RELICS OF ERUPTION

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 16869, 5 February 1929, Page 9

RELICS OF ERUPTION

FINDS AT HERCULANEUM A PATRICIAN VILLA ROME, Dec 7. The excavations at Hcrculunoum which were begun last year in the pre sence of the King, have been proceed ing regularly ever since, and now after .18 months, extraordinary results are recorded. .Within the last few days n- quad rivium—a place where four ways meet-—has been discovered, with an entire Samnitc house, almost intact and another house, which leads to om long' before discovered, and named the Villa Plato. In front of the Snmnifi house a palestra litis been, disclosed, together with a part, of an "apoditerium." or dressingroom, and a "frigidnrium." indicating the presence 0.l baths, which extended beneath till Villa Plato. A characteristic, feature of the houses at Hereulaneum is that, unliki thoso at Pompeii, they all have twe stories below the ground floor. Traces of wooden stairs burnt at the time of

the eruption are found. The stairs led to cubuli, or sleeping chambers, in the upper floors, which arc well preserved and still have fresco decorations. The chambers evidently contained wooden bedsteads, which were burnt out, but ciudcrs and carbonised remains are still found. No skeletons have yet hcen discovered, which seems to prove that the inhabitants probably had time to escape to the sen. and perhaps to save themselves in boats. Nearest to the sea a pat rieiaii villa has been found with a spacious atrium, and women's chambers. These evidently had wooden frames and glazed windows. The house has been called the Villa of the Three Pine Trees. The courtyard is well preserved, with its mosaics and marble floor and cistern for collecting lain water. The street which led to the sea has been discovered, with remains of patrician houses on each side of it. Among the furniture, bronze objects and household articles have been found as well as statues of Diana and Opollo and allegorical figures with cornucopia, a statue of Silence and another of an African slave, the latter being about 3ft. high. There are also ninny vases. cups, earthenware jars and colored glass cups, and, finally, a well-preserved

wooden oil press, sft. high. Nearly all the objects will be left exactly on the spot where they were found.