Pompeii, Though, Lay Farther
Away, And Was Entombed In Dust And Ashes Only; So That It Has Been
Comparatively Easy To Unearth It And Make It Whole Again.
Even
so, after one hundred and sixty-odd years of more or less desultory
explorations, nearly a third of its supposed area is yet to be
excavated.
It was in the year 1592 that an architect named Fontana, in cutting
an aqueduct which was to convey the waters of the Sarno to Torre
dell' Annunziata, discovered the foundations of the Temple of Isis,
which stood near the walls on the inner or land side of the ancient
city. It was at first supposed that he had dug into an isolated
villa of some rich Roman; and it was not until 1748 that prying
archaeologists hit on the truth and induced the Government to send
a chain gang of convicts to dig away the accumulations of earth
and tufa. But if it had been a modern Italian city that was buried,
no such mistake in preliminary diagnosis could have occurred.
Anybody would have known it instantly by the smell. I do not vouch
for the dates - I copied them out of the guidebook; but my experience
with Italian cities qualifies me to speak with authority regarding
the other matter.
Afoot we entered Pompeii by the restored Marine Gate. Our first
step within the walls was at the Museum, a comparatively modern
building, but containing a fairly complete assortment of the relics
that from time to time have been disinterred in various quarters
of the city.
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