Chambers's encyclopædia; a dictionary of universal knowledge . ans. It subsequently was con-quered, with all the rest of Campania, by theSamnites, and later it fell into the hand^ of thePiomans. In A. D., the city was seriouslyinjured by a ^^olent earthquake; and in 79 it^vas buried, along with Pompeii and Stabies,by the memorable eruption of Vesuvius (q. v.)which took place in that year. It now lies ata depth of from 70 to 120 feet below the surface,and is filled up and covered with volcanic tiifa,composed of sand and ashes, and consolidated tosome extent by water, ^^?hich is often thro-\
Chambers's encyclopædia; a dictionary of universal knowledge . ans. It subsequently was con-quered, with all the rest of Campania, by theSamnites, and later it fell into the hand^ of thePiomans. In A. D., the city was seriouslyinjured by a ^^olent earthquake; and in 79 it^vas buried, along with Pompeii and Stabies,by the memorable eruption of Vesuvius (q. v.)which took place in that year. It now lies ata depth of from 70 to 120 feet below the surface,and is filled up and covered with volcanic tiifa,composed of sand and ashes, and consolidated tosome extent by water, ^^?hich is often thro-\^Ti upin great quantities during volcanic eruptions. Aboveit, on the modern surface, are the two large AnllagesPortici and Resina. In the latter, in 1706, on theoccasion of deepenmg a well, fragments of mosaicswere first brought up: but httle was done in theS30 way of sj-stematic excavation till 1738, when explor-ations were commenced under royal authority. Itwas then discovered that the building near thebottom of the well, from which the first relics were. Gate at Herculaneuin. obtained, was the theatre. This building was forth-with explored and cleared, and several statues, bothin bronze and marble, were extracted from were carried on but to a limited extent,not only in consequence of the hardness of the tufa,but from the fear of nndermining the dwellings onthe surface. Hence \isitors can see only a verysmall portion of this entombed city. The chiefedifice she^vn is the theatre, which had been verylarge, and was built but a short time before tliefatal eruption. It has 18 rows of stone seats,and could accommodate 8000 jiersons. A basilica,two small temjjles, and a ^illa, have also 1)eendiscovered; and from these buildings, many beau-tifid statues and remarkaljle paintings have beenobtained. Among the art-relics of H., which farexceed in value and interest those found atPompeii, maybe mentioned the statues of .^schines,Agrippina, the Sleeping Faun, the Six Actre
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1860, bookpublisherlondo, bookyear1868
