Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1874-03-27
The Troy OF Homer.

mann, German archeologist, has been ex
p!oring the site of aneien. Troy. The Tri
: 6une of March 2l contains the first trust
worthy account that has CONC TO hand o
his wonderful discoveries, in paper date
Gotha, February 10, and prepared by Mr.
Bayard Taylor from DR.. Schliemsnn's vol
ume. which has just appeared in Leipzig
We learn from it tha. in Jrne of last year
to use Mr.. Taylor's words, Z" the rubbish
fifty feet deep, Of three or four thousand
years was slowly cleared away, and the
foundations at least of Homer Scasn Gate
looked once more across the plain Of Troy
to Tenedos and lmbros. ani the Ssmothra-
/ clan Ida"
In the course Of the explorations which
preceded and followed the discovery of this
gate, before which of old Hector stood
awaiting the onslaught Of Achilles, many
relics Of the greatest interest were uDearth-
ell DR.. Schliemann first went to the Troad
in 1870, and sho-t examination Of the
country convinced him that the heights of
Bounarbashi, heretofore supposed to nssk
the site Of ancient Troy. had never been oc-
cupied by a considerable city lie went,
therefore, to Hissarlik, the recognized site
of Hum Novum, OK New Troy, and began
his excavations, after a survey which con-
viaced him that he was mach more likely
to find here what he was looking fox On
the plateau of Iissarlik was mound which
rose 26 feet higher than the rest Of the
plateau. Before it was the plain Of Troy.
and the battlefield bounded by ancient beds
of the Scamander and Simois. described by
Homer. This the Doctor decided was the
rubbish Of ages. covering the citadel of
Priam. Hardly had he penetrated the side
Of this mound, when he began 70 discover
ruins OF very ancient architecture. Forth
with began the troubles which always hamp-
cr explorers in the Orient These were at
length adjusted. Mr.. j. p Brown. the
United States Secretary Of Legation at
Constontinopls. taking great paias TO Sc
cure the necessary action on the part OF the
Turkish Government When work was
fairy begun with an adequate force Of men,
massive foundations were uncovered near
the surface These belonged evidently 70
an early century ofthe Christian era Then
came several feet of debris Of all sorts. in
dicatiye Of the Stone Age.
Per>eycring, however, in spite OF this al
verse evidence, the doctor WAS rewarded by
reaching different class Ofrelics at depth
OF twent.thrce 70 thirty-three feet below
the SCridce. Elegant vases and weapons Of
copper began to appear, with pottery of
great antiquity and heavy masonry. In
short, it was evident that the traces Of
civilization older than that Of Hum Novum
had been reached Moreover, the image Of
the " o~!-headei Minerva" became 50 ire-
4uent that she having been the patron
goddess Of Tr1Y-i. was evident that the
>.te Of the old city had been reached. im-
nen-e numbers of relics were discovered
and the supposed f1undati1ns Of the Temple
of Minerva were quite thoroughly explored.
This was in 1872. Early in April, lo73, q
house Of eight rooms was uncovered AZ a
depth OF twenty seyea feeI Near it the
foundation Of a large tower had p.eI iJusly
been found. This house was inanitc>tly the
abode of some distinguished person. It,
walls were massive and bore traces If stuccp
on the inner surfaces, while Ia font Of It's
door WAS stone altar tJr o.Ter.ngs. and all
around were human bones. Two coyItr tel-
NETS were found with skulls inside. and
numbers Of lance heads and Other weapons
Traces Of Ere were everyw here visible. WI hO
shall accuse D-. Schliemann OF undue en-
thu-ia-m when he concluded that be stood
on the scene Of the final struggle. which
may well have taken place before the old
king do0r and amid the calcined h1ne~ of
those who took part IN the fight, atd tha,
this was 81 P.ian. : House.
! few Lsy- later paved street wa dis
covered near the e" ToSer Of Hum and
- PriamS House" This Dr.. Schieman.
instantly said must lead 10 the Scean Gates.
4 large force OF w0rkmen was accordingly
set to follow this heavily paved street 1t
LED them first to another large Trojan hor>e
evidently this was the aristocratIc quarter
Of Troy-end then to the foundations OF n
large pair of gates. about twenty feet apart
and each a q zen fee; wido. Here Wss IN /
doubtediy the Sccsn Gate. about which I
cluster - many meIo0rieS desr 60 the stu
dent of Homer.
Beside the house Of PTIam 8 cGTiGc- cop .
per article vas discovered by the doctor and D.
his wife one morning, and, a. he thought .
he caught the CLEAN Of gold behind II, he +
sent aWay the wOrkren and worked 1T Il b
himself. biz wiie staadinz hy and carrying
the treasures away in her shawl a. fast a.
they were taken out. IL tto dpctor'S OWN /
words
The first thing found vas largo oval .
shield Of copper. with 4 raised rim and .
boss in tie centre. Then camc a copper .
pot. nearly eighteen inches In diameter.
with two handles a copper tray, fifteen .
inches long, with q small silver vase welded .
10 Il by the action Of f'e, golden dagon. (
nearly pound two golden gob-
let-, one OF which weighed nearly pOand .
and quarter, 600 granmes.) and had two
mouths Tor drinking-a small one t'r the I
host and large one for the guest. Ih'
latter had been cast. but the FORMER, a. well
a. the filson. were OF hammered wurS.
There were. further, pieces oi silver which
were probably " talent~'-the fd'dnta of
silver vases. with two smaller
ono, silver bowl, fourteen copper lance
heads, tie same number Of copper battle
axes, too large two-edget copper dasgers,a
part Of a sword. and some smaller articles
Al these objects lay in heap together
. ID a Gaadrangular sfvcc," Mr. Taylor
says. surrounded by wood ashes. and Close
by their side was copper key. The inter
euce j., that the articles were packed in
wooden chest which wa~ burned a the d.
struc;ion of the city Within the hol-e
were found many articles otsi.Frr and gold.
such a vases, buttons, rings and the like
In order to secure the fruits ut hiS txplura-
tious against possible interference on the
part of the Turkish Government, the Dic-
tor ceased work on the 18th Of JGnc
The historical conclusions reached are tfat
no les than three cities have stopd on thI~
classic ground. First, beneath the Troy Of
Homer. there is a stratum oi sc1re oi teet
in depth which contains the ruins Oh o pre-
/ Historic city, of which We know absolutely
nothing save that from the character OF the
relics they must have been Aryans, one oi
whose religious symbols was. singdlarly
enough. the cross, specimens Of which, in
one or two different shapes. were found by
Dr. Schleinann. Next came the Trojan
stratum. Then the post Trojan stratum,
showing an evident decadence oipla>tic and
architectural art. The copper weapons -p
plenty in the Trojan stratum disappear and
are replaced by weapons characteristic of
the Store Age. The upper stratum is dis
tinctively Grecian, and Yields beautiful
specimens of sculpture and other workman