The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1873-09-25
TIFFIN TRIBUNE.
finn, Thursday Eve. Sept. 18th, 1873
ILIUM FUIT.
discovery Of Precious Treasures Ab2n n.
dOBed at the Sack OF Tr0y-The GOy.
al JeHeI-BOx Found.

! letter of DR.. Henry Sehliermann, who,
| for the last three years has been oceu-
pied with excavations on the site of
nlium. 1t is dated Troy, July IL, and
contains information of very great
importance to areh9ologists on the
latest results of his labors. We ex-
tract the following from Schiller
mannis interesting letter:
At the beginning of this month, as
I was digging at depth of 81 metres
(27 feet 10 inches), I found the great
circular wall Of Troy, which proceeds
in direction northwest by west from
the Sc3an Gate, and subsequently in
in the immediate neighborhood of
PEiam's palace struck large copper
object of singular form, which claim
ed my attention the more as / be-
lieved noticed gold behind it. On it
rested solid layer of red ash and cal
eined fragments of II to Il metres
thick. On this was built a wall l As
metres thick and metres high, which
consisted of large rocks and clay, and
must date back to the period immedi-
ately following the destruction of
Troy. To save the treasure from the
cupidity of my wOrkmen and preserve
il for the benefit of science, the ut
most haste was necessary, and al
though it was not yet time for break
fast, 1 ordered them at once to cease
work. Whilst my workmen were ta-
king their meat and resting cut out
the treasure with large knife, q feat
not to be accomplished without great
exertion and danger of life.
The object which 1 had first seen
was large, fiat copper dish of the
form of large tray. It is 40 cent?
metres in diameter, is quite fat, and
surrounded by rim centimetres
high. In all probability it is shield.
The second object which brought to
light was a copper kettle with two
horizontal handles. The third object
was long plate of copper, having a
rim two millimetres in height. A sill
yer vase u centimetres high is sol
dered on it.. The fourth object was
copper vase. Next, found perfect
ly round bottle of the purest gold.
Around it runs q partially finished
zigzag decoration. a heavy goblet, al
so of the purest gold, and another
gold drinking vessel OF the form of
ship, with two large handles, which
weighs exactly 600 grammes Q5 lbs.
avoirdupois.
On the one side there is an opening
for drinking, seven centimetres in
breadth; the opening on the other
side measures but eentimetres. Per-
haps, according to the suggestion of
Professor Stephanos Kummanudes, of
Athens, the host drank first from the
small opening, whilst the guest, as
mark of honor, was invited to drink
from the larger aperture. The treas
ure, likewise, contains a small goblet
of gold alloyed with twenty-five per
cent. of silver, whose foot measures
only 2 centimetres in height, and q
centimetres in breadth. Moreover, il
is not entirely straight, and seems to
have been placed only in an inverted
position.
/ also discovered six pieces of
an alloy of gold ond silver hammered
into the form of large blades, one end
of which was round, the other cut in
to the shape of a crescent. In all
likelihood, these are the Homeric tall
ents, which must have been small,
since, for instance, Achilles H., xiii,
269) proposes as the first prize in the
funeral contest, female slave, as the
second prize horse. and as the third
prize kettle, ana as the fourth prize
two talents of gold. / also found
there, three large silver vases; all are
spherical below, and must have rested
against something.
1 also found there a silver goblet, a
silver bowl, and two beautifully
worked silver vases. The larger vase
has two little tubes on each side, and
was hung up by string passed
through the tubes. Partly on top of
it, partly next to the articles above
mentioned, found thirteen copper
lanee-heads. at their lower end may
be seen q hole, in which in most cas-
es the nail or pin by means of which
the lance-head had been fastened to
the wooden shaft was inserted. The
Trojan spears, therefore, differed es-
sentially from the Roman and Greek,
for the Trojan stuck the shaft into the
spear-head, the Greek and Romans
the spear-head into the shaft.
also found fourteen of the copper
weapons so frequently occurring here,
and never met with elsewhere which,
while almost pointed at the one end,
developed at the other end into a
broad blade. / formerly considered
them to be peculiar kind of spear,
but am now convinced that they can
have been nothing but battle-axes.
Moreover, / discovered seven large
double-edged daggers. Only one or
dinary single-edged knife was found
among these treasures.
/ also found the fragment of a sword,
as well as four-cornered copper bar,
with sharp edge, which must eer-
tainly have served as a weapon. AS
found all the above mentioned ar
ticles together or packed the one into
the other on the city wall, which, ac-
cording TO Homer, was built by Nep-
tune ard Apollo, it seems certain that
they lay in a wooden box, which is
mentioned in the Ilisd as existing in
Priam's palace.
This appears the more undoubted
as fC1nd next to the articles a cop
per key ten and half centimetres in
length, the key-bit being five cent?
metres square. The key itself bears
very considerable likeness to the large
safe keys used in banks. Strange to
say, this key Lad had a wooden handle.
This Is proved by the end of the ham
die, which, as in the case of the dag.
gers, is sbent at right angles. Proba-
bly, the treasure was hastily slowed
away into the box by some member
of Priam's family, who carried it
away without having time to with
draw the key.
On the wall he was overtaken either
by the enemy or the fire, and was
compelled to abandon the chest, which
was Immediately buried to the depth
of five or six feet under the red ashes
and the stones of the adjoining palace.
That the treasure was packed away
at the risk of life, and amidst fear and
trembling, is shown by the contents
of the largest silver vase, at whose
bottom l found two golden head
bands, and one frontlet, and four
splendid, most artistic ear pendants
of gold. On these lay fifty.six golden
ear rings, Of most singular design,
and thousands of very small rings, |
dice, buttons, &C., all made of gold, |
which were evidently detached from |
the jewelry.
Then followed six golden bracelets,
and on the top were placed the two |
small gold gOblets. The one head |
band measures 81 centimetres 90 /
inches and consists of a golden chain, |
from each side of which hang down |
eight chains, SO centimetres rs inehes) |
lOuEi MulCA dLc COh6Itu eQCIelY With Il
small golden leaves to cover the tenn
pies. At the end of each of these six
teen chains hangs an idol, ST cent?
metres III inches in length, adorned |
with the OWLS head of the goddess
patron of Ilion.
Between these pendants for adorn-
ing he temples may be seen seven nty-
four chains, also covered with leaves,
and 10 centimetres (4inches) in length,
destined to hang down the forek cad.
To each is attached a double leaf, 5
centimetres "a inch) long. or tie six
bracelets, two are entirely plain,
closed, and milIimetres G-6 inchj
thick. The third is also closed, but
consists of d corated band, | milli-
metre in thickness and miIlimetres
broad. The remaining three are
double, and are bent at the ends and
adorned with heads.
The fifty-six other earrings are of
various sizes, and three of them seem
to have been worn as finger-rings al
so by the royal prineesses. Above
- 4n. 1