Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-11-17
TO DIG UP hERCULANEUM
Prof. Wadstein Has Secured ltaly's
Consent.

Rome. Nov. 16.-Professor Charles
Waldstein. Professor of fine arts at
Kings College, Cambridge, Eng, VIII
arrive here shortly for the purpose OF
porfcCting an agreement WIN me
Italian Government concerning the
carrying out Of his project for ne eH-
cavation of Herculaneum.
The professors plans to TINS END
have been accepted by the Italian
Government on the condition that the
uart;cjpation of foreign countries in
the work be only in the form of private
contributions, and that there be no
foreign official Interference. Professor
WaIdstefn has obtained the active
cooperation of King Victor Emmanuel
as president of his organization, as well
AS that of Emperor William. King
Edward and President Roosevelt. The
excavation Of Herculaneum will be a
gigantic enterprise. The work of dig
g;ng up the ancient city was begun by
King Charles III. in 1888 and il was
continued under the dire ction of the
Italian Government in 1866. This eX-
c;tvatiun has always been attended
with the greatest difficulty. as over the
ruins Of the ancient city there stands
today the town of Itcsina, with twenty
thousand inhabitants. The location of
Resna has often made it necessary to
abandon the research work
Two years ago interest was created
throughout Europe ana America by
the announcement that Professor
Waldstriu, who, although holding a
~
American. WAS forming committees in
various countries to push his great
PROJECT for til" excavation of Her
cIleadcuH. This excavation, in Dr.
Nuldst.in's view. is likely 10 yield
archaeological results Of sur. ,assing
Interest ga Importance Among
utit.r things, he confidently expects
that In host pu,m:; of stIppho will be
/. covered IRON n!!" or another of the
nuintruuS lihrtri,s which ar. known to
have belonged 10 Roman gentlemen
with estates I'D H"rculln-u:n.
Professor W2list' in visited America
in thu autumn Of 1903 and obtained the
cordial COOPERATION of President
Roosevelt and other well-known
Americans. lie delivered lectures on
lIs plan at the White House. at j.
Picrpont Mnrsans hons. in New York.
ard elsewhere. After his return to
Europe however it was reported
| that the Project had fallen through,
| owing to the attitude Of the Italian
Government. which was unwilling that
any country other than Italy should
take any part III what was regarded
as a work for Italians alone 4
cabinet crisis in Italy, at which time
the ministers We're accused of intend
ing to violate the national spirit of
Italians by granting concessions to
for. lgncrS for excavation work, as
| though Italy was another Turkey had
probably something To do with this
decision. 1t appears from tn" tele-
gram that Italy has at length con-
Sened To assist DIR. Waldstein and that
the work Will be undertaken. The
professor never expected anything
more than Italy row seems to be will
ing,to give him, telling all those With
whom he talked on the subject that the
direction of the work would certainly
have To be in italian hands.
Professor Waldstein, in his lecture
| at the White House. Dec % 1901.
| speaking "f Pomprii ana Hcrculancum.
said: THE difference between the
cities was that Pompcii was covered to
4 depth of only about fifteen feet by
NcSuvius, while iIcrculaneum was
buried 10 q depth Of eighty feet in
| many places. Pompeii. though much
iEflueuced BY Hellenic culture, was
never Il real centre of Greek civiliZa
| tiun. whereas Hrrculaneum, a dis
tinctly Hellenic foundation. ever was n
| representative" home of Greek art and
| literature, as the spasmodic cxcava-
| lions already made have shown
| P"mptii was 4 purely commercial
town; not 4 single manuscript has been
found there. while at Herculanr,lm the
unSySt"matlc excavations of the past
nave yielded from one villa alone 1850
papyrl. Specimens of art, notably
bronZ"s. have come down to us in a
| most beautiful stat" of preservation
| from Hrrculaneum. but not from
Pompofi. If so much can be found in
ON" villa. what must be- the priceless
treasures still stored away beneath
IN" Laval? Private libraries containing
| u" greatest works of antiquity are
there. Sculpture surprising any
found at Athens or Delphi is there"