The New York herald., 1922-02-19

wood" where Aphrodite reigned, and 1t was
he who captured the women of the peoples
who lived outside his city and brought
them within the walls to be divided among
his soldiers, so that his new State might
grow.
OF these times we have only fragmentary
knowledge. 1t Is certain they will be more
fully revealed by the new explorations.
So far as is known there is no recov-
cred statue or carving which depicts the
vestal Virgin in any detail. There are
several paintings on the walls at Pompeii
and on other ruins which suggest her pres
ence or her influence, but no ancient sculp-
tor from Romulus down seems to have
dared to make Of her model.
The discovery of the carving In the
ruins at Monte Mario, in which woman
is shown receiving worshipers, will be of
the greatest Importance IL, after further
study, it is definitely decided that this
actually represents vestal of the days be-
fore Romulus.
Other Interesting Discoveries
Made Since War Ended
Other excavations Of the last year In
Italy have produced many other interesting
discoveries. Principal Of these were con-
Quoted under the site Of the former Ger
man Embassy in the heart of the city.
This building directly after the war was
torn down that certain indications beneath
1t thought to be the ruins Of an ancient
temple might be investigated.
The ensuing excavations early disclosed
the ruins of ancient walls, and before long
It was seen that the excavators were un-
covering temple to Jupiter, built immedi-
ately after Romulus. The foundation walls
are well preserved. They are built Of thin
blocks of a volcanic stone, and there are
signs that they withstood the improve
ments made on the upper part of the
temple by several succeeding dynasties.
At Anzio, the ancient Antium, with a
famous temple sacred to Fortune, one Of
the favorite resorts of Nero, there has re-
Gently come to light, in the remains Of the
villa of that Emperor, the fragments,
brought as rubbish from elsewhere, of a
calendar. painted on the white plaster Of
a wall in black and red. More than 300
small pieces were carefully put together
and the result has been that we have before
us the only Roman calendar known before
its reform by julius Cesar in 46 B. c.
1t has thirteen months instead Of twelve,
the extra month Of twenty-seven days called
Mer (kedonius) being intercalated in alter
nate years to make up the lunar year of
355 days to the length Of the solar year.
Only twenty-five or twenty-three days were
actually added, for four or FIVE days were
taken off February.
The nundinal or market days and the
festivals of the various deities are care
fully noted In this calendar, which Is thus
of the highest interest.
The famous subterranean basilica just
outside the Porta Maggiore, which was
found under the railway line just outside
the main station during the war, has pro-
vided one of the greatest surprises; and
not far off another interesting under
ground building has come to light 1t is
of a very different character, being GER
tainly a tomb, and In all probability
Christian. 1t is decorated with series
of interesting paintings, the interpreta-
tion Of which is by no means certain.
1t is not improbable, however, that we
have here representations Of st. Peter and
st. Paul belonging to the beginning of
the third century B. C.-the earliest
painted portraits of them, that is, that
have come down to us-together with the
rest of the Twelve Apostles, one Of whom
has been made to give place to st. Paul.
Above the full length figures are
scenes of various import and Of difficult
Interpretation. In the upper part Of one
OF them we see number of domestic
animals--cattle, asses, horses and goats,
with small houses on the right and left,
and woman by a fountain near the
latter. On the lower level three nude
figures approach a large loom; on the
other side stands woman, turning
toward man seated on the ground, who
seems to be speaking to her. The sig
nifcance Of this scene still has to be de-
termined.