The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1905-08-09
THE BURIED CITY.
Nineteen Centuries ago it was a FIorrishiney
Town OF some 10000 Inhabitants


| :. 80 fSSR1S "NSASS w
dwell there again, as they might after
some generations had dulled the sense
of fear, t!ey would do just what the
later Romans did, build over the city,
and leave its ashes in peace. The
! interest in Pompeii today, leaving
aside the nameless interest Of the
tourist, is archaeological; aud that in
terest had no existence in the early
centuries. So Pompeii vas left in
oblivion till some hundred and fifty
years ago, when interest in it was
aroused through the finding by
peasant Of buried house with strange
contents. Finally che italian govern.
ment took hold Of the matter, end ez-
oavations were carried forward till the
greater part Of the city has been ex.
csvated.
Only visit to Pompeii can do any
justice to the place. Its contents are
80 rich and varied. If one may Judge
from the number of temples discover.
ed, the Pompeian was no atheist, with
all his epicurean life. There were
temples to Jupiter and Appollo and
Mercury and Fortune. then there wss
temple to Iais, the Egytian deity,
which shows the presence Of that re.
ligious cult in the city, though it had
been put down by the Roman senate
some 80 years before on account of its
immortality. And here again these
ancient Pompeians show their human
nature, they were prone to run after
strange gods. Dowieism had not then
made its appearance, or we might
have found temple to that cult.
The remarkable state Of preserva-
tion Of Pompeii is owing to the man
ner in which it was destroyed. It
was not burned. The hot ash and
| pumioe-stones falling upon the roofs,
charred all the wood work-the roofs
were of tile supported by wood raf-
ters-till it gave way. Then the
houses were filed with the volcanic
duet. When this dust was removed
after 1900 years, the fresco paintings
on the inner walls Of the houses were
found to be In almost q perfect state
of preservation. These paintings,
with other things. chow the volup.
tuous life Of the people. Many Of
the houses had their walls decorated
with these frescoes done in the best
art, each room having decorations in
harmony with the use to which it 1as
put-fruits and meats and hunting,
scenes in the dining room, nymphs
and fountains in the baths and bed
chambers. Some Of the finest statues
sKtant were found in Pompeii; for
example, the bronze statues Of Mar
cissuB and the Dancing Fawn.. The
Pompeisn Wab not satisfied to have 9
few specimens Of art in his parlor
where callers might see them. His
whole house was an art gallery, be-
ginning sometimes, as in the case Of
.he house Of; the Tragic Port, with
the mosaic floor oflthe vestibule and
running through all the corridors and
rooms. And this work was done By
artists, not by whiteBashers. One
can but wonder what it sast have
cost e Pompeian gentleman to have
his house decorated. These Pom.
peiaa frescoes have q peculiar interest
and value in that they are the oldest
speninens Of painting in existence,
and il is through them :hat We get
nearest 70 the long lost paintings Of
the old Greek masters. u )si5 ",
The baths Of PompeiiF are remark
able, TOO. They are the most perfect.
specimens Of she Roman bath, an ias
atitution which played . largo part ipll
The life of. The later Roman. There.
was Q cool chamb ber where the bather
took of hiss street dress and prepares
for exeroisa. Large stone balls found
here indicate that the Pompeian
played 8 kind Of tenpins. NE :exer-e
else over, he went into q ROOM hieh
was heated BY hot cir passed 'through
the hollow walls. Then he proceeded
|.to tho plunge bat b. One feels that.
lhe is close TO ancient history when he
picks up one of these balls and sets sit:
going or places his hand on the mar.
BE stsps of the plunge bath, % 81 smooth
assi 81 the Pom npsian q so0t mad ieIt 5It
bns yesterday s S3.sE s5;S
I'd She houses wee 3 found nany
things % interest Large quantities.
Iof bread were Found Sins the baksrisss,,.5
sarboaisea but hesaise ooking per.
9estly nassai il. Just 90 s loaf be brs..d
would look Il il wers burned black Ia.
idav sSsI l1nrh s.aa aiSnI fnn,esI,d n, n the