ANCIENT RELICS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 227, 23 March 1912, Page 8

ANCIENT RELICS

OF ROMAN DAYS. The excavations that are being made at Ostin, in Italy, are revealing some highly interesting relics of Roman days. ■'Ostia was the harbor of Rome many centuries ago, and its streets and the ruins of its buildings are still in existence. The Italian Government has undertaken the excavation of a portion of the site, and at the present time the main street of the town is bare for a distance of over a quarter of u mile. It is 24ft wide, and is paved for its entire length with flat stones. At one end is a massive gate, once decorated with a splendid winged ligure, and the archaeologists believe that this was the entrance to ancient Ostia, which was surrounded by a wall. The buildings fronted close upon the streets, and many of them have been completely cleared. The public buildings must have been imposing structures, and even their remains are impressive. Many beautiful mosaic, pavements have been exposed. The barracks of the town guard and the public baths, which were a feature of every Roman town of importance, are excellently preserved. The iloor i.f a theatre, Ims been revealed, and behind it have been found the remains of a Christian church. Dr. Thomas Ashby. who describes the discoveries at Optia in the London Times, mentions th(H good progress is being made with the removal of the volcanic ash that still hides a large portion of buried Pompeii. Several houses have been exposed lately, and objects of interest have been discovered in each instance. A line marble pavement with a mosaic centre was found in one dwelling, and examination showed that the mosaic could be lifted out in one piece, exposing the soil below. This device may have been intended to provide a hiding place or even a burial ground. The garden beds can be traced in the yards of some of the houses. The Italian Government is taking care that the art treasures of the buried cities shall not be removed from Italian soil.