RELICS OF OLD ROME.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18577, 8 December 1923, Page 11

RELICS OF OLD ROME.

TREASURES IN A WELL.

The figure of a beautiful woman, carved in stone, , a fine specimen of . Roman art of 20(X) years ago, has leen dug up by men who are excavating beneath the ruins of Richborough Castle, Ramsgate, England, i under the auspices of the Society ef Antiquaries. Vases of rani antiquity and urns of exquisite design have been found recently. These were discovered at the bottom of an old well in the north-east corner of th« ruins. The finding of these relics, and many other examples of Roman potter}, some quite intact and in a perfect state of perservation, hag raised the hopes of still more valuable discoveries in the near future. It is 'relieved that evidence may be found which > will definitely establish whether or not Julius Caesar actually landed at Rutupiae—the name given to Richborough by th.i Roman invaders. Good progress is being made with excavations in the direction of the mysterious cross -shaped structure in the centre of the ruins, beneath which, according to a local legend, a golden calf is buried. Others suppose this cross to have formed the foundation of the chapel of Saint Augustine, while another theory is that, it was the base of a' pharos, or light, which was erected to guide ship, ping to the harbour It is believed that the excavations will eventually enablJ the Society of Antiquaries to ciuterminJl which of these three theories is correct. 0