Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1891-03-26
THE NORTHWEST
A ROMAN MAIDEN.
HER REMAINS DISCOVERED By
RECENT EXCAVATIONS.
A BAs.REblEF IN THE COFFIN
THAT TOLD HER SAD STORY.
Curious and Interesting Discoveries
in the Tomb of Young Girl.
IPan Mall Gazette.l ]

peHNteNfA
During some recent excavations in
Rome, the ancient gardens OF
Domitiau, a coffin was discovered,
which from its contents has proved one
of the most interesting ever brought to
light. 1t contained the remains Of
girl-Crepereia Tryphaena by name,
according to the inscripti0n-and bas-
relief on the coffin represents her sleep
ing upon bier with her head inclined
to the left shoulder. An older woman
is represented sitting at the foot of the
bier, while at the head stands q young
man in an attitude of mourning.
BY fortunate accident, the coffin
seem to have been filled with water
from an indefinite period, which has
aided greatly in the preservation OF the
remains. The head is still covered
with long, fine hair, which has per-
fectly resisted decay. This resistance
ofhair to decay is very characteristic,
and in museum at York. England,
there is mass of human hair still coll
ed in classical knot, and held in place
by pins of Jet from the neighborng
deposits at Whitby, all the rest OF the
BODY of the ancient Roman woman
having crumbled to dust. York was an
important Brtsh-Roman settlement,
and this interesting relic is doubtless OF
approximately the same age as that OF
the Roman maiden described above.
It is evident from the contents OF the
coffin of Crepereia Typhaena that she
was betrothed, probably to the youth
represented in the bas-relief. A crown
of myrtle leaves sacred to Venus, was
found at her head, fastened by a silver
clasp, very much oXidized, from which
fact we may assume that the metal was
an impure alloy. Several gold rings
were also found, one set with q piece OF
dark-colored glass; another with an
onyx engraved in relief with the word
"Filetus"-probably the name OF her
lover.
Another very interesting ring con-
tained piece of red jasper engraved IN
intaglio, with two clasped hands hold
ing In their fingers some stalks OF ripe
ned wheat. This was doubtless the
engagement ring of the Roman maiden
the wheat being an aIlusion to the an
cient rite of marriage by confarreatio.
Two other rings-or bangles, as we
should call them-were found in the
coffin to one of which was attached
miniature KEY, while the other was
composed of two separate circles joined
together into single ring.
The brooch is ornamented with an
amethyst engraved with a classical
group refer ring to Apollo and Diana.
Two fine chains depend from the brooch
to the ends of which are attached two
miniature ivy-leaves. Other ornaments
found were an amber hairpin two small
combs, two earrings, necklace and
two metallic mirrors-these last being
objects of value in those ancient days.
Perhaps the most remarkable object
of all was the wooden-doll, which had
evidently been laid in the coffin as a
souvenir of the childhood of the maid
en-. It is about foot in height, carved
with considerable skill, aud, very curl
ously, thejoints are articulated, just as
may be seen in certain dolls of the pres
ent day. The hair is represented as ar
ranged in a classical knot, and the
features are said to resemble those of
the Emyress Fauitlna.
Such discovery as this renders the
life of the Romans much more real to US
than all the ruins or statues or records
of battles they have left. The Roman
history, as we read it, is sad record of
war, bloodshed and crime, but the great
mass of people must have lived out
their lives as at present, with little ref
erence to the quarrels of Emperors,
Generals and politicians and when
Crepereias Tryphaena passed away, the
brightness went out of the world of her
Roman lover, as it has in the succeed
ing centul les, and doubtless will for
ages to come. 1t seems almost sacri-
lege to display the ornaments and
treasures of this poor girl to public view,
but those who are interested will find
them in the Capitoline Museum at
Rome, together with many other relics
of that wonderful ancient civilization.