The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-06-28
THE TOMB OF RoMULUS.
NEW EVIDENCE THAT 1T HAS BEEN
DISCOVERED.

Rich Finds by SignOr BOnf in the RO-
man Forum Indicate Where CamiI-
Ius offered Sacrifice on the Tomb
of ROme's Founder After Its De-
struction by the GRuls.
Rome Correspondent of Baltimore Sun.
The words in which Cicero described one
of the chief attractions of Athens, saying
that at each step we meet with histori-
cal monument, may be htt!ngly applied 10
the whole city of Rome, and in a particu-
lar manner 20 the Roman Forum.
The work of excavation carried on In
that celebrated center Of ancient Rome un-
der the direction of Signor Baccelh, minis
ter of public instruction, and the immedi-
ate direction OF the civil engineer, Signor
Giacomo Boni, have produced and continue
to produce most interesting results.
As these works proceed new objects are
brought TO ight, and it may be said that
every days labor contributes its quota of
information to the better knowledge Of
the great monuments of the past that
formerly occupied this historic ground
On Tuesday last, May so, a series of dis
covcries was announced as having been
made which though not attractive to the
eve in an artistic or architectural point of
view-indeed, comparatively insignificant
TO look upon-yot strikes the historical inn
aginatiOn as suggesting the memories of
a very distant period, back even TO the
mythical age.
The famous pavement of black marble,
sapis niger brought to light last January
in the vicinity of the triumphal arch OF
Septirnius Severus at the northwest angle
of the Forum, and which was considered
as marking the site of the tomb of Romu-
1us is the scene of the new discovery.
Underneath this pavement of lapis nj
ger. which is now propped up by wooden
posts the new discovery has been made.
The under soil being partially cleared
away, a series of ancient objects were
found
Nearest the spectator, who descends be
meath the level of the Forum, are two
great auadrilateral bases, formed of the
stone called tufo-the earliest puilolhg
stone employed in Rome-each four feet
broad by eight long and one foot in hight.
| These lie rather close to one ahother' De-
ing about three feet apart
On these are large fragments OF the
"torus," or base molding, wrought in
! noble manner and of the same stone. II
| is considered as probable enough that
| these were the bases for the two fgures OF
lions which were placed at the tomb OF
| Romulus according to Narro's account.
/
| sus mentions but one lion as having
| beeu placed here But this agreement OF
| the two authors regarding the existence
of site known as the tomb OF Romuius,
| however they differ regarding the num-
| her of lions, is rather fortunate for those
who bestoW this name on the recent dis
covery.
We are stil looking beneath the prop
ped-up pavement of lapis niger into the
darkness which prevails further in, where
| two men are working by the light of
| candle. Signor Boni asks them to place
| the candle near the inscription which is
there on a great square stone of tufo.
Then L behold large, unfamiliar forms Of
| letters, excelently cut and clearly de-
| fined, covering the surface lighted by the
candle Three sides of this stone, which
| has been called a cippus, or monumental
| column, have been freed from the debris
which underlay the black marble pave
| ment.
This debris is, perhaps, more interesting
than any of the other discoveries yet
made Yesterday morning, when I visited
| the Forum 10 see these new discoveries
ana especially to hear from Signor Boni
his account of them. l found him here,
sitting upon wooden box with an iron
| hook In his hand, carefully and slowly
digging out this debris that lay beneath
the "black stone" known as the Tomb of
Romulus. A sort of canvas tent was
llEBNu over" AtlN Slbls Abi Tic JUNE SUI
| burns hercely In the Forum; a young
workman was busily engaged in polishing
the outer edge of a portion of the BLACK
stone" and revealing its marvellous close
| ness OF It's texture and its ebony blackness
| streaked with rare veins snow white, con-
trasting vivdly with the ebon hue of this
rich marble. Every handful Of the debris
thus brought forth was ground into dust
in the hands OF Signor Boui in search of
the solid objects il might contain.
The debris consists OF ashes. among
which the calcined bones of animals are
mel with. This soft mass contains frag-
ments of terra-cotta, The circular bases Of
vases tiny vases, evidently piaythings
for children; semicircular fragments of
stone; small statuettes about three or
four inches in hight formed of bronze.
ivory or terra-cotta; and finally, some
very ancient specimens Of the earliest
toinage of Rome, the aes rude. This IS
the pned-up and closely packed mass of
ashes, says Signor Boni, of some great
| sacrifice. No less than 100 animals have
| been offered up in one great holocaust
| Considering the characteristics of the Tiny
| statueties Of the Lares, or household gods.
| thrown into the flames by the people who
| witnessed that huge sacrifice long
ages ago and the coins and the
| other fragments. Signor Boni concludes
that this is the SPOT on which Camillus Of