Page:Great Neapolitan Earthquake of 1857 Vol 2.djvu/134

Rh Everything has been removed from the interior of St. Johanes; but in San Benedetto mass was still said, and in it are a number of silver relic shrines, large-sized human busts, apparently of extremely early Byzantine workmanship, that would reward the examination of the archæologist. The priests knew nought of their history, but that Atella had possessed them time immemorial. The wave-path given by St. Johanes was about 10° more east, than the preceding, or 55° 30' E. of north. The building was too low to afford any satisfactory evidence as to emergence.

As I leave Atella, I pass beneath, the old Roman or early Norman, gateway of the town, and looking back upon the place towards the south (Photog. No. 318), see the tower of the Chiesa Madre to the left, and to the right, a fine old cylindrical tower, now forming the keep of a small fortress or fortified barrack. It is of squared and coursed ashlar, well put together, apparently Roman work, and has not had a stone displaced by the shock.

Atella stands upon a gentle swell above the plain, and leaving it, we descend into a great hollow Piano or basin of deep rich soil, upon still deeper yellow tufa, with Monte Vulture due north, visible from base to summit, and the rich plain to the N.E. studded with towns. Rionero, Ripa Candida, Ginestra, and Barielli, are all within view.

Between Atella and Rionero, looking east towards Ripa Candida, I can see that the latter appears to stand upon calcareous breccia, covered more or less by volcanic deposits; and in the deep cuttings of the smaller streams in the same direction, there are evidences of calcareous rocks beneath the superficial volcanic beds; and the inclination of the beds seems to be towards Vulture, and not from it, so that they