54.2 (Dioskouroi) ..............................................................................>> 58
41. 54.10 (Undecorated circular mirror) .................................................>> 58

Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Art Museum ..............>> 59

42. y609 (Dioskouroi) .............................................................................>> 59
43. y1938-47 (Dioskouroi flanking two females) ...................................>> 59
44. y1954-412 ("Lasa") ...........................................................................>> 60
45. 1998.46 (Prophesying head of Orpheus) ..........................................>> 61
 CSE, U.S.A . 4 7

Mirrors of Doubtful A ntiquity in Princeton, Nos. 46-48 ......................... Pag. 63

46. y1934-2 (modem engraving: Pursuit) ............................................... >> 63

47. y1936-19 (modem engraving: Nymph and Pan) .............................. >> 63
48. y1959-44 (modem engraving: Birth of Athena) ............................... >> 64

Providence, Rhode Island: Rhode Island School of Design Museum >> 65

49. 23.350 (Thetis, Achilles and Achuvisr) ............................................ >> 66
50. 25.071 (Artemis) ............................................................................... >> 68

Worcester, Massachusetts: Higgins Armory Museum ...................... >> 69

51. 518.2 and 518.9 (Four-figure composition) ...................................... >> 69
52. 518.3 (Four-figure composition) ....................................................... >> 70
53. 518.11 (Dioskouroi and two figures?) .............................................. >> 71
54. 518.1l.a (Minor rim fragment) ......................................................... >> 71

Worcester, Massachusetts: Worcester Art Museum .......................... >> 71

55. 1949.11 (Four-figure composition) ................................................... >> 71

APPENDIX - Chemical Analysis Results ................................................... >> 75

FIGURES (1-55) .......................................................................................... >> 79

INDEXES ..................................................................................................... >> 245

PhotographicCredits ................................................................................ >> 251

For Larissa Bonfante
 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Production of this volume involved a great deal of travel to primary collections in

twelve cities of the American Northeast, and a series of research trips to museums and
libraries in other parts of North America and Europe. At all of these colleges, univer-
sities, museums and libraries I was assisted by numerous colleagues and friends who
made my visits both enjoyable and rewarding. I acknowledge with deep gratitude the
following teachers, curators and librarians who made this volume possible. They are
listed, like the catalogue of Etruscan minors, in alphabetical order by location.

Amherst - Jane Barlow, Elizabeth L. Will and Linda Best;

Bryn Athyn - Bret Bostock, Steven Morley and C. Edward Gyllenhaal;
Bryn Mawr - Carol Campbell, Clarissa Dryden, Victoria Saunders and David Wright;
Newark - Susan Auth;
New Haven - Susan B. Matheson and Elise Kenney;
Northampton - Scott Bradbury and David Dempsey;
Norton - Ann Murray, Sandra Davidson, Cynthia Roman, Mary Heuser and Jocelyn
Leary;
Philadelphia - Terence Brennan, Ann Brownlee, David Romano, Irene Bald Romano,
Keith DeVries, Alessandro Pezzati, Charles Kline, Tamsen Fuller, and Robert
Palmer;
Poughkeepsie - Christine M. Havelock and Rebecca Lawton;
Princeton - Frances F. Jones and Michael Padgett;
Providence - Georgina Bonomeo and Mimi Lebeque;
Worcester (Higgins Armory) - Walter B. Karcheski, Jr. and Barbara J. Edsall;
Worcester (Art Museum) - Lawrence Becker, Christine Kondoleon and Rebecca
Mahout.

As always, Richard Sawyer was an excellent travel companion who assisted in

photographing several of the minors in New England. Some of the early stages of
research were carried out in Berlin during my tenure as Research Fellow at the
Deutsches Archaologisches Institut. I am especially grateful to Helmut Kyrieleis,
Thomas Schattner and Antje Krug for their hospitality and kindness. On several visits
to Rome I was ably assisted by Cristina Huemer and her staff at the Library of the
American Academy in Rome. Katina Lillios and David Caccioli assisted my work on
the Ripon College minor discussed under No. 38.
Funds from the Getty Grant Program and the National Endowment for the
Humanities made this book a reality. In addition, I acnowledge a small subvention
from the Office of the Vice-President for Research, University of Iowa.
12 CSE, U.S.A . 4

Finally, I thank several members of the CSE Committee for their generous assis-
tance, advice and encouragement: Helen Nagy, Evelyn Bell, Gerhard Zimmer, Ines
Jucker and especially Fernando Gilotta. I am delighted to dedicate this volume to the
Chair of the U.S. Committee, Larissa Bonfante. Our association goes back more than
thirty years to a time when the idea of an authoritative, new Corpus of Etruscan mir-
rors was still a dream. Her encouragement, her dedication to the field, and her con-
stant championing of Etruscan culture has benefited all of us who study the ancient
Mediterranean civilizations. She has been especially diligent in acquainting a wider
audience with the aesthetic and documentary importance of Etruscan mirrors through
her teaching, her public lectures and her scholarly publications. This book is a small
offering in gratitude for her many years of excellent service to the field of Etruscan
studies.
 ABBREVIATIONS

ADAM R. ADAM, Recherches sur les miroirs pré- CSE Louvre III D. REBUFFAT-EMMANUEL, CSE France 1,
nestins (Paris, 1980). Louvre III (Rome, 1997).
A RV - J.D. BEAZLEY, A ttic Red-figure V ase- CSE Netherlands L.B. VAN DER MEER, CSE The Netherlands
painters2 (Oxford, 1963). (Leiden, 1983).
BATES 1911 W.N. BATES, The Purification of Orestes, CSE Orvieto M. PAcErrI, CSE Italia 4, Orvieto, Museo
in A JA 15 (1911) 459-464. Claudio Faina (Rome, 1998).
BEAZLEY, EV P J.D. BEAZLEY, Etruscan V ase Painting CSE Perugia I A. FRASCARELLI, CSE Italia 2, Perugia,
(Oxford, 1947). Museo Archeologico Nazionale I (Rome,
BRUNN-KORTE H. BRUNN - G. KORTE, I rilievi delle urne 1995).
etrusche (Berlin, 1870-1916). CSE Schweiz 1 I. JUCKER, CSE Schweiz 1, Basel, Schaff-
CII, A pp. G.F. GAMURRINI, A ppendice at Corpus hausen, Bern, Lausanne (Bern, 2001).
Inscription urn Italicarurn (Florence, CSE USA 1 R. DC PUMA, CSE USA 1, Midwestern
1880). Collections (Ames, 1987).
CSE Corpus Speculorum Etruscorurn. CSE USA 2 R. Dc PUMA, CSE USA 2, Boston and
CSE Belgique 1 R. LAMBRECHTS, CSE Belgique 1 (Rome, Cambridge (Ames, 1993).
1987). CSE USA 3 L. BONFANTE, CSE USA 3, New York,
CSE Bologna I G. SASSATELLI, CSE Italia 1, Bologna, Mu- Metropolitan Museum of Art (Rome,
seo Civico, I (Rome, 1981). 1997).
CSE Bologna II G. SASSATELLI, CSE Italia 1, Bologna, Mu- CSE Vaticano I R. LAMBRECHTS, CSE Stato della Città del
sen Civico, II (Rome, 1981). Vaticano I (Rome, 1995).
CSE BRD 1 U. HOCKMANN, CSE Bundesrepublik Deut- CSE Viterbo G. BARBIERI, CSE Italia 5, Viterbo, Museo
schland 1 (Munich, 1987). Archeologico Nazionale (Rome, 1999).
CSE BRD 2 U. LIEPMANN, CSE Bundesrepublik Deut- CSE Volterra I G. CATENI, CSE Italia 3, Volterra, Museo
schland 2 (Munich, 1988). Guarnacci I (Rome, 1995).
CSE BRD 3 B. VON FREYTAG gen. LORINGHOFF, CSE DA C. DAREMBERG and E. SAGLI0, Dictionnaire
Bundesrepublik Deutschland 3 (Munich, des A ntiquités grecques et rornaines. 1-IX
1990). (Paris, 1877-1919).
CSE BRD 4 G. ZIMMER, CSE Bundesrepublik Deutsch- DC GRUMMOND, Guide N. DE GRUMMOND, editor, A Guide to Etru-
land 4 (Munich, 1995). scan Mirrors (Tallahassee, 1982).
CSE DDR 1 G. HERES, CSE Deutsche Demokratische DE SIMONE, Entleh. C. DE SIM0NE, Die griechischen Entleh-
Republik 1 (Berlin, 1986). nun .-en irn Etruskischen, I-lI (Wiesbaden,
CSE DDR 2 G. HERES, CSE Deutsche Demokratische 1968, 1970).
Republik 2 (Berlin, 1987). DialA rch Dialoghi diA rcheologia.
CSE Denmark 1 H. SALSKOV-ROBERTS, CSE Denmark 1 EHCA N. DE GRUMMOND, ed., A n Encyclopedia of
(Odense, 1981). the History of Classical A rchaeology I-Il
CSE Great Britain 1 J. SWADDLING, CSE Great Britain 1, British (Westport, Conn., 1996).
Museum I (London, 2001). ES E. GERHARD, Etruskische Spiegel I-IV
CSE Great Britain 2 R. NICHOLLS, CSE Great Britain 2, Cam- (Berlin, 1840-1867); A. Klugmann-G.
bridge (Cambridge, 1993). KOrte, Etruskische Spiegel V (Berlin,
CSE Hongrie- J. G. SztLAGYI and J. BOUZEK, CSE Hongrie- 1897).
Tchhcoslovaquie Tchhcoslovaquie (Rome, 1992). EtrSt Etruscan Studies.
CSE Louvre I L.D. REBUFFAT-EMMANUEL, CSE France 1, FISCHER-GRAF U. FISCHER-GRAF, Spiegelwerkstätten in
Louvre I (Rome, 1988). Vulci (Berlin, 1980).
CSE Louvre II D. REBUFFAT-EMMANUEL, CSE France 1, JdI Jahrbuch des Deutschen A rchäologischen
Louvre 11 (Rome, 1991). Instituts.
14 CSE, U.S.A . 4

LAMBRECHTS, Mir. R. LAMBRECHTS, Les miroirs étrusques et RM Mitteilungen des Deutschen A rchdologi-
Mus. Royaux prénestins des Musées Royaux d'A rt et schen Instituts, Rhmische A bteilung.
d'Histoire a Bruxelles (Brussels, 1978). ROMANO and ROMANO D.G. ROMANO and I.B. ROMANO, Catalo-
LIMC Lexicon Iconographicum Mythologiae Clas- gue of the Classical Collections of the
sicae (Ztirich-MUnchen, 1981-1998). Glencairn Museum, A cademy of the New
LUCE S.B. LUCE, Catalogue of the Mediterra- Church, Bryn A thyn, Pennsylvania (Bryn
nean Section (Philadelphia, 1921). Athyn, 1999).
MANSUELLI, StEtr G. MANSUELLI, "Gli specchi figurati Etru- RONCALLI and BONFANTE F. RONCALLI and L. BONFANTE, eds., Gens
1946-47 schi" in StEtr 19 (194647) 9137. antiquissima Italiae: A ntichitd dali' Um-
MANSUELLI, StEtr G. MANSUELLI, "Studi sugli specchi etru- bria a New Y ork (Perugia, 1991).
1948-49 schi IV . La mitologia figurata negli specchi SHELTON K. SHELTON, "Etruscan Minors in the Uni-
etruschi", in StEtr 20 (1948-49) 59-98. versity Museum," unpublished M.A. the-
MAYER-PROKOP I. MAYER-PROKOP, Die gravierten etruski- sis, University of Pennsylvania, 1989.
Griffspiegel schen Griffspie gel archaischen Stiis, RM,
StEtr Studi Etruschi.
Erganzungsheft X III (Heidelberg, 1967).
MonPiot Monuments et Mémoires, Fondation E. Piot. SWADDLING et al. J. SWADDLING, P. CRADDOCK, S. LA NIECE
and M. HOCKEY, "Breaking the Mould:
NRIE M. BUFFA, Nuova raccolta di iscrizioni
The Overwrought Mirrors of Etruria" in
etrusche (Milan, 1935).
NSc Notizie degli Scavi di A ntichitd. M. Pearce, D. Ridgway, F. Sena Ridgway,
PFmFIG, Religio A.J. PFIFFIG, Religio etrusca (Graz, 1975). R. Whitehouse and J. Wilkins, eds.,
A ncient Italy in its Mediterranean Setting:
PFISTER-ROESGEN G. PFISTER - ROESGEN, Die etruskischen
Studies in Honour of Ellen Macnamara,
Spiegel des 5. Jhs. v. Chr. (Frankfurt, 1975).
RALLO, Lasa A. RALLO, Lasa (Florence, 1974). IV (London, 2000) 117-140.
REBUFFAT, Miroir D. REBUFFAT - EMMANUEL, Le miroir étrus- VETTER E. VETTER, Literaturbericht far dos Jahr
que d'après la Collection du Cabinet des 1924, Etruskisch, in Glotta 15 (1927) 229.
Médailles (Rome, 1973). WIMAN, Malstria I. WIMAN, Malstria-Malena: Metals and
RISD Rhode Island School of Design, Provi- Motifs in Etruscan Mirror Craft (Göte-
dence RI. borg, 1990).
Rix, ET H. Rix, Etruskische Texte I-Il (Tubingen, ZUCi-ntER, Klappspiegel W . ZUCHNER, Griechische Klappspie gel
1991). = Jr/I, Erganzungsheft X IV (Berlin, 1942).
NOTES ON CLASSIFICATION AND TERMINOLOGY
 [These notes represent a slightly revised version of they were attached by means of two or three small rivets
those published in my CSE USA 2: Boston and Cam- (cf. Nos. 1, 20, 22, 34).
bridge (Ames, 1993) pp. 13-20]. But Type C and E minors could also become hand
minors by the attachment of a separately made handle.
The more than 3,000 extant Etruscan and Praenestine Figure A.3 depicts four varieties of these solid-cast
mirrors may be divided into a small number of standard bronze handles. They were attached directly to the minor
types. The classification scheme presented here depends disc either with small rivets or, more commonly, with sol-
on physical appearance, moving from simple to more der. The "palmette" type, named for the prominent device
complex forms, rather than on an uncertain chronology. at the top (Fig. A.3a-b; Nos. 6, 41), is probably the most
Although specific types are more common in some peri- common type. Variant (a) is smaller and simpler than (b);
ods than others, at any given time a number of different they also differ in that (a) has a plain palmette base and
types can occur in the same context. Almost all extant (b) has a base shaped like an Ionic capital. Usually (a)
Etruscan minors are made of bronze; a few silver mirrors has two knobs on the handle shaft. Both, as well as all
have survived (e.g., CSE USA 2, nos. 15-18) and no doubt handles in this category, have modeled deer heads at the
this material, and perhaps even gold or electrum, was a handle end (or terminal). The third handle type (c) is
popular medium for mirrors in the Etruscan period. In any often called the "little head" type because three small
case, the extant silver mirrors represent the same mirror human heads appear at the top. Here the handle shaft is
types as the much more common bronze examples. often very elaborate. The fourth type (d) is the "volute"
The simplest Etruscan minors are polished elliptical form named for the large volute, similar to an Aeolic cap-
or circular discs (Fig. A. la-b, Types E and Q. Elliptical ital, at the top. In the nineteenth century, independent
or "solar" minors (Type E) have slightly ovoid discs handles were often erroneously attached to alien circular
(e.g., CSE USA 2, no. 19). They are among the earliest discs (e.g., CSE DDR 1, nos. 16-17). For some proper
Etruscan minors and the shape may have been influenced examples, see CSE Belgique 1, nos. 5, 7 and CSE Louvre
by Egyptian minors which are typically elliptical. Type C II, no. 63.
discs (Nos. 16, 17) are nearly perfect circles. Several of The second major type of minor is the tang mirror
these may have originally been retained inside a box, the (Fig. B.la-c). In this case, the same elliptical (Type ET)
ancient equivalent of a "compact" (Fig. A. ic). The extant or circular (Type CT) discs have tangs cast in one piece
box mirrors are circular (No. 29), but we know from with the discs, rather than tangs made separately (Fig.
representations on Etruscan sculpted cinerary urns that A.2) and later attached to the discs with rivets. Piriform
rectangular and square versions, perhaps made of more minors (Fig. B.lc, Type PT), with their gracefully elon-
perishable materials like wood, also existed; there is some gated discs, are a less common variant of the tang type.
evidence that even these squarish boxes contained circu- The tang itself either springs directly from the disc (Fig.
lar rather than rectangular or square minors. Both Type C B.la) or, more commonly, appears at the bottom of a
and E mirrors could be furnished with different kinds transitional element called the extension (Fig. B.lb-c).
of separately made tangs (Fig. A.2a-c) which could then Both the use of extensions and the piriform shape itself
be inserted into handles made of other materials. Most of were probably developed to strengthen the naturally weak
the independent tangs which have survived show that juncture between disc and handle.
18 CSE,U.S.A.4

FIGURE A. Simple minors.

ID

Type C p Box
Type E /
Elliptical Mirror Circular Mirror Mirror

\\
i1
/
1.

2. Independent Tangs

C0

a b if
3 Independent Handles

9 I
CD

I
 CSE,U.S.A.4 19

FIGURE B. Tang mirrors.

Type FT / Type CT Type

Elliptical Tang Minor Circular Tang Mirror Piriform Tang Mirror

N //
2. Independent Handles (bone or ivory) TY
-

()

3. Independent Handle -"

(bronze)

Ad

Tangs come in a wide variety of styles based on the B.2.c) has four concave moldings designed to fit the four
standard forms represented in Figure D. Again, they fingers of the hand. Very rarely, solid-cast bronze handles
make it possible to provide the mirror with a separate were designed for tang mirrors (Fig. B.3; cf. REBUFFAT,
handle usually made of bone, horn or ivory (Fig. B.2). Miroir, no. 44; CSE Great Britain 1, no. 33 for recent dis-
Some tangs are perforated so that a pin can be driven cussion of problem pieces). Solid-cast statuette handles
through the handle to secure it more firmly to the tang with a base that allows the mirror to stand upright on a
(No. 34). Most of the handles are simply turned on a lathe table are common types in Greece but are almost
to produce characteristic decorative moldings (Fig. B.2a-d) unknown in ancient Etruria (cf. REBUFFAT in MonPiot 60
but a few examples are elaborately carved with figures in (1976) 56-57, figs. 13-14).
low relief (Fig. B.2e) and some examples still preserve The third type of mirror may be called a grip or hand
paint and gilding (e.g., CSE U.S.A . 1, no. 16). In this rep- mirror because the handle is made in one piece with the
resentative selection, the most functional example (Fig. disc (Fig. Q. Until recently, most investigators believed
20 CSE, U.S.A. 4

FIGURE C. Types of Etruscan mirror tangs.

/
i
RECTANGULAR TANGS RI R2 R3 R4 RS

HUiL'
squared
r

rounded
'

enlarged forked pointed

TAPERING TANGS Ti T2 ( T3 ( T4 TS

i ui if I'

that such minors were cast in one piece. An important BRD 1, 14; CSE BRD 2, 16; CSE BRD 3, 15. A brief list-
study (SWADDLING et al.) has convincingly argued that ing of the Italian terminology is recorded in CSE Volterra
such was not the case. Instead hand minors of this type I, 10.
were hammered to shape, not cast. In its outward appear- The obverse or reflecting side on Etruscan mirrors
ance a circular hand minor (Type CH) looks very much usually is relatively unobstructed by engraved ornament
like a circular minor (Type C) with separate handle and, therefore, most terms are needed to describe the fea-
attached by solder or rivets (Fig. A.3), except for the tures of the far more complex reverse or non-reflecting
extension element. The piriform variety (Type PH), usu- side of the minor. Figures A-C show the obverses of mir-
ally associated with ancient Praeneste, is very common in rors because there we are primarily interested in shape
this one-piece design but the elliptical minor is rare. The rather than decoration. Figure E illustrates schematically
cast handle designs for this class of minor are numerous the reverses of two basic kinds of minors, Types CT and
but most share one decorative detail: the terminal is fre- CH; the same terms would, of course, apply to Type PT
quently enlivened by a modeled deer or ram's head. For and PH as well as Types C, E, and ET if they were deco-
realistic and stylized versions of the terminal animal rated, although often these last three types are not. Very
head, see Nos. 6, 8, 9, 10, 11 and others listed under few "relief" minors have survived (See now, A. CARPINO,
"handles" in the Typological Index. For additional classi- Discs of Splendor: The Relief Mirrors of the Etruscans
fications of hand minors, see D. REBUFFAT in RA (1984) [Madison, 2003]) but they too fit into these general shape
195-226; U. HOCKMANN in JdI 102 (1987) 247-289; CSE categories despite their different decorative technique.
Louvre II, 9-11. Obviously, every minor does not possess all of the fea-
Most of the technical terms used to describe accu- tures defined by the terms in Figure E.
rately the many features of Etruscan minors have been On most minors, the disc is divided into two basic
developed in recent years by scholars working on the parts: the medallion is the tondo or circular picture field;
CSE and related publications. Because a variety of lan- the border is the ornamental frame that surrounds the
guages is being used there has tended to be some confu- medallion. Most borders are stylized plant scrolls or leafy
sion on many of these terms. The following tentative out- vines (e.g., Nos. 2, 7, 28, 49, 55). Other common types
line attempts to standardize the English terminology but are the cable or guilloche border (Nos. 4, 29) and the
it is certain that improvements will occur as the study of spiky garland border (Nos. 8, 43). Figures in the medal-
Etruscan mirrors continues. For the French terminology, lion may interact with the border (e.g., CSE USA 2, no.
see REBUFFAT, Miroir; ADAM; CSE Louvre I, 19-24; CSE 13) or overlap it (Nos. 13, 34, 49). Some mirrors have
Louvre II, 9-11. For the German terminology, see CSE multiple borders and consequently a small medallion
 CSE,U.S.A.4 21

FIGURED. Hand mirrors.

-

I Type CH
Circular Hand Mirror
ri
p
Type PH
Piriform (Praenestine) Hand Mirror

7?

a
U

(e.g.,CSE USA 2, no. 4), while many others have no bor- extension offers another area suitable for decoration on
der at all (Nos. 9, 12, 15, 21, 23, 24, 32, 35, etc.). Early both sides of the mirror. These extension ornaments,
mirrors sometimes have borders on both sides (e.g., often called vignettes, usually take the form of stylized
MAYER-PR0K0P, Griffspie gel, S 37; REBUFFAT, Miroir, palmettes and other plant forms. Some depict small figures
no. 62). For more information on types of borders, see (No. 45). The study of extension ornaments, almost com-
FISCHER-GRAF, 86-89, 110-112; ADAM, 64-67. pletely ignored by scholars until recently, holds much
The medallion may be subdivided on some mirrors promise for our better understanding of Etruscan
when figures stand on a ground line (Nos. 2, 34). This engravers and their workshop organization. In fact, the
horizontal line often creates a semicircular segment or varying shapes of extensions themselves may prove a
exergue at the bottom of the medallion and may contain useful factor in assigning mirrors to specific workshops
additional decoration (No. 50). Some mirrors have a or areas of production (see ADAM, 52-63).
comparable area at the top of the medallion called an Many of the same terms may be applied to the parts
upper exergue, tympanum or lunette (No. 45). On mirrors of a box mirror (Fig. F). Here it is the container which
with extensions (Types ET, CT, PT, CH and PH), the requires the most attention. This consists of two circular
22 CSE, U.S.A. 4

FIGuRE E. Terminology for tang and hand mirrors.

TANG MIRROR HAND MIRROR

border
upper exergue

medallion

indentation I
f I I ii
groundline
\. 7 lower exergue

extension
points

Ilk tang (see Fig. C)

U handle (made in
one piece with disc)

shaft -- -=1
— separate handle
6^
(see Fig. B.2) terminal U

valves joined by a hinge. The upper valve (or lid) is directly opposite for lifting the lid. The medallion is usu-
slightly larger than the lower valve (or mirror case) ally decorated with figures in high relief rather than
allowing a snug fit. The lid usually has a loop handle at engraved and there is almost always a border surrounding
the hinge for suspension and often a smaller handle this appliqué design (No. 29).
The study of mirror sections (Fig. G), similar to pro-
file drawings used in ceramic analyses, is another impor-
tant factor in helping to assign a date and provenance to a
FIGURE F. Terminology for box mirrors. mirror. This study is also relatively new; the first large
collection of mirror sections was published in REBUFFAT,
-Th Miroir, pis. 94-110, in 1973. A section illustrates the
upper valve loop handle
shape of the mirror along a line through the center of the
(lid)
- hinge disc at right angles to the handle or tang. In general, there
c ircular appears to be an evolution of Etruscan mirrors from
thick, flat sections with plain or simple edges to thin,
border
curved sections with elaborate edges (see R. DE PUMA in
lower RM 87 [1980125-26). As more mirrors, especially those
valve
medall io n or with secure archaeological contexts, are published care-
(mffro fully in the CSE, it should be possible to refine this basic
relief appliqu6
evolutionary principle so that mirror sections will become
even more useful indicators of date and provenance for
lid handle that significant majority of minors without archaeologi-
cal context and for undecorated mirrors (Nos. 1, 6, 11,
16-18, etc.).
 CSE, U.S.A . 4 23

FIGURE G. Etruscan mirror sections (examples drawn from mirrors treated in this fascicule).

/ reverse (nonreflecting)

border
indentation

No.8 edge
/
groove

obverse (reflecting)

No. 35 rui raised vertical No. 2 triple torus

No, 5 - rounded (torus) No. 7 - triangular rounded

No. 40 broad No. 33 -. -4 triangular pointed

 CATALOGUE OF ETRUSCAN MIRRORS
AND HANDLES IN NORTHEASTERN COLLECTIONS