The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-10-23
A POMPEIAN BIRD SHOP.
objects of Peculiar Interest Found
in the Ruins of the Ancient City.
London Times Correspondent

in the Ruins of the Ancient City.
london Times Correspondent
No sooner was the excavation of the
chamber commenced than, as l have al
ready told you, number of bronze and
terra-cotta vessels, bronze fibule, brace
lets and rings, iron keys, kitchen uten-
sils, and other articles of household use
were found almost in a heap together
near the door, and among them a
considerable number of small earth
enware pots, which / somewhat
incredulously heard described as
drinking cups for birds; but there soon
followed abundant proof that this had
been the shop Of seed merchant and
seller of singing birds, and very little
Imagination was required to see the place
as it was the day before the fatal erup-
tion of 1879. AT first the room seemed
to have been mere receptacle for mis-
cellaneous collection of bronze and earth
enware objects. There was no special
ch racter about it. The walls bore no
traces of painting, but as the clearing
was continued to the left of the door on
entering heap of millet seed was found
so carbonized that on taking up hand
full it flowed between ones fingers, for
every grain was separate and distinct.
1t was taken away in baskets full.
Close to this quantity Of hempseed, and
of what appeared to be smal! beans in
the same well-preserved condition, were
found, and among them considerable
fragments of the sacks in which they had
been kept, the fiber and texture clearly
distinguishable. Behind these heaps and
against the wall more seed was dug out,
mixed with pieces of carbonized wood,
iron hinges and nails, and some iron
hoops, evidently the remains of small
barrels and bins, which had been ranged
on this side, while along the opposite
wall double row of terrl-cotta ola for
holding grain was gradually revealed.
Suddenly there arose cry, Gun ossa,"
Gun scheletro,' and the excitement be-
came intense; but the bones were small
at first they seemed mere fragments, and
then the Director exclaimed, amid
quickly following laughter. GA chicken
Here the filling in had become someN hat
solidified, and, as it broke apart, COM
plete skeleton was revealed. 1t was that
OF little singing bird entirely imbedded
in the mass, and near it were fragments
of other tiny bones. There could no
longer be any doubt that the use of the
little terra-cotta pots mad been correctly
described.
1t b clme clear why 30 many of them
were found there, and that the number
of plain bronze rings of about an inch and
and half in diameter, and pieces of fine
cbainwork discovered, had been used for
hanging bird cages. But what connec-
ton had all those bronze vessels and or
naments near the door ith seed and
bird sellers shops This also soon became
evident. AS the excavators continued
further into the room, great masses of
carbonized beams of wood were found,
each somewhat inclined downward. and
among them quantity of fragments of
intonaco and stucco wall facing, colored
porphyry with border Of green and
white.
These were at once seen to be the re-
mains of the floor of the room above,
with some of the plastering of its walls,
and from the direction in which the
beams were lying, it was evident the floor
had given way in the middle and toward
the door of the shop below, precipita,ing
the greater part of the contents of the
upper room in that direction, the remain
der failing toward the middle, and it was
here tho elegant, long-stemmed candela-
brum was found among the masses and
fragments of carbonized wood.
Did the worthy bird-se Ter live above
his shop? Did this candelabrum and the
various bronze vases and oher utensils
form part of his domestic furniture
Who can tellS They were elegant in
form, but for the most part unornament-
ed, and not out of character with the re-
quirements of person of that condition.
There were some finger rings of bronze,
but none of richer material; there was a
strigil with a plain handle; there were
women's bracelets and fbue of delicate
workmanship, but only of bronze, some
glass bceds and delicate blue glass cup
broken in pieces.
The smaller terra-cotta vessels We're all
of the p|ainest workmanship. Among
them were three small am mphore, with
iat bottoms, for standing on the table,
and the bronzes were of the variety of
size and form adapted to household pur-
poses, Some were Ike ugs with one
handle, others were in the form of fiat
oval tazze, with two handls, and one of
these had two others of smaller size lying
within it. There was one the exact
counterpart of apint pot, several of flat
shape like casseroles, with straight han
d e ON one side, and some without han
1 dies like deep bronze SOUP plates,