The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-03-29
THE HIDDEN WEALTH OF THE TIBER.
The Archaeological Treasures Found
in the Tiber.
Legends and FactS-1he Golden Table, the
Silver Grumpets, the eVen-Branehed
CandlcSiick-- Where Are They!
LETTER FROM SlGNOR LANCIANI.

ROME, March 10, 1875.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD
The question OF improving the photographic
system Of the Tiber and OF excavating Its bed for
the discovery OF treasures-the existence OF which
Is more or less problematc-was raised in the first
days OF the occupation or Rome by the national
g0vernment-that IS to say, from the beginning OF
1871. Discussed At first with extreme eagerness,
especially by persons who knew little about it, IL
yielded gradually its prominent place TO other
questions OF political and administrative charac-
ter until at last 1t seemed to be entirely forgotten
Tor the space OF more than three years. The
arrival OF Garibaldi at Rome has again brought
the problem on the carpet. Tho powerful voice OF
the veteran has reused again the enthusiasm Of
the public; but, unfortunately, the 'aralristes"
have placed themselves in the first rank while
the men OF science-in whose hands Is the true
solution OF the problem-arc waiting patiently for
their hOur to come. The necessity Will shortly
compel the General to refer 10 them, as he should
nave done from the nrst moment, and, happily, he
will thus be delivered from that legion OF useless
people who crowd daily the ante-cham Of the
Villa Casalini.
But as long as this state OF things lasts we be-
neve 1t to be meritoriOus work to throw a little
cod water over the excitement OF the moment.
Garibaldl himself seems now to hesitate in face or
attacked 80 bravely at first; and the names OF
SeIla, GiOrdanO and other eminent men to whom
he has lately addressed himself, prove that he Is
beginning TO follow the right track. Taking ad.
vantage OF this sudden calm, we propose TO con-
slider at our ease all the facts which can throw
light upon the discussion. We begin by eXamin-
Ing whether the chance of the discovery of
TREASURES IN TILE BED OF THE TIBER
IL real or imaginary.
The eplther OF "Elavus" the yellow, which the
poets have given to the Tiber, perfectly justified
by the exceptionally muddy quality of its waters.
fhe proportion OF the solid matter to liquid-which
under the most favorable circumstances may be
considered to be four per cent-oiten during the
foundations reaches an average OF fifteen and
eighteen per cent. This signifies that eXcavating
the bed OF the Tlber in order increase its depth
and improve the navigation would be throwing
money into the stream without any result be-
cause the excavation OF to-day would be filed up
tomorrow with the mud carried down by the cur.
rent. Ii remains now to be known II the digging
sut OF the bed would lead to the discovery treas
ures Of art or antiquity important enough TO repay
The expense or tho work. This question may DO
looked at in two different way; scientifically
that Is to say, Analysing q Drtort what treasures
may be hidden under It's waters and practically
that is to say searching or lnqulrlng into the
~
time IN the river. Let US commence with the
second.
NJ. lie COmmandeur de Rossi has shown in
recent pamphlet l.'Bullettlno DELL Institute Arch.
eologicO, 1s7l'') that Cola de RienZi was the 1rst
to turn his attention to the study and to the dis.
eovery OF antiquities IN the city OF Rome. From
the time Of Rienzi-that Is to say from the MIDDLE
Of the fourteenth century-until the present time
not ayear. not month, not week, has passed
without bringing discoveries OF greater less
portance. Every thing has been disturbed in the
city. whether in the part actually inhabited or in
that occupied by villas and gardens. 1t is sum-
clent TO say that in the 100000 0o cubic feet,
which have been excavated in tue period from 1871
to 1874 Tor the building or the new quarters OF
the vimina the Coelian, the Esquillne and of the
Castro Pretoria, only two deposits were found
intact, the first by the railroad station. where
we're found three rooms entirely filed with works
ef art in bronze, OF tine value Of francs, and
the second in the Villa Palombara, on the Esqui-
line, where, In the space OF few feet. seven
superb statues of MARBLE and q quantity Of other
fragments OF Importance were found.
THE BURIED TREASURES OF MARBLE.
This shows that In this fever OF lively research
The bed OF the T,ber has certainly not been spared
which superstition, moreover, can be clearly
proved by the memoranda scattered in the differ.
Oil the known discoveries are only in marbles and
stones OF different value, Tor which it appears
there were two warehouses or wharves on the
banks OF the Tlber; the first in the Campus Mar
thus, near the Piazza Clementino; tho second be.
meath Monte Testacci0. FlcozOni says that III the
year 1890, In digging the foundations Tor the College
CementinO piazza Nicosia), gigantic blocks OF
African marble were found, which had been taken
TO Rome In the reign OF Domitian This landing
point was probably chosen as being the
aearcst to the large marble workshops discovered
ander Pope julius Iii. Al st. Maria dsl ANNA,
onder Pope Clement X. near La Chesa Nuova, and
successvely in I'LL tina. part OF tho Campo Mario
comprised between Ponte ST. Angelo and Piazza
Narrona. (Corsi; Pietre Antiche, CHI. 12.) The
quantity OF colored marbles discovered on the
banks OF the river under Monte Testaccio Is truly
surprising. Flamnius Vacca says that in the
second half OF the sixteenth century were found
In this place several blocks OF African marble, of
Porta santa Qassense), OF Clpolltno tCarystium),
two statues OF Fannius and \ colossal head seven
feet long. In tho year 1903 several columns
OF Gallo Antlco (numidlcum) were discov-
cred in the Tber beneath the vineyard
Cesarni yacca; mem. "a, 95), bought afterward
by the Grand Duke OF Tuscany. Under Pope Glenn
ent XII. an alabaster column OF twenty ieet. which
Is now In the Capitol another 1utea pillar OF the
alabastor called 'porito," now in the villa Albanl
and the bas-reliei representing the ship OF
Cybees now in the CapitOline Museum, were dug
up In the same place. (Eicoroni; mem. Is, 2i)
The altar OF Raphaei's chapel, in the Pantheon.
is ornamented with slabs OF aabaster discovered
In 1905 near the mouth OF the Cloaca Maxima ia.
mem. 1867 The courtyard or tho Church OF ST.
Teodoro and the upper platform OF the quay ct
hpetta are paved with blocks OF green ana red
porphyry discovered IN 100 near La Marmorata.
The excavations carried on In the same place by
Plus TX, BETWEEN 1906 AED 1870,
have brought to light still greater amount Of
colored marbles, many OF which were given to the
Cathedral Of Cologne and to several different
churches In Rome. The great nood OF December,
1870, buried again those left on the bank, when
must be considered as veritablc inexhaustlbls
quarry Of decorative materials. The discoveries
already described navo boon made on the banks
OF Tho river within lIttlo Distance from them,