THE HOMES OF THE ANCIENT ROMANS.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VIII, Issue 3438, 29 October 1886, Page 2

THE HOMES OF THE ANCIENT ROMANS.

The internal courts were alwayßjjpKi'structed so. tint each wais surrouuded by', apartments which;- wliou jit'hted from'' within, prevented the domestic concerns ■ of. the family, fmm beintr overlooked by anyone not included.-; Within the walls. From a passage in Piatus, it doos not appeur : that this '.construction always answered .the purpose;.and iu Senoca mention is made of the ai'fooyance to which, tho.neighbours were subjected from the disorderly conduct of those persons wlifl /' ohanged night int?>'day by indulging flu ' the 'falsa rofinemonf. "atid late hours of the age iu which ho lived, lu the Roman houses, also,-thero appears to hare been, after tho Eastorn fashion, a remote or inner court .for the apartments of the fomales, accessible only by an outer court for those of'the malos, and of the servants. The information conveyed to us in the works of Vitruvius | Ins received singular illustration and confirmation within a period less than a century, from the oicavations at Pompeii,' Eferoulanoum, and Stabla, cities which were overwhelmed by a tromondous cruptioii.in a.d. 70, and which contained houses built and inhabited by Romans , belonging to the age of Vitruvius.'flest] excavations exhibit ouriously paved streeta, having tho tracks of carnago ' wheels marked on them,'atoUiouses built 'i of briok and rubber work,.'put together ) with mortar, all tho materials being of \ very inferior quality, inside I coatingoftrjlastar,towhiclv they appear j to have been chiefly- indebted for their ' durability. This plaster was.comnosedof llinuand pounded marble, 4 substitute for stucco the smallest apartments jit Pompeii are found to be lined.'; and th\ lining is painted wjsll various and'"' brilliant colors, aml.-'feibellfshod with subject either in the centre or at equal distances, liko pauels. ■ Painted imitations of variegated marbles,, forming, perhaps* a species of seagli.% also decorate tho walls of their houses.- Few-blocks of real marble are found,. oxeept-.du monuments and public buildings;' though, in imitation of tho wealty" Romans, tho Pompoians Inserted piawa of slabs of this material in their, walk, aud employed art to. give them higher tints than/those they possessed'by nature, They also discovered a method of vetoing slabs TOth cold ; and loaves of this metal covering beams, walls, and even roofsxif ib.ohi.ußw.-'were introduced in great profusion. They covered thoir.'flooro with cement, in which mil pieMs.oLmarblecr/polwod stones' were •regularly embedded in geomatrioil-forms; , and in ihbir bast rooms they used wosaio (inlaid work) with -ornamental margius, and a device m the centre. ~Tho doors of their houses being formed;of: wooj], havo beon reduced (hi charcoal by tlw burning lava, aud of course are .found in an incomplete state-; they turned, od ..pivots, and wore- fastened by bolts, whwh .open, chains. Bedsteads ar& fonnd, made, both pf but their bW- were ' made generally of carpets spread upon the-' ground. The articles of household, and convenience found in'these remarkable ruins are utousils of every kind in Silver, brass stone, and eathonware, with vases of every kind and adapted to.'evory use; trumpets, bells, gridirons',, colanders, Rincepans (some lined wirh' silver), kettlos, ladlcsj moulds for jelly orpjßtry, nrns for koeping water.liot, on. the principle'oi the modern tea-urn, horn lan. terns, spits, and in-fact ovory article of kitclien or other furniture used by. us, except forks; chains, bolts, dice, (Vomo said lo be loaded); a complete toilet, with combs, thimbles, rings, print, pint earrings, pearls, fic-Caasol's Popuw Educator -. ' ; <*f

Tho jrroitMt balloon in tho world has been lately constructed at San Francisco, p'y a Mr Van Taasol, it will hpld;l6O;O0O cubio feet of gas, and hai beotj' mide .fuf tho purpose of traversing ijho'- Aiqaritau oontiuenb from ocean to! oomh! : Froiu' ! [|d bottom of tho car to thotop of the lolAtM bklloon will "ho ll9ft. l ß>dwhen'aMm diameter will be 88ft, ■ can bo watod in it. .7 •. '••*•• S-" v