Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 29.djvu/303

 EXPLORATIONS IN ROME, 1871, 1872. Bv JOHN HENRY PARKER, CD. The great and imiiortaut excavations now being cari'ic<l on in Konie by the Italian Government are entitled to the cordial thanks of all archoiologists, and it is with great regret that we observe any drawback ; but we are bound to call attention to the fact that a ruin which has been re.storeil is thereby deprived of much of its value in an liistorical point of view, and becomes work of the nineteenth century in proportion to the extent of its restoration. The excavations that have been made in Rome during the "winter season that has just passed, have been so nume- rous and so important in their results, that it is difficult to know "where to begin to give an account of them. Those made b}^ the Italian Government are by far the most im- portant, but their very extent and importance makes it desirable to begin with those in which the English archaeo- logists have been more immediately concerned, as they were only permitted to continue and complete the works already begun. These were at the Mamertine Prison and at the Porticus of Caracalla. It was fortunate for us that Si2:nor Ivosa, " the Poyal Suj)erintendent of the department of Archajology for the Roman Province," acting in the name of the Government, decHned to give permission to undertake any tiling fresh, as the expenses of what we had in hand proved quite as much as our " Exploration Fund ' could afford. In com[)leting these two works we have done good service, and have demonstrated the truth of what was pre- viously only conjecture. In the Mamertine Prison we have cleared out the sub- terranean passage, one hundred yards long, of tiic time of the kings of Rome, which formed the comnnniication be- tween the diflerent parts of that great prison in the middle of the city. Tlic vault of the passage is built of the largo blocks of tufa, usual at that period, and is of the semi-