Evening star., 1933-11-25
TRIANGULAR ROMAN
TEMPLE UNEARTHED.
Discovery Near London First
of Kind to Be Found
in Britain,

Northwest of the remains of the
Roman Triuoephal arch recently un-
earthed at st. Adams. near London. or
the site Of the Roman city of Verula.
MUM. building Is being excavated
whose form and measurements revea
a miniature prototype OF the Flatiror
Building Of New York City.
1t is not only the first Roman temple
to be discovered on this site; it is ths
first temple Of triangular design to bs
discovered In Britain. and may ever
prove unique among all Roman sacred
buildings
1t stands at the intersection of a pre-.
existing road with a later grid system
CT streets lying at an angle to it. Tht
relation Of Broadway to the criSs-cross
planning of New York is here parallelec
by that of Waiting street to the criss-
cross Of Roman VerulamiUm.
The visitor to Roman Verulamium
who has passed through South Gate
and the Triumphal Arch could continue
his way either along the right side Of
the temple facing him. by way Of Wat
ling street, or along the new road which
forked along the temples left side.
4C"Plc lanS DlSCIOScUs
Badly as the site has been robbed
by later builders, sufficient remains tc
show how the temple was planned and
there are fragments of columns encased
in veneer of Rutland stone, and OF
pilasters of italian marble to show how
1t was enriched.
Before reaching the main inclosure
the visitor would pass two statues, one
on either side of the central line OF
the temple. The inclosure itself had
two sides, each Just 100 feet long, while
the back wall, along which ran street
measured 81 feet in length. 1t was
entered by a doorway 81 feet wide. with
signs Of an arch. Colonnaded corridors
Z feet wide inclosed a gravel-paved
central courtyard, with two sides Of 80
feet each and a back wall measuring
IS feet
Within this there still stands portions
of the base Of large altar, which wa
flanked by two further small statues
Behind the altar has been found sci
into a lined cavity In the cement
floor the skull Of an OK, evidently sacri.
feed when the altar was dedicated. Ir
other cavities in the same floor have
been found small groups of ritual YES
sels used for oil and other substance.
for the ceremonies. Elsewhere in the
floor were groups Of bones. chiefly OF
birds. mixed with woodash, and com.
plete Roman lamp.
Base Of Large Statue.
Behind the courtyard, which con.
tanned the altar, stood a cross-hall, OF
celia. in the midst of which Is thu
matrix Of the stepped base Of large
statue raised on a podium II feet
square. probably originally framed with
marble blocks. On each side Of thu
base. in a walled inclosure, was small
brick lined cavity of unknown use
These are Professionally styled tanks.
but the absence of a brick bottom te
the cavities makes 1t improbable that
they held water. The exterior of the
temple was covered with red-paintee
plaster. and the building was surrounded
by stout beams possibly to prevent
damage from passing trafdc.
The character Of the building ant
the ritual details which may be evolved
from its structural remains appear a:
unexpected as the triangular outline
of its site, and its excavation ha'
brought congratulations not only to DR.
and Mrs Wheeler, who are directing
the excavations, but to Anthony Low
ther, architect, who has traced out 1t!
plan and been in charge Of the latter
stages of the work.