186 



PROCEEDINGS, 



ETC. 



POSTPONED PAPERS. 



Observations on the Temple of Serapis, at Pozzuoli, near 

 Naples, ivith remarks on certain causes loliich may produce Geo- 

 logical Cycles of great extent. By C. BABBAGE,Esq. F.R.S.L.&E. 



[Read March 12, 1834.] 



[This paper, by the request of the author, was returned to him soon after it was 

 read, and has been in his possession ever since. Other avocations obhged him to 

 lay it aside, and he only recently returned it to the Council, ready for publication. 

 An abstract both of the facts and of the theory, drawn up by the author, was how- 

 ever printed in the Proceedings of the Geol. Society for March 1834, vol.ii. p. 72.] 



The facts and observations which I have thrown together in the 

 following paper were collected during the month of June 1828, in 

 con)pany with Mr. Head*. They relate to a monument of ancient 

 art, which is perhaps more interesting than any other to the geologist. 



I shall first state the facts which came under my own observation, 

 without assuming that they have not been previously noticed, though 

 not aware of their having yet been collected into one point. I 

 shall then suggest an explanation of the singular phaenomena which 

 the temple presents, and afterwards briefly sketch those more gene- 

 ral views to which I have been led by reflecting on the causes that 

 appear to have produced the alternate subsidence and elevation of 

 the temple of Serapis. 



In the year 1749, the upper portions of three marble columns that 

 had been nearly concealed by underwood, were discovered, in the 

 neighbourhood of the town of Pozzuoli. In the following year ex- 

 cavations were made, and ultimately it was found that they formed 

 part of a large temple which was supposed to have been dedicated to 

 the god Serapis. 



The temple is situated about a hundred feet from the sea, and its 

 form will be better understood by the accompanying view (see 

 Plate I.), taken with a camera lucida, and by the ground plan (fig. 1 ) 

 which is copied from that in the work of the Canonico Jorio. 



The most remarkable circumstance which first attracts the atten- 

 tion of the observer is the state of the remaining three large columns. 

 Throughout a part of their height, commencing at nearly 11 feet 

 above the floor of the temple, and continuing about 8 feet, they are 

 perforated in all directions by a species of boring marine animal, 

 the Modiola lithophaga of Lamarck, — which still exists in the ad- 

 jacent parts of the Mediterranean. 



* Now Sir Edmund Head, Bart. 



