ARCHAEOLOGY. 



THE SECRET CRYPT OF THE TEMPLE OF JUPITER AMMON. VIEW OF THE WALLED-UP CAVERN IN WHICH THE STATUES 



AND INSCRIPTIONS WERE FOUND. 



was a second dedication. At the foot of this 

 double dedication was a white marble head of a 

 votive bull, bearing between its horns a crescent 

 with an inscription dedicated to Saturn; then 

 20 betylcs in granite and balls of stone, often 

 crossed by a bronze wire, and disks or ovoid balls 

 of terra cotta. This find of balls derives impor- 

 tance from the fact that, while large numbers 

 of such objects had been found at Carthage, their 

 purposes were not known. The present finding 

 and the objects with which the balls are asso- 

 ciated indicate that they were votive offerings. 

 In the extreme back of this dark corner of the 

 chamber was a sort of secret place, where were 

 found four almost intact statues of white marble. 

 The three larger ones formed a triad similar to 

 that constituted by the colossal statues found in 

 the Sebka de Kheredine, now preserved in the 

 Museum of Bardo. The latter statues represent 

 the Carthaginian Isis, but those now found are 

 of the Greek Demeter, the Roman Ceres africana, 

 who superseded the Phoenician Tanit, accompa- 

 nied by the slender Canephora Oneistophora, and 

 a young woman clothed in transparent drapery. 

 These statues are very graceful, chiseled in a 

 marble of golden tone and very fine grain. A few 

 light touches with the pencil serve to bring out 

 the characteristic features of the sculpture and 

 give the illusion of life. The figures had been 

 concealed, in the bottom of the crypt, which had 

 afterward been carefully covered up and walled, 

 and then covered with a mosaic, which effectually 

 concealed it. They were probably thus hidden 

 away to prevent injury by Christian enemies. 

 The necropolis beneath the level of these cham- 

 bers contains tombs down to the Roman epoch, 

 and also very ancient Punic tombs, which carry 

 us back to the sixth century B. c. The burial 

 places were respected so long as Carthage re- 

 mained independent, and were gradually ex- 

 tended out to greater distances from the city. 

 The tombs farthest away date from about the 

 third century B. c., while the more ancient tombs 

 were nearer to the old town. They were exca- 

 vated out of the rock of the plateau of tufa that 

 extends beyond Bordj Djedid. The first tombs 



opened by M. Gauckler were simple graves dug 

 in the virgin sand, and are generally poor, con- 

 taining nothing more than the scarabeus of 

 carnelian or paste, which might answer as a kind 

 of card of identity for the deceased, a bronze disk, 

 an ostrich egg, a painted figure to serve as a 

 protecting amulet, some pearl beads, and pottery, 

 but never coins. Other graves are covered with 

 a simple slab. In one of these last was found 

 a large Punic terra-cotta mask, intact, the hide- 

 ously distorted expression of which was expected 

 to frighten sacrilegious violators of the tomb. 

 Another grave contained an Assyrian cylinder of 

 jade, bearing a figure of the god Marduck throt- 

 tling a winged monster. As the explorers ad- 

 vanced toward the hill the tombs were closer 

 together and richer. Some were arranged like 

 troughs paved with slabs. Silver jewels, neck- 

 laces, numerous pearls of vitreous paste, and 

 hard stones, amethyst, agate, carnelian, rock 

 crystal, ear pendants, and a few gold rings were 

 collected from them. In February, 1899, M. 

 Gauckler discovered two large tombs built like 

 the tomb of ladamelek, which was found in 1894, 

 at the same depth of 7 metres. The mortuary 

 chamber was closed by a monolith door. The 

 flat roof was protected against the earth above 

 by a series of monoliths, disposed saddle-back 

 fashion, while the interior of the roof was ceiled 

 with cedar, which is now decayed, and the re- 

 mains of which crumble into dust under pres- 

 sure of the finger. The walls are covered with a 

 clear white stucco. In the back of the chamber' 

 was a little broken pitcher. The niche was empty 

 in the first tomb; in the second it was occupied 

 by two pieces of pottery. The deceased was ex- 

 tended directly on the floor, without a coffin, 

 clothed in his jewels. Numerous large jars were 

 in a corner. The first tomb contained two skele- 

 tons a husband and wife. The man had a silver 

 ring with a carnelian scarabeus and seal on his 

 finger. The woman had an ear pendant, a neck- 

 lace pendant, a ring with a bezel representing a 

 winged urseus and two doves, all in massive 

 gold. The second tomb contained only a man's 

 body, with a place left by its side, but not many 



