RELICS OF ANCIENT ROME.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 122, 15 February 1908, Page 12

RELICS OF ANCIENT ROME.

INTERESTING DISCOVERIES AT OSTIA,

There have been some interesting results from tho excavations 'at Ostia, the ancient commercial port of Homo, situated, aboiit 15 miles from tho capital, of whichc the'remains, for completeness and interest, • rank 6econa only to those'of Pompeii. - A room that has lately come to light is wonderfully■ well preserved. . Its walls arc painted architectonically, with single figures at tho four corners, and it is paved with blaok and white mosaic. What adds greatly to tho valuo of the discovery is that upon tho floor have been found fragments of tho ceiling, painted to match ths walls, which could evidently be, put together again and rostored to their original. position. Among the rubUish a' good deal of ancient money has beon found, several ampliorab with painted, inscriptions (among them'one that contained.olives), the bottom of a vase,, with remains' of fish, fragments of glass with g6ld letters, several lamps (including a beautiful one decorated with a scene), remains of inlaid furniture and of tho mosaics and ceiling of the upper rooms. A .corridor- gave access to tho lower room,_ which . also contained a window that was evidently glazed with mica, las many pieces of that ancient substitute . for glass were , found .immediately beneath , it'. The wall paintings of this room are better preserved than any others to bo found ,in Ostia, owing to the fact.th'at at .some, later "period they had been covered : with a coat of white plaster. , '.'

The excavations in this neighbourhood are boing. energetically continued under the superintendence of Professor Vaglieri, who is at the head, of the excavations in tho Province of Rome, and it is hoped htat still further treasures are to bo found thero. ■