Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1872-08-22
The Marbles from the Temple Of Diana,

The Marbles from the Temple Of Diana.
Six months ago cargo of marbles, the
first fruits of Mr.. Woods exca yations on
the site Of the Temple Of Diana, was shipped
at Smyrna on board the war-ship Caledo.
MA. Although these marbles arrived at
Malta in February last, only portion. and
that the last interesting, of the cargo Of the
Caledonia has as yet reached Eng land, the
remainder being now on boaad two iron.
ciads homeward bound. In the meantime
lsays the London Times) the silence 20
long maintained respecting Mr.. Woods
memorable discovery has at length becn
broken, and quasi-publicity has been
given to his operations through the timely
action Of tho Dilettanti Society, who, a
short time since appointed q committee
chosen from among their members to re-
port upon the results of tho excavations 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 inscription
containing most curious information as tn
the endowments and worship of tho lem ole
Of Diana, and laying down the route bv
which, on the birthday of the goddess, hcr
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 in the inscription. From 1t issued
an ancient road. flanked, like the Appian
Way, by sepulchral monuments Of the
Roman period, and along the line of which
might still he traced the foundations of
portico, which there is good ground for
recognizing a. built by one Damianus in the
second century of the Chriltian era TO pro-
tect the procession from SUI. and shower.
The ancient pavement of the road Law at
an average depth Of twelve feet, and along
its course were the tombs ofthe Propretors
and other magnases who governed at
Ephesus after it had passed under the sway
Of the Romans.
In the Autumn of 1871 Mr.. Wood came
upon the lowest drum of column nearly
entire, on which was sculptured a group
OF male and female figures standing and
sitting. The standing figures were s feet
high; the whole mass Of white marble |
weighed upward of IL ton. 1. was ey-
ident that this belonged to ono Of those 36 |
sculptural columns which Pliny mentions
as among the admiranda of the Temple.
Fragments Of two more sculptured
drulrs, pilaster with fine group in high |
relief. magnificent capitals, bases, and |
drums of columns, all of the finest white |
marble, were laying in confused heaps at |
the bottom ef the excavation at the close
Of tho year 1871. 1t was time to remove
these first fruits Of the enterprise, and the |
Caledonia. promptly despatched from NAL
u by the Admiralty, took On board up |
ward of sixty tons Of marble in January
last.
Since the beginning of this year MI. |
Wood has removed the upper strata of soil |
from a much larger area, preparatory to
deeper excavations in the Autumn, q sea-
son peculiarly favorable for his operations,
because the water which accumulates in
the diggings during the Winter months has
then been absorbed by the sun,