The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-12-13
of
 = ErAN
BY WILL T. STEPHAN

stead. to Peace; and at the cIoSe January of that year he dedlcnte6 | colossal altar. surrounded bx q mnrbIe screen. upon which were scufptured ex- quisite reIiefs. representing prooessione of the noble friends of Augustus. prisstg ana laurel and bore branches of olive is their hands. Above them ran an enriched friese displaying elaoorately carved foila- tions. flowers and festocns. typifyinE the fertility of the earth. It was golden moment In the art life of Rome, aL@ the design and workmanship were Of tho finest The monument conslsfed ox . rectangular platform having front and back of thirty-six feet, with sides nneos- uring thirty-six feet. and was reachsd by flight of steps from the Via EIap minia (corso). The scuiptured Enarb5s pre- cinct wall, covered with the aforeeni1 reliefs. rose up of yore by majestic GAteR possibly of gilded brunze. Within f1fH rose second platform. reached by four more steps. and upon the further &1de of this stood the altar itself. Tnns. ia uated depressed pyramid.
 The position giv.sa to it h f1s GmmDua Martius corresporNh precisely with th& angle of the Via 6. Lorenno in Lunlna~ where that ssSeet opens out of the mol ern Corso. nearly opposite vta Frae1<na and adjoining the Palazzo Fiano-0 0te1lcu4 in the cellars and among the foandn1f9ta of which the present exploraffcn and exss cavation were lately coznnuenGeh B0xs inspired by the fine voiuuss Gavoee6 to illustrating this great monunzant hy prof. Peterson. of the German Archn1n16eio1a Institute in Rome, the muufuzuNitfN eH& the Minister of Public Insfrucsfon, hAN~ lng come to agreement as Co 4hn NlNnaNs canoe of precisely iocat1ne ths sfte. tlssw approached Signor AimaGia. kAe pxupz1e. tor of the palace. who (himsnIf q nsne1 skillfui engineer and enthanaes11o loxsw of archaeology not only he&ped ko bxigw about proper scheme for the Ans2rns research. but has gensrously aided it vita money. In conseQuence the wozk WA& put into the hands Of Eignoe CnnninArns who began operations on July q. MAxaw In August an opening was made ln va Lucina, and presently traces Iod tho oxs plorer right on to the longitudinal axfs ek the spacious altar. even fo the sin 0x th1 great door opening to tue. Vie Tiaminia.
 AS far back as in l5e& Cardinal Bioas of &ontepuiciano. wrote frozn Rome ee the secretary of tho Grand Uuke of TssAs cany that beautfful HaliAfs ca lrnmnnee blocks Of Greek marble tis ah0uld hnva been Carrara) had been found whsn &hs Palasso Ottob0ni wan holna hnl1t; asa that they would be soon forwardAG en
  displayed in the unizi Gazs6ry. 0ihak fragments went to the vltia Nzedici. on Monte Pincio, where they vat acorn the rear wall of the College During rsator&- ton of the same palace in l2H8 e0zAe 6az- on further fragments came &o llmle. On Feb. 1& 1@o. while visiting the Jesuit Church. where repairs were going on. the present writer was fortunate encuai to recognize another fragment, which had bean utilised since iss3 as tho wrMpeasone of blshop of LuccA. The upper face Of tt had neen sEnooth8d ana lnlald with verde Eftico and hrocateIio marbles, 50 as to represent the arms end eRrdihai'k. <. hat Of sebantiano po9Hio. the said pENx late. On ite undensidp were soslpfukaz exquisite scrolls and fofiations or Quf9s unmistakable Augustaf work. This was another fragment. measuring six feet uy four.
 The present condition of the exposed monument would indicate its having been destroyed by fire and by deliberate blows. and the broken fragments are found ly- ing at no distance from the portions to of the jambs of the doors have been re- covered. as well as of the angular pllas~ ters, projecting from the marble ecrean wall One of the most significant dlecove cries now made has been that of second or posterior. door on the eastern aide Of the monument. with the broad stops loads ing to 1t. as represented in e ano bronMa of Domitian. It Is necessary to staae tEAx the excavation has required tho forrns,e ton of several small tunnels, in which are encountered the beautiful portsons stin remaining ''in situ." as well a aplers did decorated blocks. which yee. lla ce- structing progress and very atlznnlR e& extraction, A much later inalesin9 waik of brick and travertins. hos bsen Hissp wise noticed. having heeu oouatruufaa nxss parently. with a view to isolaea 1hn ala tar from impingtng odinoas. Muph, hnwHs ever, remains to be explored aelll hafega we can hope to- see poszlhla. aea worthy. rehabilitation of ethta capolhsoea of antiquity; to which end is will fneshae be needfnl that the Louvre. che t1faMi asla the vatican shall generoualy conarShmfA the various portions already ln t2ta1a respective keepings. .ssf ss tg9I15