Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1906-12-01
Proposed Excavation of Herculaneur

Proposed Excavation of HercuIaneuIn
The recent great eruption of Mt.
vesuvlus drew the attention of the
entire civilized world to the region
in which the great volcano manifest
ed It's activity. 1t is, therefore, with
exceptional interest that we hear of
the proposed completion OF the exca-
vatlon of Herculaneum, buried under
the first great historic upheaval of
Vesuvius in 20 A. ID. Prof. Charles
Wulstein, professor OF fine arts at
Kings college, Cambridge, England,
has long entertained the idea OF a
complete excavation OF the buried
city, and has at last succeeded in
perfecting an agreement with the
Italian government for the carrying
out OF the project. Prof Waldstein
has obtained the active cooperation
of King Victor Emanuel OF Italy, as
president of the organization, and
has. Furthermore, had the assistance
and support OF Emperor william,
King Edward and President Roose-
welt. Prof. Waldsteln is an Ameri-
can, though holding the professor
ship of fine arts at Cambridge. lie
began the preparatory work of form
ing his organization for the purpose
OF laying bare the hidden secrets Of
Herculaneum some two years ago,
when the project aroused consider
able interest throughout Europe and
America. Despite political opposi-
tlon to the scheme I'm Italy. where Il
seemed at first that the attitude of
the italian government was one OF
unwilllngness to permit any other
country TO take part in work OF this
character, the concession has prac-
tlcally been obtained, and the work
will doubtless be inauguarated in
the near future.
The excavation of Herculaneum
1 will be a gigantic enterprise, total
| ly different. In regard to the amount
OF labor necessary, from the excava-
tion OF Pompeii, which was buried
at the same time. As early as 1898
attempts 20 excavate Herculaneum
were made by King Charles III. The
work. which had hardly proceeded
further than the initial stages, was
continued under the direction OF the
Italian government In 1866. Since
that time practically no further
progress has been made. The work
has always been attended with the
greatest difficulty, for the reason that
the modern town of Resina, with
10000 inhabitants, Is located over
the ruins of the ancient buried city,
and, therefore, II has usually been
found necessary to abandon the re-
search work after short period OF
excavation.
As Prof. Waldstein observed In his
lecture at the White House, In De-
cember. 1904, the difference In the
present status of the buried cities OF
Pompeli and Herculaneum Is due 10
the fact that the former was covered
to depth OF only about 10 feet,
while Herculaneum, ON the other
hand. In many places was buried TO
a depth of so feet, llorculaneum,
a distinctly Hellenic foundation
was far more representative homo
OF Greek art and literature than
Pompeli. for the latter was apurely
commercial city. The slight exeaya-
tlon which SO far has been carried
out at the site of Heroulaneum has
produced vast numbers OF specimens
OF art and literature. one villa alone
yielding 1850 papyri. Some of the
bronEes recovered are In far more
beautiful state of preservation than
the majority of those from Pompeli,
The latter city. though much intia'
oneed by Hellenic culture, was never
a real center OF Greek civilization,
such as HerculaneuuI, and, doubtless,
the excavation OF the latter will bring
forth priceless treasurers OF the liter
ature and art OF antiquity.
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