2 66 THE OLIVE LEAF. CHAP, 



sels would be broken, and the fragments carried away 

 to this spot, where they would accumulate in course of 

 time into the huge heap which now astonishes every 

 spectator. This explanation, however, is only a partial 

 one ; for were it complete we should expect to find in 

 the mound only vessels of one kind, fitted for storage 

 purposes. But it contains, as I have said, fragments of 

 the most varied assortment of vessels for household use 

 and for ornamental and even for sepulchral purposes. 

 And this fact proves that, although the broken jars of 

 the Emporium may have formed the foundation of the 

 mound and added considerably to its bulk, vast quanti- 

 ties of broken pottery from other quarters found their 

 way to it afterwards, and it grew in size owing to the 

 carelessness not only of the sailors at the port in un- 

 loading their vessels, but also of the slaves in the 

 Roman households. It became, in fact, the general 

 receptacle for the broken pottery of the whole city. 

 That this was carefully collected into this one spot, 

 instead of being thrown out anywhere, and that no 

 other rubbish was allowed, except accidentally, to 

 mingle with it, shows clearly that the heap was intended 

 for some economical use. We have indeed reason 

 to believe that this broken earthenware, ground into 

 smaller fragments and pulverized, formed an ingredient 

 in the famous Roman cement employed in the con- 

 struction of buildings whose hardness and durability 

 were proverbial. 



But it is not in Rome only that such ancient mounds 

 of broken pottery are found. Similar heaps of pot- 



