National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1875-01-22
Antinuarian rrassurss at Rome.

The correspondent Of the London Daily TeEs-
graph at Rome, in writing about the excavations
Of that city, says:
Everything that is dug up is brought under the
immediate cogniZsnce Of the C0mniSSione Arch-
0ologfcG. This body has as its president the
MaQuis Eitelleschi, and among its members such
Well-knoUn antiquarians as the Commentators
Rosa, Augusta Castellsni and Oavaliere LancianI.
The last-named gentleman Iis the keeper Of the
antiquities discovered, which are deposited at the
office Of the commission, situated at the Capitol.
There may be seen q collection, comprising speci-
mems Of nearly everything, either for show or
use in the private life Of the ancient Romans.
discovered in startling quantities. On the EsquI-
line so many have been found that they I'LL chests.
Only during the past week the WoTkmen came
upon mass Of some three thousand lying loose
in the ground.
These coins are principally bronze, but there
is also large amount Of gold and silver money.
One thing has a peculiar Interest attached to It.
1t is q small round bronze box, which was used
to keep medals in. Although the medals were
gone, It was at once ascertained by the aroh8ol-
ogist that the tOx had contained them, and that
they had been stolen, for on the bottom Of the
box may be seen the impression left in the thick
coating Of yerdigris. There are numbers Of ink
stands and bronze pens, enough to have supplied
the DOtaries of the modern city. A collection Of
small Etruscan vases in colored terra-cotta has
been the means Of proving the existence and site
oil an ancient Etruscan cemetery on the EsQuiline.
From the tomb of priest has been extracted the
gold thread woven into his robes, which has re-
erumbled into dust. Among some hundreds Of
bone and ivory handled clasp knives is one which
belonged to jockey in the circus. On the ivory
handle was scratched plan Of the circus, the
representation of the horse, the owners whip,
and the palm he won as a prize. These knives all
bear q singular resemblance in shape to the rude
clasp-kniyes in everyday use among the ''contad-
ini," and above all, some have bead at the
point, which probably then, as now, was intended
to prevent the too free of this fsyOrite Roman
weapon.
Itwould take up too much space to enumerate
the nuuberess objects Of great interest to be seen
here. They comprise wide range Of materials,
such as agate, crystal, amethyst, glass, PASTE
alabaster Ivory, freseo, stuccO, gold and mosaic.
They clearly demonstrate, however, the vast guam
tity Of valuable euriosities that are daily being
exhumed at the present time in Rome. There are
bushels of terra-eOtta lamps, some very beautt-
full, besides many larger things in the same ware.
Heaps Of ivory SPiHe and writing styles show how
lasting and common this beautiful substance
must have been. The pots and pans in bronze are
q magazine in themselves, but there is q far
smaller show of iron implements, probably owing
TO the more perishable nature of the metal. These
things lie deposited in the stOrerOoms of the COM
mission, waiting till means be found for their
proper arrangement. Perhaps the most tmpor-
tant item in the long list of objects lately dug up
is the collection Of eighty-two statues. lew Of
the most perfect are placed in the Capitoline Mu-
scum of Sculpture. The majority OF the others
lie on their backs in q vault adjoining the Tabu-
larium OF the Capitol, awaiting their turn for res
tOratiOn and setting uD in the gallery,