Hence it is
very difficult to account for their being now completely covered
with earth; but how much of this covering consists of vegetable
mould and how much of rubble I do not know. The market-place, with
the foundations at a depth of 14 feet, was covered up, as Dr.
Johnson believes, by between 6 and 24 inches of earth. The tops of
the broken-down walls of a caldarium or bath, 9 feet in depth, were
likewise covered up with nearly 2 feet of earth. The summit of an
arch, leading into an ash-pit 7 feet in depth, was covered up with
not more than 8 inches of earth. Whenever a building which has not
subsided is covered with earth, we must suppose, either that the
upper layers of stone have been at some time carried away by man,
or that earth has since been washed down during heavy rain, or
blown down during storms, from the adjoining land; and this would
be especially apt to occur where the land has long been cultivated.
In the above cases the adjoining land is somewhat higher than the
three specified sites, as far as I can judge by maps and from
information given me by Dr. Johnson. If; however, a great pile of
broken stones, mortar, plaster, timber and ashes fell over the
remains of any building, their disintegration in the course of
time, and the sifting action of worms, would ultimately conceal the
whole beneath fine earth.
Pages:
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193