Omaha daily bee., 1896-11-22
Discovery OF Christian Tombs of Dlf-
scrCut Periods.

Discovery OF ChristiHn Tombs of Dlf.
fcrcnt Periods.
The excavations which have been carried
on of late around the Coliseum at Rome for
the purpose OF giving a more complete view
OF the best preserved side Of the amphithea-
ter have brought TO light number OF inter-
esting pcints. These excavations, relates
the New York independent, were started on
the square opposite the street leading to ST.
John Latcran, ana were continued along a
zone, about thirty meters wide, around the
entire monument. up to the beginning Of the
new Via del Serpenti The ancient pave
mcnt OF travCrtiue, which surrounded the
amphithcater was found at depth Of four
and half meters below the present level.
This subsidiary zone OF the monument meas
urcd i7.6 meters in width. Along the edge
of this pavement the ordinary street pave
ment began, made OF large polygonal blocks
of basaltic lava. The paving blocks were In
part wanting, MS the ancient pavement was
mostly destroyed in 1882. when water con-
duits were put in and the width OF the pave
ment could, therefore, net be exactly deter
mined. but II was followed TO width Of ten
meters. The space which surrounded the
amphithoater was limited legally by tcrmi-
nal cippi, or boundary stones placed be-
tween the area of travCrtinc and the pave
ment OF the public street. Five or six Of
these cippi were preserved in their original
positions. on the eastern side Of the monu-
ment, owing 20 the fact that they were in
cased In the foundations of the ancient
Church of $. Giacono di Coliseo, demolished
in 1915. The cppi are of travertne, and
terminate in semicircle
Throughout this entire surrounding area
Of the Coliseum Christian tombs OF different
periods were discovered. They are placed
at various levels, some being on a level
of the ancient road OF the amphtheater,
others on a higher level, and a number as
high two meters from the roadhcd. II
seems probable that the majority OF these
tombs were connected with the church
which stood on this side. and of which no
traces remain. These tombs are built Of
tiles and covered by caps; some Of the tiles
were stamped and came from ancient build
ngs which had been dcsuoyed,
One OF the latest tombs. belonging to a
group on the highest level, dates evidently
from the seventh century, Judging from
an inscription engraved on a marble slab
on the front Of the tomb. This inscription
closes with a formula Of imprecation, men
acing the violator of the tomb with the
punishment of Judas and this very impre-
cation is found in a number Of inscriptions
of the seventh century, with several
changes in the wording of it, In earlier
inscriptions of the fifth and sixth CEN
turtles the prayer that the tomb be not
violated is never followed by any impreca-
tion. At the point where the large group
OF these tombs found there was dis
covered, in the foundations OF the hole. a
large rectangular mass OF travertine, pre-
serving q portion OF its plaster coating. on
which was a fragment Of frCscO belonging to
about the eighth century. The fresco rep
resents two saints with circular nimbus
and robed in long tunics which are deco
rated with Greek crosses. Each figure
holds his right hand raised TO his breast;
the one on the right holds a crown, the
other an open book