The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1880-07-01
A PompeiIan House.

4
At the celebration of the eighteenof
centennial since the destruction tn
| Pomreii, last year, the excavation OF
an unexplored house was comm menced.
Three skeletons were taken out at the
time, and the house, the excavation ot
which has been continued, has proved
to be the largest and most interesting
yet opened. It is called the " Casa del
Centenario." and is thus described
1t occupies the entire space between
three streets, and most likely fourth,
which has yet to be excavated. The
vestihule is elegantly decorated, and its
mosaic pavement ornamented with the
figure of dolphin pursutd d by sea
norse. In the first atrium, the walls of
which are adorned with small theatrical
scenes, the pavement is sunk and
broken, as if by an earthquake, and
there is large hole through which one
sees the cellar. The second atrium is
very spacious, with q. handsome
| peristyle, the columns white and red
stucco-being twenty-six in number.
In the center is large marble
basin, within the edge of which
runs narrow step. On the pedestal
at one side was found the statuette
of the Faun lately described. The most
interesting place in the house is an in
ner court or room, on one side of which
is the niche. with tiny marble steps,
often to be seen in Pompeiian houses.
The frescoes on the walls are very beau
| tiful. Close to the floors runs a wreath
of leaves about quarter of yard wide,
with alternately lizard and a stork
Above it, about yard distant, droop.
as if from over a wall, large branches
of vine orivy and broad leaves like those
of the tiger-lily; all very freely, ma
turally and gracefully drawn. At each
corner of the room bird clings to one
of the e branches. Then comes sp ice
-hordered at the top by another row
of eaves-in which is represented a
whole aquarium, as If the room were
linked with tanks. There are different
sorts of shells and aquatic plants lying
at the bottom of the water, and swim
ming in or on it all kinds of fish, Jelly
fish, sepias, ducks and swans, admira-
bly, sketche with ight yet firm touch
The ripples made by the swimming
ducks are indicated, and one duck is lust
flying into the water with splash. On
each side of the niche this anus
ing aquarium is enlivened by a
special incident. To the left large oc-
topus has caught a monstrous murana
(lamprey) turns round to bite
in its tentacles; to the right p fine lobster
has pierced another murena through
and through with its long. hard feelers
or horns. These creatures are painted
in the natural colors very truthfully. On
the left wall of the room, above the
fishes, are two sphinxes supporting on
their heads square marble vases, on the
brim OF each of which sits dove. Be.
hind the niche and on the left side of the
room runs little gallery with corri-
dor underneath, lighted by small square
holes in the border of hanging branches.
The wall of this gallery behind the
niche is decorated with a woodland land
scape, in which, on one side, is repre-
sented a bull running frantically away,
with lion clinging to its launches; on
the other, horse lying struggling on its
back, attacked by a leopard; all nearly
the size of life. On each side of the door
way is painted respectively graceful
doe and bear. The other rooms are
also very beautiful; one with a specially
elegant design on a black ground; in
another a small fresco representing IL
man pouring wine out of an amphora
into large vessel. The bathrooms are
large and elegant, the cold bath spacious
and oi marble. In one room a corner is
dedicated to the Iares and penates, and
In the flesco decoration, among the
usual serpents, ETC., noticed the singu-
lar figure OF a b ,cchus or bacchante.
entirely clothed with large grapes. In
one OF the mosaic pavemens is head
OF Medusa, the colors very bright and
well preserved. AS some of the rooms
are only eXcavated to within two or
three feet from the floor, it is possible
that many valuable ornamen or statu.
cites may yet be found, as everything in
dicates that this splendid house belonged
to some rich citizen.