The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1863-07-10
The Dead Of Pompeii Exhumed.

A short time since we published o brief
account Of the discovery Of human remains,
10 good state Of preservation In house 10 |
Pompeii. Interesting particulars of the re.
cent researches 10 the buried city are given
by q correspondent Of the London .4ihe-
ndepm:
Tho human bodies wore found In an exca.
vation near the house called that Of ALBION.
danza. Falling in a mass of pumice stone,
these unfortunate persons had not become
attached to the soil, and it was easy to cut
the ground beneath them; but above, fire,
ashes and hot water rainod upon them from
tho fiery mountain, causing their death, and
insuring their preservation for nearly two
thousand years. On removing the debris
which consisted of the roof and ashes which
had fallon into the interior of tho house
something like human form was discov
cred, though nothing but fine powder was
visible 1t occurred to cavalier Forelli that
this might be kind ofsarcophsgus created
by Vesuvius, and within were the remains
of ore of the victims Of that terrible erup-
tion. Blu, how to remove or preserve them?
A happy idea struck him. Plaster of Paris
was poured into on aperture, the interior
having boon discovered to be hollow in con.
sequence of the flesh. sod mixing with and
uniting with tho bones, restored to the world
Roman lady of the frst century. Further
researches led to the discovery of q male
body, another woman and that of young
girl; but that which first awak- ned the in
tor est of the excavators was tho finding of
ninety. ono pieces of silver money, four ear.
rings, lingering, oil Of gold, together with
two iron keys and evident remains of lin.
on bag. These Interesting relics havo now
been successfully removed, and are now ly-
ing in house not far distant. They are to
DO preserved in Pampei. and four brouze
tables, of an antique fashion, are preparing
for their reception.
The first body discovered was that Of ,
woman who lay upon her right side, anC
from the twisted position of her body, hat
been much convulsod. Her left hand ant
arm wore raised and contorted, and tht
knuckles we're bent in tightly; the right sru
was brokeu, and at each end of the frag
men,s the cellular character of the bone
was seen. The form of the headdress and
the hair we're distinctly visible. On the
bone of the left hand we're two silver rings
one of which was guard. Tho sandals re
main, or tho soies NJ least, and iron or malls
are mistakably to be seen. Though tbt
body wac much bent, tho legs we're extended
as u under tho influence Of extreme pain
In an inner chamber was found the fgur,
o: the young girl lying on Its face. resting
on its clssped hands and arms; the legs be
ing drawn up. with the left lying over the
right-the body thinly covered over in some
parts by the scoriae or the plaster, whilst
tho skull was visible, highly polished. The
band was partially closed as if it had graspod
something, probably her dress. with which
il had covered the head. The finger bones
protruded through the incrustod ashes, ard
on the surface of the body in various parts
was visible the web of the linen with which
IL had been covered. There was lying BY
tho side of the child full.grown woman, the
left leg slightly elevated, whilst the right
arm is broken; but the left, which is bent, IL
perfect. and the hand is closed. The little
finger has an iron ring; the left ear which
is uppermost, 10 very conspicuous. and il
standing off from the bead. The folds o
tho drspery. the very web remains, and
nice observer might detect the quality o
the dress.
The body of the man lay upon Its back
with the legs stretched out to their utmos
length. There was an iron ring on the lit
tie guger of the lett hand, which, together
with the arm, was supported by the elbow
The folds of the dress on the arm and ovcl
tho whole of tho upper part of the body
wore visible; tho sandals we're there. ant
tho bones of one foot protruded thr'o wba
might have been broken sandal. Traces
OF the hair OF the head we're seen distinctly
, there; and the breath of lifea, dds tho writer
had only to be inspired into this and thu
other three figures, to restore to the worlt
of the nineteenth century, the Roman of tb'
: first century. They might navo fallen bu
: yesterday; for were there not still remain
ing their sandals, their dress. the very ira
Gerry of their hair? They were trying to es
cape from destruction. for the bodies wer
fonud short distance one from the other
as II in the act of running. What sod hav
induced them to remain SO long II is onl
I permitted to imagiue. There were thre
women who, terror.stricken, had been una
! BILE, perhaps. to aot until aided and urge
D forward by the man. 1t may be that wit
that attachment that binds US all so closel
: to our native place and our hearth, the
, still clung to their homes with the hope ths
the storm would soon pass away.
GossIPERs. common huency {
speech. in mapv men, and most WomeI