The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-09-28
THE GALLEYS OF NEMI.
To BE Raised from the Bottom of
the Lake.


To BE Raised from the Bottom of
the Lake.
From the Pan Mall Gazstte.
II is announced from Rome that the
minister OF education has promised to
contribute $4,000 for the raising or the
imperial galleys at the bottom of Lake
Nemi. II IT be possible. And the Under
Secretary has started to investigate, ac-
eompanied by several Deputies and a
driver. The news is interesting not
only TO antiquarfes but also TO lovers OF
historical romance: but how often they
have been disappointed Two years ago
the italian government named a commits
sion TO report upon the feasibility OF
drawing of the water 20 such depth at
least as 70 make future operations easy.
The experts reported that II might be
done. but they asked whether science
could preserve timbers suddenly exposed
after an immersion OF nearly two thous-
and years. 1t may be assumed that this
question has been answered satisfactorily
since the attempt is 10 be made-if posi-
BILE
The larger Of the galleys measures 249
feet in length. the smaller 20e; both are
50 feet In breadth. Their depth has sun 10
be ascertatned. for they are filed with
mud
Who launched such enormous craft on
lake surrounded by hills-a crater. in
fact? Naturally one recalls the descrip-
ton OF Caligula's pleasure galleys by
Suetonius built of cedar. the decks faced
with precious marbles, the sails painted.
There were baths. colonnades. and spa
cious Fooms. vines and fruit trees OF every
sort 10 give shade. On these vessels the
Emperor coasted along on the CampanIan
shores, feasting and drinking. with a
throng OF dancers and musicians about
him The examples at Nemi were equally
magnificent perhaps, when afoat The
deck OF the larger is paved with little
disks Of porphyry and serpentine arrang-
ed in patterns. each framed with enamel
white, yellow and green. There were
fountains. for the pipes and basins re-
main, and bowers. probably OF roses on
occasions, or vines. Statues and other
objects which stood on deck have van
ished long ago.
Evidently Caligula is not wholly dis
connected with them, for a pipe recover
ed bears his name, caius; but another
bears the name OF Tiberius. They supply
dates. But IL does not seem likely that
an Emperor built the ships. The lake,
though beautiful. bore an I'll name It's
shores were scarcely peopled-certainly
there was no imperial residence. how
ever modest. Professor Lanciani thinks
that the galleys belonged to the shrine
OF Diana Taurida on the hill side, that
mysterious temple served by the priest
who slew the slayer and shall himself
be slain"-whose raison detre, which
puzzled Strabo and Plutarch. was first
explained By Mr.. Frazer in his world-fa-
nous Golden Bough." They would be
used, as Prof. Lanciani suggests. for car
rying pilgrims across the water and for
religious pageants.
Soon after they sank probably, when
ever that was. fishermen and treasure
seekers made attempts 10 plumber them
with what success is unknown. There
have been four organized efforts, at least.
In 1881 Cardinal Colonna, to whom the
lake belonged. employed the best en-
gineers of the day. His object was TO
raise the larger galley bodily. Great RATS
Heating upon empty barrels were moored
above the hulk. and divers brought from
Genoa fixed hooks in the timbers. But
the notion Of lifting a vessel almost as
big as transatlantic liner by such
means is humorous; either the chains
snapped or the hooks broke away. Still
the Cardinal persevered for eight years,
encouraged by the recovery OF won
derful things"-which are not described.
unfortunately. IN 1885 another attempt
was made, and again in 1897; but nothing
came OF these. In 1895 Signor Borghi
tried. using all the resources of science.
Archaeologists felt sure that the work
would be carried through at last. Both
vessels were explored so far as the divers
could penetrate and various objects of in
terest were brought up; pre-eminent
among them the mooring rings. six In
number. They were three lions heads,
two wolves and a Medusa's OF bronze,
ranking among the very finest examples
Of Greek taste and skill. The ratings
OF the deck also are good workmanship.
bronze, heavily gilded. But the divers
cnui6 90 M lunar