Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-09-15
A Roman Pavement in England.
From the London Truth,

The Roman tessolated pavement in
JewTy Wall street, Leicester, discovered
in the year 1882, is well known to arch
biologists; it has also been known as diff
ficult OF access, and hardly to be seen, ia
a dark cellar, and, in fact, it has not been
seen or visited, except by very few per-
sons. Some time ago the town council re-
solved 10 purchase the house and prem
ises, with the object of preserving the
pavement in Sltu. and OF giving additional
light and better access to it, and, this pur-
chase having been completed in the be-
ginning of the present wear, the work of
improvement began. Ii was now seen
that the pavement was continuous under
the premises of the adjoining house, and
under the public street, and arrange
ments were at once made to uncover and
annex these adjoining parts, so as to per-
NIT the whole to be seen at one view.
The pavement thus uncovered forms a
floor which, if complete, would measure
90 feet square; it lacks part on the west
side, and also the entire south border is
missing. It is marvel of constructive
skill, of variety and beauty in form and
color, and not the leastpart Of the marvel
arises from the almost beggarly elements
out of which the designer has produced
his truly harmonious effects. No squared,
artificiallY cOlored, or glazed tesser9,
such as we see in a modern floor, are
used, but little pieces, irregularly but
purposely formed of brick and stone.
There are three shades OF bricks-a
bright red, a dull or Indian red, and a
shade between the two; slate from a
neighboring quarry gives dark, blueish
gray; an oolite supplies the warmer buh,
and fine white composition esembling
limestone is used for the centre points
and borders. In addition, the outside
Sc wi Ot
larger size, of sage green limestone.
Speaking generally, the design is formed
by nine octagon figures, three by three,
surrounded and divided by a guillOche
cable band the interspaces of the octa-
CONS are filed by four more square pat
terms, and the outer aotagon spaces by
twelve triangles. Outside these there
is border formed by cable band, by n
second band Of alternate heart-shaped,
pear-shaped and bell-shaped flowers, and
by alternate white and gray bands; and
outside all Is the limestone border al
ready described. The border is con-
structed with tessera about hve-elghths
of an inch square. The remaining tessera
vary from one-half to one-quarter inch OF
irregular rhomboldal form.
The construction of the pavement is re-
markable. There is foundation OF strong
concrete below; over 1t is bed OF pound
Ell DTlck anu llint luEcc W AOui AhShD@
thick, and upon this layer or fine
whited cement, in which the tesser@ are
laid with their toughest side d0wnwards.
Liquid cement appears TO have been
poured over the floor, filing up the inter-
stices, after which the surface would be
rubbed down and polished.
As 10 the probable date and occupation
Of the floor, IL may be observed that the
site OF this pavement was near the centre
Of the western Roman town. II Is near
the Jewry Wall--that is, near the militia
nv station and fortress. II was obviously
the principal house in the place, and as
clearly, therefore, the residence OF the
Prafectus, the local representative OF the
imperial power of Rome.
Tue Roman occupation OF the district
began with the proprietorship
OF Ostorlus, Scapula, A. ID.
30. He was succeeded in % by
Suetonious Paulinus, who passed through
Leicester from the Isle Angeslea when the
insurrectiOn under Boadicea broke out.
In the service of Suetonius was Julius
Agricola, who was elected Consul and
Governor OF Britain about the year 10.
He il commonly described as wise and
good Governor. who introduced the arts
or civilized life, taught the natives to
build. aud encouraged education. he
left Britain about the year s., and from
that time 10 the decline OF the Roman
power is but about 300 years. We shall
not be far from the truth, therefore, II we
assign this work 10 the time or even 20 the
personal influence OF Agricola, ], 800 years
aVo