New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-03-02

GOLDEN EARRINGS, FROM THE HOUSE OF PRIAM
Scblemanns wonderful success IN 1878 was due
in a great measure, to the conclusions which he had
reached during the excavations Of 1872. lie con-
tinued the classification of the ruins and the relics
they contained and soon found that they might be
divided into four distinct strata. each of which
represented long historic period. Further COM
parson convinced him that the third OF these strata,
counting from the top was the only one which met
the requirements of Homer and Greek tradition;
consequently, here was Troy. But under Troy there
was an earlier layer OF RUM varying from Is TO ~
feet in depth before the primitive SOL was reached
This discovery is hardly less interesting than that
of the position of Troy. lie carries the antiquity OF
the city back into that immense, shadOWy past Oh
the human race, which stretches Ike mysterious
twilight land behind our oldest history. The geo
graphical position of llum explains us Importance
IN those farOf ages. The gorges OF Ida protect i6
in the rear seated the junction OF the lIellespont
with the Kgean, IL made station between Colehls,
az the eastern extremity of the EuAIue and all the
Greclau Egyptian, and PhGnlcian coasts the rlch
plalu around II furnished abundant supplies, which
could readily be exchanged Tor foreign merchandise,
and as its people became rich AID Inprt gIaLle
within their ctadeltOwn the other and ruder Libes
IN their neighDorhood would yield 10 thelr power.
|, is Certainly Jder. by great many centuries than
Athens, and is lnmeInJilaI importance was no
Doubt tue hrst cause Oh the Jealousy oI Tue sensitive
Greeks.
fce5 in depth seems to begin ABOUT the year 40
IS O. when a Grecian settlement was established
there under the LydIan dynasty FROM that PERIOD,
coins and inscriptions Indicate the subsequent cen
tuYes until about the middle OF the fourth century
Of our era. There no later coins or medals than
OF COnstaDs H., wnCse reign ceased III JOl A. "
Schliemann is Of the opinion that tue clty was de-
ssroyed at that time. Oh soon atteIward but gives
no conjecture of the of It's fall liz seems To
me that the raids of the Cloths then settled on the
northern shore of the Black Sea where thoy built
fleets even sailing through the BosphOrus ia proud
defiance Of ConstanInOpie, 70 raFage the coasts OK
Greece and Asia Minor, give us an easy explanation.
The Greek lllum, which covered tue whole of tho
lower plateau of Hissarlik, must have contained
100000 Inhabitants. 1t was rich, and at thai time
doubtless. a luxurious city clearly visible from the
waters of the Hellesp0nt speedily reached and IN
capable of resisting such stalwart invaders.
We have thus age of 1850 years for the hfst 81
feet of rubbish. At this depth the Greek masonry
suddenly ceases, and a stratum IL feet in thick
ness intervenes between II and the massive build
ings of the Trojan era. The relics here found
OF a perpexlng character, aud viii give plenty of
work TO the psychologists. The waits are built OF
earth and small stones, but the abundance Of wood
ashes shows that the oity-or the successive cities
was chiefly built OF wood. Ii the chronology of the
Trojan age can be approximately established, it
WILL of course, give us the duration of tins interme-
date belt VI ruin at present. IL Is scarcely possible
The ruins of Troy form stratum averaging 10 feet
in thickness, the depth from the surfacel reaching
from 23i to 33i feet. Since the foundation Of the
city is c0njectured To have taken place about 14O0
b. c. aud Its fall aud destruction by ire to have
occurred about ll00 Is. G.. this would give three
centuries for the formation OF ten feet OF rum
which Is quite sufficient IL We imagine small bus
crowded city, with houses of more than one story
and much wood work, of which tue ruins give ample
evidence The marks of intense heat are everywhere
manifest. When the Sc9an Gate was hrst uncovered,
the pavement seemed uniformly perfect but at tho
end of two OF three mouths the stone blocks along
the upper part of the street. which bad been exposed
TO the flame, crumbled almost entirely away, " q
distance of 10 feet from the Gate. The other blocks
protected by their situation, remain solid, and
promise 70 stand for centuries.
Finally under Troy, there is a fourth stratum Of
ruin. VARYING from u TO ~ feet i'll depth as have
already stated The age Of this Is matter of pure
conjecture since the viclsstudes Of the history
frequent destruction and rebuildng-woud have
the same practical effect, or very nearly So a.
long interval of time. We have anywhere from
two to tive thousand years before Christ-taKing
Egyptian, Phenican, or Pelasgic remains as guides
as the date of the foundation of the Grst Troy.
REMAINS or THE FIRST PERIOD.
Filled with his Homeric enthusiasm, Schliemann
gives in the present work, only fragmeDtary and
imperfect accounts Of the characteristics Of the
earliest ruins. The most remarkable feature, per
haps is the superiority Of the terracota articles
which indicate greater degree Of taste and skill
than those in the subsequent strata From tho be-
ginning down TO the Greek period. the evidences Of
gradually declining civilization 30 clear in the
discoyerer's opinion, tast they must b ssesptsA