The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-11-15
EXCAVATIONS IN THE
FORUM.
Valuable Finds Made-Italisn Govern
ment Likely 10 Extend the Work ia
Attract Tourists.

Attract Tourists.
(Foreign Correspondence New York
Times.)
Rome, Got. 24.-It has been announced
that on account Of the encouraging sue.
oessss attending the recent excavations In
the Roman Forum. the Hon. Baocelli,
Minister of Public Instruction, has finally
appointed committee to report upon the
best means Of carrying on the excavations
on q larger and more important scale.
This decision has long been awaited.
That the pressure brought to bsar upon
the Government IL not only Of disin-
terested archaeological and historical
nature is an acknowledged fact. Even
Signor Baoceili himself said in recent
speech that ths Rome Of today has but
two attractions for the greater part OF
the foreigners who visit it-that OF its
| excavations and Its Papal indulgences.
Although this statement is not devoid OF
exa operation, 1t 10 true to dgree, aud
the two aforementioned Rttra ctions un-
doubleday form the main obj scts of inter.
est to q great part of the visitors who
throng Rome In the winter months. 1t ID
said that the notice last spring OF the
discovery of the so-called "Iomb of Rom
illus" alone attracted over 10, 600 foreign
srs 70 that part of the famous Forum,
each ons pay ing his franc for ticket OF
nd mission.
StiiI another point In favor OF the fur.
therance of the excavations, aside from
the valuab BILE discoveries by which they
will undoubtedly be accompanied, Is that
they will give occupation to many thous.
ands OF iaborlng men OF the city, who al
pIesent are complainina OF lack OF work
Since the celebrated conference held by
| DIR. Guido Baccslli at the Coliegio no.
mano, in 1888, In which he announced
| the discoveries In the Atrium or Vesta,
the excavations have been continued In
an irregular and desultory manner. The
/ past sprin and summer better progress
has been made, however, under the en-
| thusiastic superintendence OF Signoe u.
BON, and several important "hn Is" hA VI
| come to light. Up to the present moment
| the more recent exnavati oDs have given
the following results:
The bases OF the round temple Of the
Atrium have been entirely cleared, an
numerous fragments OF decorat We .sculp
ture haye been found, attesting Its Iormel
magnincencs. The IF 'icola quadrata'
Is partly cleared OF debris, and Is found
TO be a structure In the Ionic styls-li0ht
and elegant. Not far from this build
| ing, which lies between the circular tenn
pie and the house of the vestal virgins, q
marble statue was found, without its
head and feet, however. This piece Of
| architecture, which was taken OUT OF an
1 old sewer, Is mot unlike those already
found In the came vicinity, and Ia OF no
especial artistic merit. Much more Inn
port than the foregoing are the newly
4 k..I x..N. Mt n
the corridor and cells of the houses Of the
vestals, of gray mosaic, In great par
without cement. Under these. othel
| fragments nave been found OF an Older
pavement of elegant design and fine dec
/ orative qualities. The designs are geo
metrical and consist OF circles and poly
CONS arranged in various combinations
| Stones CT value have been used here
porphyry, serpentine, gallo, and VERDI
| antioo.
| A similar pavement, but less precisely
| set anu less varied In design has bteT
| found at the other side of the Forum
where the Intensive excavations for the
| clearing OF the ruins OF the BasilicS
Emiliana, or Fulvia, have been going on
| This basilioa WAS built In the year 81
4 OF the foundation of Rome by she censor
Fulvius and by kmillius Lepidus, neal
| the Tabernae Novse, anu was restored II
the following century by great-grSnd
sOn OF Lepluus.
| In front of the TabeInas Novae aros'
formerly the Tabernas Vetares. along tG'
southeast side Of the Forum. When tbs
Tabsrnae Vetsres passed away thu Basilict
| Ssmpronia was built upon this site BY
| Titerius Sempronius GraccLus, In tn
year 40 after Christ. and this building
In turn gave place to the Basilica Julia
Dom usnced In the seven hundredth veal
4 Of Rome by the great Caesar, julius, ant
dedicated about eight years later.
l In the Regia, Inhabited by the Pontifel
Maximum not far from the Atriuin O
Vesta, there have been several new dis
| c1geries. A continued series Of building
has been found between these two places
one of tn I'm q spenies Of celia, with
decorative painting and marble work
| friezes, and other architectural .orna.
mt nts. Another important discovery Il
| the newly found place OF the Via
SaorA, brought TO II ght beneath what hal
always been supposed to nave been thu
authentic street.
Among tho other objects of interes
unenrthed since April Is the Altar o.
Caesar, the much discussed Lapis Niger
and the ancient ,cippus. with the "bust'
fsdica' writing. considered TO be thu
oldest Roman epigraph yet deciphered.
original construction OF the Atrium q
vesta, as we'll AS that of the circular
temple In the centre Of IL. which appeari
to have been originally decorated with
twenty Corinthian columns. With suel
encouraging results. far greater finds arr
being looked forward to by all. and In 1
short time work will be- pushed forward
seriously and with regularity.