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Show A POMPEIIAN HOUSE. The house which was begun to be excavated at the celebration of the centenary Pompeii, and is, therefore, called "Casa de Centenario," and from which I then saw three skeletons dug out, has proved to be the largest hitherto discovered, and is of peculiar interest. It contains two atria, two trichnia, four ala or wings, a calidarium, frigidarium, and tepidarium. It occupies the entire space between three streets, and most likely a fourth, which has yet to be excavated. The vestibule is elegantly decorated, and the mosaic pavement ornamented with the figure of a dolphin pursued by a sea-horse. In the first atrium, the walls of which are adorned with small theatrical scenes, the pavement is sunk and broken, as if by an earthquake, and there is a large hole through which one sees the cellar. The second atrium is very spacious, with handsome peristyle, the columns - white and red stucco - being 26 in number. In the center is a large marble basin, within the edge of which runs a narrow step. On the pedestal at one side was found the statuette of the Faun which I lately described. The most interesting place in the house is the inner court or room, on one side of which is the niche, with tiny marble steps, often seen in Pompeiian houses. The frescos on the walls are very beautiful. Close to the floor runs a wreath of leaves about a quarter of a yard wide, with alternately a lizard and a stork. Above it, about a yard distant, droop, as if from over a wall, large branches of vine or ivy, and broad leaves like those of the tiger lily - all very freely, naturally, and gracefully drawn. At each corner of the room a bird clings to one of the branches. Then comes a space - bordered at the top by another row of leaves - in which is represented a whole aquarium, as if the room were lined with tanks. There are different sorts of shells and aquatic plants lying at the bottom of the water, and swimming in or on it all kinds of fish, jelly fish, sepias, ducks and swans, admirably sketched with a light but firm touch. The ripples made by the swimming ducks are indicated, and one duck is just flying into the water with a splash. On each side of the niche this amusing aquarium is enlivened by a special incident. To the left a large octopus has caught a monstrous muraena (lamprey) - which turns around to bite - in its tentacles; to the right a fine lobster has pierced another muraena through and through with its long, hard feelers, or horns. These creatures are painted in the natural colors very truthfully. On the left wall of the room, above the fishes, are two sphinxes, supporting on their heads square marble vases on the brim of each of which sits a dove. Behind the niche, and on the left side of the room, runs a little gallery with a corridor underneath, lighted by small square holes in the border of hanging branches. The wall of this gallery behind the niche is decorated with a woodland landscape, in which, on one side is represented a bull running frantically away with a lion clinging to its haunches; on the other a horse lying struggling on its back, attacked by a leopard; all nearly the size of life. On each side of the doorway is painted, respectively, a graceful doe and a bear. The other rooms are also very beautiful with a splendidly elegant design on a black ground; in another a small fresco representing a man pouring wine out of an amphora into a large vessel. The bath rooms are large and elegant, the cold bath spacious and of marble. In one room a corner is dedicated to the lares and penates, and in the fresco decoration, among the usual serpents, etc., I noticed a singular figure of a Bacchus or bacchante, entirely clothed with large grapes. In one of the mosaic pavements is the head of Medusa, the colors very bright and well preserved. As some of the rooms are only excavated to within two or three feet of the floor, it is possible that many valuable ornaments or statuettes may yet be found, as everything indicates that this splendid house belonged to some rich citizen. - Indianapolis News. |