192 Report of the Lalours of 
be adapted to throw light on its decoration: and the result of these 
inquiries has been given to the world by him in twelve drawings; 
three of which exhibit the plan and elevation of the edifice ix 
its present state of ruin, with the indication of the parts unco- 
vered in the excavations: and in the other drawings, the monu+ 
ment is restored entirely, with all the details of the orders which 
decorate it both externally and internally. “ 
The most remarkable parts of this restoration, because they 
are absolutely new, are: 
1. The plan, section, and external elevation of the portico 
which ranged along the whole eastern part of the edifice, and 
preceded its entrance on the side of the Colyseum: the com- 
partments of the pavement in cipoline and yellow antique marbie, 
and those of the groined arches adorned with caissons. 
2. The plan, more exact and complete than hitherto drawn, 
of the three naves camposing the body of the temple. with all 
the compartments of its magnificent pavement formed of the 
most valuable marbles, such as violet breche, the yellow antique, 
the green granite, porphyry, and serpentine. 
3. The entire decoration of the grand circular niche which 
occupies the middle of the north flank, restored according to 
the fragments of bases, columns, capitals, and entablatures dis- 
covered inthis part. The bad style of these fragments and their 
coarse execution, added to the vestiges of a Christian altar found 
also in this place, lead the author to conjecture that the deco- 
ration of this niche has undergone changes at the time of the 
edifice being converted into a church. 
4, The lateral entrance made in the flank of the temple op- 
posite to this niche, and which ought to have looked into the Via 
Sacra. 
5. The measurements in detail of the grand column now raised 
on the plan of St. Mary Major, and which, as we already know, 
was taken from the Temple of Peace. It results from these 
measurements, given for the first time with precision, that this 
column presents the singularity of being thickened about one- 
third up the shaft, and-diminishing very little at its upper part : 
without doubt, in order to present more strength to the arch, 
and more resistance to the burthen which it had to support. 
6. Finally, the most valuable of these restorations, because it 
was the most unexpected, is that of the decoration of the arch 
which covered the central nave of the edifice. It has been 
drawn from the numerous fragments discovered in the excava- 
tions, collected and combined by M. Gauthier, so as to repro~ 
duce not only the arrangement of the various square caissons, 
lozenges, ovals and triangulars, of which it is composed, but the 
minutest ornament in stucco with which it was enriched Hed 
that: 
