The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-12-25

J position; they were liable 10 many kinds
| OF damage as they lay on the ground
but as they now stand tzey give 70 the
| intelligent observer very complete i'm
preston Of their original appearance The
missing column and other lost portions
have been replaced by brick, used with
such frank simplicity that II is in no de-
| gree offensive.
| TIE next undertaking, one that is not
( yet cOmFcete. Is the resetting OF some o.
| the columns and pa<t OF the en5ablature
Of the Temple Of Vesta. This necessitat-
| ed the exploration OF The mound o. dirt
| left long since by previous workers on
| the site OF this temple. Why such a
mound had been left has never been ex-
planned Certain authorities have stated
that II was OF two periods. ne lower
| part resulting from the construction o;
the Republican period and The upper from
the reconstruction carried out by Sept
nius Seve-us- Il was. however. evident
on careful inspection that the so-caIled
remains Of the time OF Seps minus SeveruS
were in truth nothing bur the accumula;-
I'd rubbish Of later ages. This mas been
finally proved by tsle finding. day before
aevel make IN This sSeptimian' mound.
! Uhe work is by no means finished. but
interesting results have been already OBJ
tained-in the discovery OF the steps o.
the temple. Of one complete column. of
fragments Of the cofered ceiling, and OF
numerous pieces Of the enca6larure.
One minor point Of some interest has
been settled by this investigation Of the
Temple OF Vesta- II concerns the Puteal
Libonis. Recent writer's mention a circu-
lar curb, between the Temple OF Castor
and Pollux and 51e Temple Of Vesta. as
being remains OF the famoSu Puteal. and
on common maps OF the locality one may
see a neat circle drawn In this spot Thal
50 many students should nave been mis-
led in regard 70 these stones shows the
confusing tendency Of tradition for the
theory respecting them was (tne word Is
not too strong) absurd. The blocks We're
absolutely plainly cur into their present
form and placed in their present position
by some me,iesaevaI workman What has
purpose was in making this curved but
not circular enclosure il is not easy TO
say. These stones being now turned up
on edge 70 examine their bottoms II has
become evident hat they were taken from
some ancient monument 10 be put 10 their
present use. Until some new discovery IS
made. archaeo,ogis1s can tsleorize az will
regarding the Puteal Iibonis. The ground
Hes cleared before them
Another bit Of work that is on the
road TO completion is The reerecting of the
colossal marble and granite columns
which originally stood opposite the Bas-
ilica Julia, on brick substructions simH-
ar 10 that OF the Column of Pshocas. Two
Of the seven subsrructions are nearly per-
feet, lacking only the original marble
veneer. The work 20 be done 90 render
the others safe supports for the columns
IS Of tne simplest description. The con-
struction Of these sls5struction is as fol-
lows: On a floor Of large square bricks,
the stamps on which dates from DiOce-
tians reign, were piled large blocks Of
tufa taken from earlier structures.
Around these. and Joined to them 10y con-
crete. were four simple brick walls. and
on top were laid marble ssabs upon which
rested the base Of the honorary column.
Those of the substructionS which have
been broken down need only 20 have more
tufa blocks. of which there are quantities
about Rome. inserted in place of those
that are gone, and the brick walls re-
built. Then the columns can be reerect-
ed, and the interest and pfcturesqueness
of the Forum will be greatly increa SEQ.
II might be suggested that unless We
know on which base each column stood.
the work should not DE done. Fortunate
ly this is just what We do know FOR
photographs taken at the time Of the
excavation show the columns lying as
they were found. and their positions
make it evident upon which bases they
originally stood.
After these undertakings have been ac-
cOmplishei, the attempt will be made
to find the fouada tons belonging TO a
mass Of exceptionally well-preservei and
deIicately carved remains that lie between
the Temple of Castor and sne Atrium
Vestae. Most writer's have maintained
silence as regards these stones. Middle
ton however. in the revised edition Of
ais work on Rome. speaks Of them. and
says that Ligorio published designs OF
them and t,<ef where they were found.
In tins Middleton was mistaken. The de-
signs in Ligorio do not answer 70 these
blocks. What he drew mad been found
on the northern side Of the Forum near
s.. Adriano. What he true explanation
Of the stones is cannot as Yet be told,
but there il an excellent working hyp-
othesis- On the ancient stone plan of
one ci-y one can observe a sacellum-like
building in exactly the spot where the
stones lie. Furt hermore, the CJIriOsum'
and the 'NIIrabilia' mention a Temple Of
n
Jslase remains be of this temple? The
near future VII show.
J. * not only By such replacements os
ancient monuments that Minister BsceIi
* earning the gratitude Of all students
.who take more than a mere Archaeology
cal interest in the work Of past genera
thons- He is also undertaking 10 cancel
certain mistakes made. with good inIen-
ton but unfortunate result. by eager bit
-il0ughrless workers OF carrier days The
dr-ss % these 70 disappear VIII he the
pier 81 ne Basilica Julia, bulk o. Comm.
Rosa out Il entirely new material Rosa
desired . fllnC by tniS work = his a.
ne ancient grandeur u the basiitca. but
he failed 20 uOzice either the form or pro-
portion ~ the members of the building
Although several bases OF piers were lying
about him he paid them 10 need and
built q pis- wiyn no base. This VII %
done away Win. and. - fsr as NAY b.,
tle existing fragments vii be PIX II
-heir tVue positions.
One y the most interesting discoveries
made during his recent WORK IN the For
I'm = that q large use-ope block. decor
ated Nth 0ucranson carved in re best
Scyle - me Roman Republic. L vas
found bull. iHro re val SUSTAINING ~
road sh4e bounds The uo-rh SIDE o. the
Forum. Tire specEzl interest % the bi5-s
comes from the fsc- thai. IN az proaaSsi-
l,y. e belonged . the BssEica AeEn.lia-
q b1ilds1g ina = s-3ii buried heirx mod
ern houses j. = greatly 20 D. noped