Evening Republican, Volume 18, Number 11, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 January 1914 — UNDER THE SEA 20 CENTURIES. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

UNDER THE SEA 20 CENTURIES.

Vaee Which It Is Believed Dates Back to 126 B. C., In Poeeeselon of Maeeachusotte Man.

Here Is a vase which 1b well worth study, for If the stories told about It are true, it is a find of Interest to archeologists, for It probably dates back to at least the year 126 B. C. It is now in the possession of John Quadara, of Somerville, Mass., and he had been offered S4OO for it, but has spurned the offer, declaf'fitg he desires to retain it for himself. The story of the vase is interesting In the extreme. He says that four

years ago, Sicilian fishermen plying their calling were one day delighted to feel a severe tug on their deep line, which was dragging bottom at a depth of 450 feet, just off Panaria, among the Lipari islands, north ,of Sicily. Upon pulffng In the line their Joy was turned to chagrin when—they found they had hooked not a fish, but some sort of old Jar, the graceful outlines of which were almost conceal&d by the growth of coral and barnacles which adhered to it. The Interior of the vase was filled with mud, which made it very heavy and had given rise to hopes of a large fish, when they first hooked it The vase bore every evidence of having been on the bottom of the sea for centuries, but that fact did not greatly impress the firshermen, who however, did think enough of it to carry it ashore. Later they carefully chiseled away as much of the marine growth from its sides as possible, as well as from the inside neck, and then worked the mud out from the bowl of the vase. This done, they considered its appearance much improved. They were about to present it to a wealthy merchant of the Panaria island when they changed their minds. It was the sight of a small sum of money which paused this alteration.

John Quadara had taken a vacation from his little sftoe shop in Somerville and had gone to Italy to visit the scenes of his boyhood. While at Clcily he learned of the vase found by the firshermen and went to see it He js no authority on ancient relics, but he hcftl an idea that the vase worth something. Learning the fish* ermen intended giving it away, he offered a small sum for it, and it became his property. The Jar is of plain red earthenware, the inside of the neck apparently plainly showing the handiwork of the artist who wrought it, despite its partial coating of marine growth. The Inside of the bowl seems much smoother, almost too smooth to have been done by hand, and it is as clean as if fresh _from the pottery. The owner accounts for this by the fact that it has so long been filled with mud from the bottom of the sea.

Whether-or not the vase really dates back to 126 B. C, It is an interesting bit of pottery and the design is unique for these times.

Ancient Vase as It Looks Now.