The Idaho world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1864-1918, 1872-10-03
DIANA or EPHESU3.

The London Times remarks that six
months ago cargo Of marble, the first
fruits Of Mr.. Woods excavations on
the site of the Temple of Diana, was
shipped at Smyrna on board the war
ship Caledonia. Although these mar
bles arrived at Malta in February last,
only portion, and that the least inter
esting, has yet reached England, the
remainder being now on board two
iron-clads homeward bound. In the
meantime the silence so long main
tanned respecting VIZ. Woods discov-
cry has at length been broken, and a
quasi-publicity has been given to his
operations through the timely action OF
the Dilettanti Society, who, a short
time since, appointed a committee,
chosen from among their members, to
report upon the results of the excava-
tons at Ephesus up to the present
date.
1t was in exploring the great theatre
at Ephesus that Mr.. Wood obtained the
first clue by the discovery of an IN
scription containing most curious infor-
nation as to the endowments and wor-
ship of the Temple of Diana, and lay
ing down the route by which, on the
birthday of the goddess, her silver
shrines and other treasures were to be
carried in procession from the temple
to the great theatre through one city
gate and back to the temple through
another city gate, which was called the
Magnetism. Starting with this clue in
his hand, Mr.. Wood soon discovered
one of the two gates named III the in
scription. From it issued an ancient
road, thanked like the Appian Way by
sepulchral monuments II the Roman
period. and along the line Of which
might still he traced the foundations Of
a portico. which there is good ground
for recognizing Us that built by Dami-
anus iii the second century Of the Chris.
tan era 10 protect the procession from
sun and shower. The ancient pave
mcnt of the road lay 1T an average
depth of twelve feet, aud along It's
course were the tombs Of the Propra.-
tors and other Inagnatcs who governed
at Ephcsus after it had passed under
the sway Of the Romans.
In the Autumn Of ISL Mr.. Wood
came upon the lowest drum of coli
umn nearly entire. on which WAS sculp-
turcd q group Of male aud female tig
urcs. standing aud sitting. The stand.
Ing figures were SIX iect high; the
whole mass Of white marble weighed
upward of eleven tons. II was evi-
den; that this belonged 10 one Of those
thirty-six sculptural columns which
Pliny mentions among the admiranda
If the temple
Fragments Of iwo more sculp;ural
drums. plaster with fine group In
high relief. magnificent capitals, bases
and drums Of columns, NIL Of the finest
white marble. were lying in confused
heaps at the bottom Of the excavation
at the close of the year ls1l II was
time tn remove these first fruits Of the
enterprise. anil the Caledonia. promptly
dispatched from Malta by the Admiral
ity. took on board upward Of sixty tons
Of marble in January last.
Since the beginning of this year Mr.
Wood has removed the upper strata of
soil from much larger area, prcparato-
~ tn deeper excavations in the autumn, "A
season peculiarly favorable for his OPP
because the water which nc
in the diggings during the
winter months has then been absorbed
by the sun.