SKELETON OF A SLAVE.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 53, Issue 16, 29 October 1932, Page 8

SKELETON OF A SLAVE.

CRUES&ME FIND AT POMPEII.

BAG FILLED AVITH COINS. A new vein of archaeological discovery has been opened at Pompeii, says the Rome correspondent of the “Morning Post.” iii the “House of Menanrlro,” and a gruesome index to hopedfor treasure has been found—the skeleton of a slave clasping against its bare ribs with bony hands a leather “strong room”- bag filled with coins of gold, silver and bronze. In an underground chamber of this same house there was found last year a table service of fine silverware richly decorated, and hopes ran high that other important items would quickly be brought to light. Negative results led to exploratory search in a new direction, and in an unsuspected underground passage of the buried mansion this new indication has now been found.

The skeleton has been identified as a household slave by- fragments of dress ornaments. The last relic of the hag perished on exposure to air, leaving intact only its ring lock. The bag contained over 100 pieces, including perfectly preserved specimens of gold coins of the reign of Vespasian and Nero, many silver pieces and some bronze specimens.

In the same passage the excavators found another skeleton—that of a youth surrounded by a strange mixture of goods which included a complete set of gardener’s tools and a beautifully-w,orked-bronze vase with a woman’s figure in has relief.

Other bronze pieces were of a more simple character. Several serving dishes, a box of nails, kitchen utensils, a broken lock and a large treasure chest were found. A few' odd precious stones mysteriously scattered about on the lid of the chest have been salved from the cinders.

"Whether these men were trapped wdiile trying to save their own belongings, or whether they were robbing their master’s house under cover of the general disorder is a 2000-year-old secret which will never he fathomed; but their presence with treasure in that underground passage encourages the theory that more important discoveries are ahead, and work is proceeding.