The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-08-07

a. existed ever since the mythical days OF
. Komulua
, The plan involved the fuller uncovering
|, OF the Basllica Emilia. OF the forums OF
Julius Cesar. OF Augustus. OF Nespasian
, and Of Serva a. well the larger area OF
the Forum OF TrAjan When we remember
that only disconnected bits OF these forums
Az uncovered the 81 eme seems unreal
liable especially as We now reach crowded
quarter Of the modern city. There IL. To he
SURF. one small Sc ton on the slope OF the
Capitolns a. IL falls TO the level OF the
Forum OF Trajan which has been doomed 10
destruction for reasons other than arUhso-
logical II masked on this aide the view OF
the monument OF Victor Emmanuel Noone
regrets its loss IL was a mass OF narrow
alleys and unsavory tenemenis. the worst
and lowest slum In the city. Now that II II
being cleared away We shall be able to trace
one u the most interesting streets OF ancient
Rome. tho Ciiyus ArgeptaTiuz, which con-
neC ted the two main sections OF the city. !
Joining the Via LAtA and Via flamina to
the Forum across the neck OF land separat- /
ing the Capitolne from the Forum OF Ira /
jan. One Of the gates OF primitive Rome /.
stood here. and II was also SPANIEL by At /,
least one triumphal arch. dedi"ated to the
Emperor Marcus Aurelius, At the point whore /
/ II opens up into the Forum. Near this 4
street the excavations will bring to light I
what remains OF the large hemicycles which /
terminated on this side the Forum OF Traian.
! In case the Government should decide |
| to demolish a couple OF modern blocks We
may what remains OF the enormous
triumphal entrance To this forum. given on .
| TraiAn's CONS and OF two triumphAl arches
, which have recently concluded must have
nanked the Temple OF Trajan on either side.
| All three were covered with historic sculp-
lures In reliefs. OF which many slAbs have
! been discovered at different times since
the fifteenth century. The art OF TraJAn's
time Was perhaps the greatest in point Of
power and variety OF any achieved by the
| Romans and this forum was his master
| piece. 80 that its further excavation prom
ises interesting artistic finds. even though
! it, ate has been 40 ransacked. Perhaps
few persons realize that the part Of the Forum
now visible around the Column OF TrAjan
Is only about one-seventh OF the original
area Of the Forum. which was crowded with
works Of art.
ASIDE from the promenade the one big
archaeological work IL the restoration and
use Of the remaining ruins Of tho Baths
of DiocletiAn. originally the most Rrandiosa
nf all the civil structures Of Rome. not
even excepting the Baths OF Caracalla The
main group OF its halls stands in front Of
the railway station. Some idea OF it, size
may he had when you know that the present
Piazza dele Terme. the largest square in
Rome next to ~. Peters. corresponds to
baths. and that the large Church Of santa
Maria dsgii ANGEL IL merely one OF Its halls
transformed by Michelanxelo. This hall,
10y the way. IL now considered OF the greatest
interest in the history Of architecture . the
model for saint sophia in Con-tantinople
Several other halls Of the baths are still ,
sufficiently well preserved to allow Of their
restoration. The studio Of the American
sculptor Ezechiel. one OF the most charming
centres Of American life. has been In the ,
upper part Of one OF these halls for many ,
years, and lie loss will he keenly regretted
II was reported that when Mr. EzechieI Was
notified 90 move he refused and sAid that n. 4
would yield only Ia force. The Govern.
ment finally did = handsome and gracious !
thing by Offering him a. a substitut. the
famous Tower Of Belisarius IN the Aurellan
Walls. an even more picturesque ruin.
The National MUSEUM has been for years f,
established In the monastery adjoining the .
baths, and here are PLACED all the antique :
sculptures found In and near Rome Every
year this museum acquires new Importance
and II 10 badly In need OF the room which
IL will ind IN part at least among these q
ruinous halls Of the baths The charcoal /.
burners and wood dealers who from time q
immemorial have used their dark reces-e.
for storerooms are being elected the halls II
cleaned and decorated. Considera tile new II
construction will he needed Then the en-
tire group will he converted into a great a
museum IN connection with that already
existing IN the monastery. The schern. ,
has the merit OF poetic Justice, for the An. =,
Gent imperial baths. with their gardens -
their Libraries. their RymnAsia, were prActt- a
cally museum Of sculpture and a picture o.
gallery. v
This will provide q home for the multi -
tnde Of objects which the excavations Of the II
archaeological promenade are almost Ger.
tain to bring To light. The two museums v
on the Capitol have hitherto received n
most OF the works Of art discovered IA
Rome hut they are now full. An overflow
was established in that Interesting place
called the archaeological storeh ouse lust
beyond the Arch Of Constantine which IL
little known TO tourists Then the neN =,
museum at the Baths Of Diocletian came IN :,
the rescue, and now With its proposed en- n.
lar cement bids fair to rival in interest the n
q apitoline and Vatican. r
The process NJ excavation which will un n
he followed in all this work will q
b. extremely Interesting to watch becAuse -
n will he conducted not in the old way bv b.
means Of deep trenches. but by the process. !
of removing horizontal layers Of earth A "
few inches at q time, carefully anaIy,ipg -
and sitting Il. recording the exact depth AT -
" hich each object IL found and keepin, =
tho finds Of each layer In thi. :,
way the approximate age and associations AZ
of everything can usually be- understood n,
even INDEPENDENTLY Of It's intrinsic style q
Tor the different centuries LETT their several a.
layers OF deposit. deeper IN some parts and Vi
thinner in others. Great catastrophe.
like the fires Of Nero and Robert Guiscard
10 mention events ovA . thousand year.
4pArt. raised the levels in tho burned -a,
lions. but not In the rest OF the city II "
was the latter fire which caused ~. mai d'
destruction in the region that will he ,ray 20
p ed by the greater part of tho ArChRo-
logical promenade fbat
I"lan and Aventine hills which themael,.- A.,
reserve many a rich md to thoar who viii n,
'Ncayats in the future their present de.o- -
ate stretches. once teeming with pAlatt.l
-esidcnces and other magnificent STRUCTURE.
~ course II will not he possible TO carry
'ut at present more than part Of the
programme.
Rome - showing . great variety Of mis-
'ellAneour activity in preparation for 1911
Models are being prepared on a large .,aIs