DREDGING THE TIBER FOR TREASURE.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXVIII, Issue 8091, 8 January 1903, Page 4

DREDGING THE TIBER FOR TREASURE.

An erstwhile resident of Wanganui, who is at present Louring the Continent, has forwarded to the Wanganui Herald some interesting details concerning the search of an Italian syndicate in the bed of the ancient river to recover the priceless sacrifices to the "God of the Tiber." The correspondent states that he obtained his information from a journalist of repute, who has made a special study of the subject, and is in possession of "exclusive information. Professor Giro Nispi-Landi, Inspector of the National Monuments to the Italian Government, and who is the author of several historical works on ancient Rome, has conceived the idea of having the Tiber dredged with a, view to recovering the enormous treasure he asserts lies bedded in the mud of this sluggish river. The idea of the professor is strengthened by the fact that when an Italian bridge-building firm some little time since were laying two pillars of the Ponto Pa-latino, antiquities of the value of several* million lire were discovered. In adjusting the foundation pillar of the Ponto Garibaldi three beautiful antique bronze statues, one of Bacchus and one of Venus, came to light, and in widening the Ponto Cestio i.ntique jewellery, one piece of which was a wonderful gold collar, and other valuable relics, were -drawn up from the river bed, where they had lain for ages. In the course of the complete work on the embankment- enough ancient works of art and other relics were discovered to stock one of the richest museums in Rome (the Thermae), of Diocletianas. The professor asserts that one of the old historians, Falminio Vacca, in the thirteenth century, describes how a small boat having sunk near the Ponte Salicio, several men were engaged to fish it out, when arrows, swords, breastplates, and other beautiful objects, purely Etruscan, were discovered and brought to the surface. Even Virgil tells how Aeneas promised Father Tiber that if he would protect him from peril, "thou shalt ever be worshipped by me with homages and gifts." Aeneas' example was followed by the generations that came after him. Sacrifices were made on the eve of great events, such as battles, and during times of national peril, to make sure- of having the gods on the suppliants'side, and during great rejoicings, and to commemorate illustrious men who had died. It was not the .Romans alone who sacrificed to Father Tiber. All the southern races seemed to be pretty much alike at this time, and whatever force was near the river made votive offerings to it. The Huns, the 'Goths, arid Vandals all hurled a large part of' the- plunder derived- from the sacks of Rome into the ancient stream. Such offerings, states the professor, have contributed largely to enrich the bed of the Tiber with precious relics. Another cause was the casting into the stream by the Romans of their possessions in order to prevent them from being captured by their enemies. This Italian scholar, whose, works "Rome Before Humanity" and "Agrippa and His Temple" are well Known in Italy, believes that the sacred candlestick of the Jews will be found in the first zone, or in that part of the "Tiber near the famous Castle Angelo, close to .the Vatican and St. Peter's. It is certain, that religious objects were left untouched*.by the superstitious Alaric and Genseric ;' indeed, in 509 to 529, the candlestick was.still to be_ seen in Rome. The professor regards it. as certain that the emblem ordered on Mount Sinai, which stood in the tabernacle of King David, was carried around the walls of Jericho , and Vas eventually lowered by the Jews down from the bow of Esculapins' ship on Tibertine Island, and the Jews themselves always assert that it is still there. He expects to find the famous Minerva- statue of Phidias, as well as that- of Hercules, Mars, and Venus, with the pearl of Cleopatra. He believes he will bringto light the solid gold statue of Claudius LT., which once stood in the 'Capitol, and was thrown into the Tiber to save it from the Goths. For hundreds of years past men of ingenious turns of mind have been pondering upon doing and attempting to do this precise thing, but from 'various causes their plans have always fallen through. Professor Nispi-Landi believes that he will at last succeed", and he says : —"I have now fulfilled all the formalities required by the Hon. Minister of Public Works, and the Ministerial decree _ enables us, with new means and a- positive and practical prospectus, to see the great river searched at last, and the abundant riches of intrinsic and artistic value of every ancient epoch recovered." The expenses in erecting bridges, etc., on the Tiber have always been more than repaid by the treasures that have been brought to light, as in the early ages the dead were cast into this river with their arm our—al ways on them—and generally with a large number of their most precious golden ornaments.