European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - October 24, 1964, Darmstadt, Hesse A South archaeologists work in their prescribed area for uncovering ruins of ancient Village of Liler num. Monument 1934 to Scipio is in foreground. Unearthing new facts about history by Sam Bauman 545 Naples Bureau i cmdr w. B. Shreve William Tobias work in the diggings. The 100-Membcr-Strnng International archaeological society of Allied forces Southern Europe Headquarters in Naples is hard at work on the Trail of a roman Tomb 21 centuries old they be got official italian government permission to dig to their heart s Content. Site of the society s dig is the ancient City of it crinum which was a squalid Little Village Long before the birth of Christ later the Home of the great roman general Scipio Afri cunts who Defeated the mighty Hanni bul was the equal of Alexander the Ireat in the arts of War. Scipio retired to Palm the roman name for Uler num on the heavily travelled Domitian Roud after being accused in the Senate of allowing Antio Chus to corrupt him with Gold As a result of political machinations of Cuto the censor. With his Veteran legions he settled in Lite rum lived the life of a country Squire erecting a massive turreted Villa described by Seneca Pliny. The Village prospered a healer Temple forum were added. In con Junction with nearby Cuma. The Village became known to the travellers along the Domitian. Scipio died at in 183 b.c., the same year his mighty Warrior opponent Hannibal died. Titus visited Lite rum some 50 years Afier Scaplo s death saw the general s Tomb great statue knocked Flat by a Bou of that the record is confused. Augustus enlarged the City in 31 a.d., in the 10th Century Uler num fell to the Saracen raiders who destroyed it. In the 16th Century a Large bust of Scipio was found in the urea und Isnow the property of in italian family. But of the Tomb itself no Trace has been found. Italian archaeologists excavating the site in Lite 1930s erected a Monument to Scipio it the site of their diggings when they Hud to halt work As Money run left the forum with a Temple the Colony s Capitol the Basilica und a Small theater uncovered but Large sections of the area were untouched those auction cleared arc claw twins Tiv ered by vegetation shifting dirt. This is where the a South archaeologists stepped in. Casting about Tor a spot for their group to gel to work society officers happened across , a Handy 20 Miles North of Naples a re quest was made to the italian archaeological authorities on aug. 1. 19114, the society was in business with a volleyball court sized area All their own. We promised to clean up some of the earlier work said society president w. G. Bench a retired Raf officer who works at a South Headquarters an Well As excavate our assigned he gestured toward an 8-foot-deep Trench just outside the cleared area said we re trying to get Down to a floor there. We just got to the Bottom of a Stone oven a duplicate of those still in use in the area we May be dig Ging in someone s old Bench a dedicated Amateur archaeologist who spaced away in Jordan Egypt during his Raf career explained that the a South society a formed in 1962 with 32 members. Included were enthusiasts from Italy Greece France. Turkey the United kingdom the United states Canada. Member ship is open to those assigned to of South or working with a South. Since 1962 we be grown to about 100 members Bench said. We work out Here on weekends mostly digging sifting dirt keeping records. We got a Good Start when we got our permit in August now with Cool weather coming it should be a lot More pleasant Well keep at it All typical of the monitors is Mitchell Hubbard. Of Bon air. Va., Socle to treasurer a civilian comptroller at a South. He said. It s a family in Terest for us All of us my wife my sons Kennett 17 Mill hell or. Is i Xulla 13 get out on the site Navy Captain Charles t. Cole com Mander Fleet air Mediterranean Legal officer of Morristown . amazed to find out that you could actually go out dig up artefacts 2,000 years old. I thought everything would be gone by he said he we still of pottery every Cole is a digging member of the society but he said his wife confines her archaeological activities to the lecture Field trips the group arranges to neighbouring archaeological Sites such As Pompeii . What else is the society seeking be sides Scipio s Tomb we want to fill in the Guys said William Tobias a British civilian at of South. Tobias is a archaeologist has participated in several excavations. He pointed nut that the findings of the 1932-36 group have never Lien published so we re working largely in the Durk. We figure there Are Creek. Human artefacts Down there we re going to try to final them. It s Uno Way to get a first Hund Tek at 1,00ft years of 545 photos by Lynn Langfield saturday october 24, 1964 the stars stripes Page 11
