The Placer herald., 1865-01-14
POMPEII---NEW DISCOVERIES.


the objects of the modern world are more
carefully preserved than formerly. The ex-
cavations at Pompeii commenced as long
ago as the year l74S, when Col. Alcuberre,
who had been sent to inspect new canal or
water course, observed that it was constructed
through ancient ruins. He obtained per-
mission from Charles III, to make some exl
cavations, and in few days lie opened
house in Ponpei. The ruined city was then
supposed to be Stable, and it was not until
nearly eight years after the discovery that it
was identified as Pompei. The labors Of
the Neopoitan Government from that time
forward have uncovered All extensive city,
with the streets and lower stories of houses,
the temples aud baths, furniture, decorations
and in many instances the skeletons of the
ancient inhabitants. Readers are familiar
with the details of these strange and interest
ing discoveries. The more recent excavations
have added greatly to The interest of Pompeii,
and Mr.. Giuseppe FiorelIi has achieved very
important successes, surprising in some res
poets all that has been done before his ap-
poin tment to the superintendence. "Revue
des Due Mondes" gave remarkable sketch
Of the life and career of this very learned
and accomplished Italian. lie was man
of great ability, a scholar, al twenty three
years Of age he was Vice President of the
Italian Convention of Sovdns at Genoa, the
subject of persecution by the Neapoilan
Government, imprisoned, his manuscripts
destroyed, and himself finally reduced to
earn his living by laying pavement in the
streets Of Naples. He was appointed in
spector Of the Pompeian excavations after
the establishment of the Italian kingdom,
and he has justified the appointment. BY
covering the second story and projecting
balconies of houses, feature hitherto un'
known in Pompeii. This latter portion is
built of brick, supported by timbers, and
the evidence thus gained shows the narrow
streets Of the city were shaded from the
sunshine much AS oriental cities now are
This gives us a new idea of Roman city
pompeii was heretofore little more than
plan. Streets with ruined walls of houses
on each side. Now we can see the city as
it was. The careful preservation Of frag
menls, noting positions in which found, and
observing mlnutest particulars, enables Mr..
Fiorelli to restore the entire house, instead
of leaving it a dilapidated ruin as hereto
fore. But the most remarkable discovery
of Signor Fioreli is to be mentioned. In
the eruption which DESTROYED the city the
ashes fell in some places with considerable
quantities of water, forming, in fact, a mud
of paste, which hardened over many objects.
This fact had been noticed in one or two
instances, aud the great show article of the
museum had been the impression Of female
breast in the hardened mould. But Sgnor
FioreIIi has gone farther, and obtained casts
of the entire body in several instances. He
has found the mouds where the mud formed
around the bodies of the dying Pompeiians,
and pouring plaster into the hollow, he OBJ
rains a facsimile statute of the man or
woman, just as he or she yielded to the ter
ribe catastrophe.
The eloquence of these statues surpass
all description. There were four bodies found
in one street. Among them were evidently
a mother and daughter. The mother died
calmly, lying on her side, perhaps suf;ocaed
The daughter YIELDED not SO easily. She
was not sixteen years Old Her limbs, re
stored on the plaster cast, are in an attitude
of pain, her small fingers cIencbed in the
agony of the death struggle. She had thrown
her veil over her face, and bowed her head
in her hands to shield her face from the
blast of the fiery storm. The very fashion
of her dress is perfectly shown in the cast,
and there is startling peculiarly in the
exhibition of the smooth skin and rounded
flesh where there are rents in her garments.
There can be no criticism of such statues as
these. They are the reproduction out of the
distant past of the very agony of death com
ing on the Roman mother and Her child
There is 10 failure on the copy. There it is
AS the storm of ashes caused and preserv.
ed tin solid mould, the human anguish
that the casting now reveals Looking at it,
one hears the very moan OF the young girl
as she buries her face in her arms, and
yields to the terror of that awful night on
Pompeii
The other two of the four above mention.
ed, are thus described by a writer in the
Edinburg Review:
At some distance from this group lay
third woman. She appears to have been
about twenty-five years of age, and to have
belonged TO a better class than the other
two. On one of her fingers were two silver
rings, and her garments were Of a finer tex
ture. Her linen headdress, falling over her
shoulders, like that Of maron in Roman
statue, can still be distinguished. She had
fallen on her side, overcome by the heat and
gases; but struggle seems to have preceded
her las: agony. One .arm is raised in de.
spair, the hands are cenched convulsively.
Her garments are gathered up on one side,
leaving exposed limb of beautiful shape
So perfect mould of it has been formed,
by the soft and yielding mud, that the cast
would seem to be taken from an exquisite
work of Greek art. She had fled with her
little treasure, which lay scattered around
her-two silver cups, a few jewels and some
dozen silver coins. Nor has she, like good
housewife, forgotten her keys, after having
properly locked up her stores before pro
ceedu0 to escaDe Thew were found bv her