The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1878-05-22
A SILENT CITY.
Excavated Wonders Of Pompeii-How the
Romans Lived Eighteen Hundred Years

EXcaYatco "ondofs OF fompcu-do" tHe
Romans Lived Eighteen Hundred Years
Ago.
Naples is always crowded with visitors.
All the tourists "do" Pompeii, IS the
saying is. A railroad runs from Naples
to the city, which has been about e1.
humed from the ashes; and delightful
ride of about forty minutes duration,
which takes us along the beautiful bay
of Naples in full view of its blue lmpid
waters, and carries US over the ruins of
the twin city in the dreadful destruction
far. famed Herculaneum. The remains
of Pompeii are all under the control of
the government, which charges an ad-
mission fee of two francs, for which
amount visitors are also furnished with
competent guides. The gateway by
which you enter is only few minutes
walk from the railroad depot, and you
are at once within the precints of the
Silent City.
Eighteen hundred years ago the city
was full of life. Nearly $4,000 people
promenaded its streets, and it was scene
OF Roman luxury. It's situation on the
sea made it a most fashionable place OF
resort for the wealthy Romans, and the
Emperor Claudius had his pleasure house
there and the great orator Cicero a re-
sidence. It was likewise a commercial
seaport, and q lively traffic was carried
on by it's merchants. But in August, A.
D. 79, Vesuvius belched forth mass OF
burning lava, ashes, cinders, hot water
and mud, and the town was totally buried
Since that period other eruptions have
heaped up more volcanic matter on the
site of the city, and for nearly seventeen
centuries Pompeii remained dead to the
world. About one hundred years ago
the entombed city was discovered, and
Immediately action was taken to e1ca-
vate as much Of the ruins as possible.
The work has been going steadily on,
but not more than one-haf the city has
yet been exhumed. Still, many acres have
been dug over and miles of street have
been brought to the light of day: The
buried portion is still covered with tons
upon tons of stones, ashes, cinders and
hardened mud to depth of from ten to
twenty feet above the tops Of the houses.
Over this are two feet of rich soil, which
is exceedingly productive and covered
with trees,
The government employs every winter
about two hundred people, comprising
men, women and children, in excavating
this part. The men dig; the women
and children carry away the rubbish in
baskets. The exhumed portion of the
city lies open to the bright sun and
is somewhat slightly elevated above the
level of the surrounding country.
This city is now perfect picture OF q
Roman city two thousand years ago.
The streets, pavements, temples, i'm
ages, theaters, dwellings, columns,
household gods, paths, arches, fountains,
forums, shops Of various trades, musical
instruments, weapons of war, imple-
ments of labor, marble and bronze stat
ues, mosaics, frescoes and drawings,
dining-rooms, bedrooms and kitchens,
with their appropriate furniture; food
for the hungry and medicine for the
sick; glassware, vases and pottery; gems,
medals and coins and fruits, flowers and
shrubs are all seen as they were on the
terrible night when the city was doomed
to sudden destruction.
The streets are narrow, some not be-
ing more than eight feet across, but they
are straight and regular. The pave
ment is composed of large fiat stones or
clocks of lava, and the deep ruts cut in
them by the Roman chariots are clearly
perceptible. At the crossings are large
stepping stones for the use Of pedestri-
ans, 80 as to keep their feet from the
mud. Everything in the street was
silent and deathlike. There were nc
human beings in the houses, no prom.
enaders in the streets; all we're deserted.
The dwelling houses are generally small!
and one .storied. They are built OF
stone and brick, plastered on the outside
with mortar. An open court is in the
center, and the different rooms are ar.
ranged around in the oriental style.
Most of the roofs are destroyed, having
been crushed down by the weight OF
the ashes. In the dining-rooms the
tables are of stone, aid many are GOV.
cred with petriied food. Beds and
couches are in the sleeping rooms.
/ In one of the kitchens was found q
fowl put in the skillet, and stew pan
containing a small pig for roasting, all
prepared eighteen hundred years ago.
Many beautiful mosaics were found on
the floors, and elegant frescoes on the
walls, and they look as bright and fresh
as II thew had only been finished few
years. The frescoes, pictures, mosalcs
and sculptures and even jewelry discovv'
cred in some of the houses show terri
BILE depravity in morals. In the "House
of the Vestals," upon the door-slll, !s
the word "Salve," welcome. A mosaic
with the representation of a fierce dog,
with the Inscription "Cave Canem,
beware of the dog, is near the threshold
of the "House of the Tragic Poet. :,
In the streets are many shops which
still have the signs over the doorways.
In one there is some marble partly
sculptured, with the artists tools lying
around ; in another, medicines and sur
pical Instruments in third, marble
counter, with stone liquor jars behind
it, and the stains made by the wet glasses
on the counter prove that this was a
drinking saloon. Then there is an eat
ing house. Meats and delicacies are on
the counter fireplaces to keep the
soups and messes warm are still in the
room. The same building contains q
prist mill and bakery. In the bakers
shop batch of loaves was found which
had been in the oven since the Gath OF
August, A. D. '79. The mill was turned
by horse power.
The various temples that have been
exhumed contain idols made of marble,
silver and gold. The Temple Of Isis is
eighty-four feet long and seventy.fve
broad. The ashes of victims were found
on it's affairs. The skeleton OF a priest,
sitting at table on which was spread a
meal is here, while near the door was
another priest holding in his skeleton
hand q hatchet, with which he had tried
to cut his way out of the temple. Three
hundred skeletons were discovered IL
the temple of Juno all crowded together
and buried beneath the ashes. At the
very hour of their destruction the
priestess was Offering sacrifices to the
queen of the gods. The forum occupies
the central portion of the city: On each
side are rows of columns and long por-
ticoes which show the outline OF this
spot. Pedestals on which formerly
stood famous statues are dotted here ano
there. The public meetings were held
in the forum, and notice OF such
meeting called for the very night when
the CITY was destroyed.