Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-07-21
Barring IMPERIAL
GALLEYS IN NEM|
First of CaliguIa's Ships Be-
ing Uncovered, but Second
Holds Greatest Interest.
BY EDWARD c. STRUT.

lust visited Lake Nenl 10 observe LIlc
prosress made in barring the imperial
Salleys which have laid for centuries
under the silent waters Of "Diana's
Looking Glass" and to look with
wondering awe upon the memories so
far recovered of those distant days OF
Early Rome.
Draining operations are proceeding
apace, a powerful electric pumping plant
having been placed on a big raft which
follows the water in its slow descent.
A fine new road leading from the town
of Genzano has been built on the sub
stratum Of the ancient Roman road,
part of which is still clearly visible.
and other members Of the italian and
foreign press we're thus able to motor
down to the lake, where the minister of
public instruction, Signor Belluzzo;
Prof Paribeni, director general of fine
arts and antiquities, and several other
members of the government commission
awaited us.
On my. previous visit only about seven
meters Of one Of the two galieys
emerged from the water, meaningless
mass of planks and timbers, but in ex-
cellent state of preservation despite i'm
mersion of 1000 years.
Idea Of Ancient Skill.
Now more than 30 meters of the gal
ley have come to light. giving good
idea Of the ancient shipwright's skill.
Although the superstructure has COM
pletely gone there are traces OF the
pavement. consisting of colored tiles on
a hard cement-like layer six inches
thick. We saw finely modelled bronze
VOLTS head holding mooring-r1ng IN
Its mouth, which had Just been recov-
cred from the mud and which belongs to
the type of others now in the Museo
Nazionale. number of copper tiles
with traces Of gliding, and huge copper
and iron nails also were found IN the
ship, which still retains Its leaden
shesthing.
Prof. Paribeni summed up the his
tory Of the Nemi galleys, and warned
against optimistic and pessimistic ex-
tremeS.
Even If nothing else of artistic or
intrinsic value is found" he said, the
fact that we have brought to light the
oldest ship In the world would nave
justified our efforts. For 1t must be
remembered that the famous Vikings
ship. pride of Scandinavia, is only 1900
years old, a mere baby compared with
the galleys Of Lake Neni." j..
senator Corrado Ricci, president OF
the Nemi Commission and an enthusl-
astic believer in the final success OF the
enterprise. dSSuTeu tAino 'tAc 80
galley would be completely on dry land
early in october.
May Find Further Treasures.
ut is probable" he added. that as
the waters recede the remaining part
of the galley will be found TO nave re-
tanned its pavement and some OF us
superstructure. while the recent dlscoV-
erv of the fine VOLTS head justifles the
hone that further treasu may be re-
covered But the chief interest OF
Psychologists centers round the larger
vessel. lying farther toward the mloole
of the lake, and which constitutes
most tantalizing enigma
Addressing the Roman Historical So
ciety, Premier Mussolini said: when
ever in the last five centuries an at
tempt has been made to solve the mys-
terry Of the imperial galleys at the Dol
tom Of Lake Nemi 1t has thrllied tne
hearts and raised the hopes OF All tnoas
Who reverence the name OF Rome ana
srtertsin a cult for her ancient great
ness. ,r,
"For these submerged vessels mean
sonnethine much greater and much more
significant than two wrecks OF the nlss
century: They are not mercy plulgeuI
In the sparkling waters OF the lake, ouC
WITH the dream Of a tragic imperial
fs1Ire. the aftermath Of civllizatlon
witch has reached the summit OF its
naenifcence and power, leaving
daz2line trail of legends and SYMBOLS.
The tradition of the palatial ships sur o
vived the dark ages, Tor oespHi ,,,,, ..,e
tion there still turks in the Latin MIND
a nostalgia longing for the pomp ana
Greatness of pagan and imperial Rome:
Sardinal Prospero Colonna. lord OF
Genzano and of Nemi, in 1447 hrst I'M
dertook to explore and possibly 10 re-
cover the sunken galleys ...
He could not have 1ouno a 1. p,
MAN for the task than Leon battista
Alherti, poet. philosopher, architect ana
sc,,Intor' He constructed hoatmg
Machine a triumph of engineering skill
1or those times and made fast to the
stern of one Of the galleys STOUT cnaillS
bv which he hoped to draw the VesseI
to the surface These CHAINS were
fixed. as contemporary cnronicles say
'hv men who swan like hSnes, re-
~ns,ninr under water several minutes at
time without any diving apparatus
whatever. Unfortunately, the CHAINS
snapped and only fragments OF tlmoer
were recovered, enough to load Two
mules" At this stage the attempt was
abandoned.
Renews Venture in 1885.
The lure of the mystery ships induced
Francesca Demarchi, a military engl-
neer, of Bologna. to renew the venture
IN l535, availing himself OF an in
senious diving suit which enabled him
to explore the sunken vessels for an
hour at a time Blood flowed freely
from his mouth and ears owing to the
enormous pressure Of the water; ne
was attacked and severely bitten by FISH,
but he managed to secure to ropes large
fragments of phorphyry pavement,
pieces of timber with huge copper nails:
exquisite ornaments In enamel ana
bronze. and other trophies, emerging
from the water half dead, but trlum-
phant with his treasure. At last he, too.
1ave nm the attempt. which nearly cost
his life. and Lake Nemi remained I'M
disturbed for three centuries.
In 1927 a Roman engineer, AnneSlo
Fusconi, built large raft by which ne
was able to utilize Halley's diving bell
OF all the explorers he was most sue
cessful, bringing up such heavy OBJECTS
as porphyry columns, a quantity OF
large colored tiles which paved the
deck. and several carloads OF timber
we'll preserved and ruthlessly torn from
the sides Of the vessel, including. a
bronze "transenna" or grating. with the
inscription "Tiberius Caesar"
Government Steps In.
To what extent the galley singled
ant by Fusconi must have suffered
NAV be Judged by the fact that Prince
AleSsandro Torlonia, multi-mllllonalre
banker had a large room IN his palace
entirely adorned with magnificent relics
from the imperial galley.
Lake Nemi enjoyed another rest until
1925, when a dealer In antiques, Slgnor