Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 29.djvu/308

 254 EXPLORATIONS IN ROME. The weedino; of the Colosseum, about which there has been a great outcry, was really necessary, but it was done in a hasty, careless, slovenly manner, in Signer Rosa's absence, by ignorant people, and some mischief was done in conse- quence, but not much. The weeds and shrubs will soon grow up again; they were only of fifty years' growth, and another fifty years will probably make it necessary to have the buildinix weeded again. The weeds and roots of shrubs will disjilace the stones, and injure the building, if long neglected. The excavations now making under the direction of the Government are very important; they have been carried on from the arch of Septiniius Severus, where the excavations of the Duchess of Devonshire were left off, some thirt}' or forty years since, to the temple at the corner of the Palatine, with the celebrated three columns, the name of which has been so long disputed, but which may now be considered to be the temple of Castor and Pollux. The foundations of the temple of Julius Ciosar have recently been found close to these on the eastern side, between those columns and the temple of Antoninus and Faustina. In this direction the work is going on vigorously. The original Cloaca ^laxima La.s been found near to these columns, at the northern end of the platform of that temple. The Cloaca now in use and so called, is mcdiieval, on a higher level, and rather farther north. The digging is still going on vigorously in this direction, fir was when 1 last heard, which was quite recently; but they have an immense mass of earth to remove, as the earth dug out during previous excavations was all thrown liero fifty years ago, and has become (piite solid. The general onlers are to clear away everything down to the pavements, and where there were old streets, this is the right way of going to work, and good results are brought out day after day, A little farthei- to the south, between the Arch of Titus and the Colosseum, an(»ther gang of men have been at work, and have brought to light a great deal that is interest- ing. The remains of a mediiuval tower, built of old materials taken from sonu* wall (jr gate of tiie time of the kings, have been fijund; these seem to indi('at(! the site ol the Porta .Mugionis, but this is doubtful. Peyond tiii.s, nearer to the Colosseum, but on the higher licl, between flie paved rf)ad