“THE GIRL OF ANZIO."

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume XXI, 12 August 1921, Page 2

“THE GIRL OF ANZIO."

ADVENTURES OF ANCIENT STATUE.

(Correspondent “ New York Tribune. )

ROME, May 7. Recently while workmen were dredging in the port of Anzio, near Rome, they hauled up a ' marble arm which is believed to belong «to a Greek statue, found on the beach some thirty years ago. This statue is known as the Girl of Anzio, “La fanciUua D'Anzio,” and artiste and archeologists have disagreed over it, some say ing that it is a statue of. a youth in drapery, while others insist it represents a young girl. Now that the arm has been found it may be possible to discover the real sex of the statue, as thq Greek sculptors were always careful, when chiselling the arms ot a young man to delineate the muscles.

Up to thirty years ago the statue was intact. Off the beach at Anzio there is a mass of masonry, the re mains of an ancient Roman villa, marking the site where Nero’s villa once stood. Walls inclose three side* ot what was once the imperial sum tner quarters, paved in mosaics and adorned with stucco reueis and fres coes. For centuries these foundations had remained, withstanding too iur, ot the sea and rum. une stormy day a fisherman's boat was carried out to sea, and in an effort to gain port he raised his sail and looked about fot familiar landmarks wbicn would lead him into safety. When he got his boat around, instead ot the mass ot

nails he saw, standing erect, a white figure, which in the uncertain light appeared to be an apparition of the Madonna. A break in the clouds and a ray of sunshine lighted up the statue and he saw it was of marble.

He brought his boat near, and found that the statue was intact and quite unlike the others found in former years, as the Apollo Belvedere and others less valuable, which were a bit damaged. It was standing on its original pedestal, and the fisherman realised that if he could hide it and then sell it his fortune was made.

For the last fifty years all the fishermen in Anzio have realised the importance of ancient finds, and from infancy they study the shore and soil in an effort to discover something valuable. Not only the fishermen, but the farmers and day labourers in this district, are always on the alert for ancient remains.

No one knows now how ho hoped to carry the statue away unaided, us it was very heavy. In his efforts he shifted it so that it fell into the sea. Later the Prince Aidobrandini, healing rumoar of the statue, instituted a search for it, but when eventually it was found the head and both arms were missing. The prince offered a reward of 100 dollars, and a fisherman discovered the head and one arm, the latter having drapery ever it. When the statue had been mended the prince kept it at his villa in his gallery, where only dealers and antiquarians were allowed to view it.

Experts nave differed as to its style and chronology and archaeologists are still uncertain as to its meaning. Some have identified it as a priestess of the celebrated Apollo of Patera in Lycia, while others say that it is a prophetess or one of the virgins selected for that office. ’ The identifications were based on the objects carried by the figure, the laurel leaves and a roll representing nSrchment on which were inscribed the responses of the oracle. Contrary opinion now seems general that the roll really is a linen band used in purifications while the animai claws are the feet of a tripod or inipl. ment for burning incense.

The Italian Government was 90.<X LJ dollars for tho statue, the prince being obliged to accept this, although he had before this period received an offer of 1.20,000 dollars from Mrs Gardner, of Boston. While the negotiations between the prince and the Government were in progress, two years, policemen were placed night and day’ outside the villa in Rome to prevent the statue •being smuggled abroad. Its value today is a half million dollars.