New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-09-01
TIE FRENCH SAVANs IN SYRIA.

H. Ernest Renan, the distinguished oien'alist, who
Wac placed At the bead of the scientific commission sent
out 10 SYRIA by Louis Napoleon with the French army
on the occupation Of that country has made his report
10 the Emperor. His abors have beel principally
fined TO researches mainly by excavation, on the sies
of the ancient cities of Phcnic'a. Ga the surfice, be
saws, the ses both Of Tyre and Sidon recall nothing
OF Phenicia, but AT every step one sees yestiges
of the Crusades. IL is easy 10 perceive, from casual
exploration tina, the city of SidCn still brilliant in
til. days Of Roman and Byzantine power the only tra-
ces Of ancient Sidon few Cyciopean bloc ks form
ing the extremity of the port. But another city has
been discovered beneath the soil plain 10 the
has been found 10 difcose the most precious necpo-
lis which Antiquity has bequeatbed 10 Ia 1850,
the Cave Of Apollo MsghdJe Abi0EE gave 10 Science
the sarcOphagus Of Eschmunazer, roysl sarcophsgus
with an inscription OF course 1t was supposed that
this would lead 10 the finding Of other inscriptions but
for the space of two hundred feet about this
NJ. Eenan had the coil examined dowa 10 he sod rock
without discovering any. Bat he has discovered the
arrsu cement OF the metropolis and many antiquities
among the ruins, and in the soil Of the ITSELF
which bus been searched since the days Of
Hester sanhope og treasures the fragments Of
cOphaqus similar 10 some now placed in the Louvre,
the Greek period. At point situated to the Of
the Cave. Of Apollo, the rock is 70 perfectly honey
eombed with burial places that it strange that il
has not been crushed in upon them. There are
Of three kinds. FIst, rectangular cases, opening 10
the surface By hole ten or twelve feet long by four
or five wide At the bottom Of these excavations are
two doOis opposite 20 each other opening into two
rectangular chambers, in which the saTcophaG were
placed. These caves have ornament. InoB were
found several chambers united and forming regular
catacomb. Second vsu,ted caves, with lateral inches
for sarcophagi and above round airbolcs bored az
if with an anger; third, painted caves decorated
cording 10 the taste Of the Roman epoch, and with
Greek inscriptions. These caves often found ELI
croach upon one another. 50 fragments Of Greek in
scrptOns Of very late epoch found In tbs most
ancient caves. Snch things were 30 common in anti
auity that one OF the most frequent recommendations
of the inscriptions is that another body shall not be
deposed in the same cave. Even Eschmunazar exhib-
is fears of that chGracter These saiepphag have all
been violated everything valuable taken away, and |
oftentimes tie marble sncopbsgus also. NJ. Renan |
thinks that the fret class Of without doubt
tue PheDcian caves anterior TO Alexander OF least
10 the Roman conquest and 20 the entire change Of
customs which was produced by it, These the |
pits sche0D 30 referred 10 in the Hebrew writ
ings. The s8rcOphag found in the three descriptions
of caves quite different as the themselves.
OF the fine marble sarcopbagi found in the first class,
he succeeded 10 obtaining eight perfect specimens fine
pieces Of sculpture some OF which De thinks are i'll
tended give to the covering Of the tomb the appear
ance of mummy, and some Of which represent a |
Greek statue reposiDg upon tomb. He refers them |
10 the period between the Assyrian rule and that Of The
Selucide when the Phenicans, master, Of all the CON-
rnerce of Persia, reached their greatest wealth. The
linen found near one of the sarcophag indicated thai
the body embalmed according to the Egyptian Gus
tom. He inclines to think that there lie analogy
to be traced between these sculptures and the later
Of NiDeveh and Persepols. large number Of |
conf and small objects have been collected The ter
ritory which has been scar hed has been made the
property OF France, that IL hereafter be protect
ed. NJ Repan proposes to connu, the excavations in
the Fall
lyre he ssys has absolutely nothing the surface
Which would lead person who was not aware oil it to
.nhA mat lie was eadng the coil Of ancient city.
Even on ,he leland Of Tyre everything visible - the
WORK Oh The Crusaders Of the Saacens Tie city has
been SO completely worked over BY the SUCCESSORS OF the
Fhencaiis' and 70 thoroughly destroyed by tho Sara
eSd tho quarry for the modern cities along the
coast That ii seemed impossible 20 fix mon anv nartc
ular portion WITCH was more likely thar another IN dis
Gloss veatigeS OF the ancient city In the suburb.
however, at points where tho boldest travels, have
spent but few hours he bad excavations nrolono,d
through several weeks. He has vverthrown ,be gsu.
eryreceived supposition that the Cem.,erv Of Tvrs
was st Adloun, ten twelve miles distant, by finding
caves and saIcophagi Of the l cafs at various plass
atOut the city the remarkable of which he de.
scribes. lie has settled the fact that the lse Of Tyre
never wss larger than u s AZ present. The Isle Of