Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 2.djvu/377

Rh bed of yellow sand.

These pillars were distant from each other about 16 or 18 inches, but the upper portions of the intervals were filled with earth, and the lower part with a stratum about 6 inches thick of soot and ashes lying on the sand-bed before mentioned, under which they feared to dig, lest they might injure the stability of the pillars. Here and there among the earth between these pillars (earth which had probably been laid there soon after the demolition of the villa) were found fragments of coarse pottery, and pieces of stucco, painted red, yellow, green, and black, but not sufficiently large to shew their patterns. The greater number of the lines on the stucco are straight, the others are curved and waved.