The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1895-07-12
Interesting Discoverles.

Inc systematic excavation OF tne slte
of the large Roman town at Silchester,
under the auspices of the Society of An
tiquaries, was resumed, for the sixth
year in succession, at the beginning of
May, the scene of operations being a
hitherto UNEMPLOYED insula, or square,
lying midway between the basilica and
west gate. This insula has been found
to be almost entirely covered with the
foundations of two very large houses,
each of which had a courtyard facing
north and entered from the main street
on that side by gateway Of considera-
BILE Importance.
The easternmost house has street
| frontage of more than two hundred
feet and extends backwards for over
one hundred and fifty feet. Its prinoi-
pal chambers were on the west side,
and had mosaic floors, unhappily al
most entirely destroyed. A vestibule In
| the north part Of the house, about
twelve feet wide and fifty feet long, has
fortunately nearly the whole of very
remarkable mosaic pavement. 1t con-
sists Of groundwork of common red and
drab mosaic, arranged in long bands or
panels, filled with squares or lozenges,
and coupled by frets. In this are set in
somewhat capriclous fashion, no fewer
than five, if not six, panels Of fine mos
sale work Of excellent design. First,
there are two small squares, each two
feet across, placed side by side with an
interval of few inches Then comes a
large panel, six feet square, with a bust
| Unfortunately much injured within a
circular border. Beyond this Is long
| and narrow panel of interlacing work,
and beyond this again the remains of a
fine panel Cor, perhaps, two placed end
to end over twenty feet long, which
has evidently been almost entirely de-
stroyed within. the last few years
| through the agency Of a 'scarifier.
Very few instances of so elaborate a
combination Of coarse and fine mosaic
patterns have come to light in Britain.
| The occurrence, therefore, of so curious
and perfect an example at Sllchester is
noteworthy. At the west end of the
vestibule is small room, on a lower
level, with a very perfect floor of drab
mosaic with a central panel Of fine
| WORK, put tniS ~ ihlufeu III lhe eSieei'
| Against Its east wall are the remains
of a fireplace, most uncommon Tea
| ture in Romano-Brltish houses.
| The other mouse IS quite as extensive
as the first. lts plan resembles that OF
most Of the large houses round al Sli-
chester, and oil the prlnclpal Roman
| villas in this country, a series OF cham-
bers lined by corridors and arranged
round three sides Of a coart-yafa, tiiiy
the principal wing, that on its east, mas
as yet been completely uncovered, out
In this, besides two rooms warmed by
| hypocausts, are no FEWER than nve oth-
er rooms, all OF considerable size ana
with mosaic floors. The northernmost
room has IN the center large panel OF
fine mosaic, about fifteen feet square,
composed of five large circles within &C.
| tagons, and filled with stars ana geo
metrical figures, the whole being en-
closed by broad border Of braid work
and set In O. ground of red tesserae.
The colors used are black, white, red
and yellow. About three-fourths OF
this pavement is intact.
The next room has an almost perfect
| mosaic pavement composed entirely or
fine black and white tesserae arranged
metrlcal design coupled by rret-Work.