The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1876-02-17
The Treasures OF Antiquity the Gtrmans
are UncnrIhIng.

The excavations now going on at the site
of ancient Olympia, in Greece, under the
direction of the German government, arc
on a scale, and are directed with an intelli-
gence, which promises the securing Of rich
additions to the store of the treasures Of
Grecian antiquities. BY an agreement with
the Greek government, ratified last year,
Germany secured the exclusive right, for
term Of years, to make excavations at its
own discretion anywhere in the kingdom of
Greece. Germany conducts the excavations
solely in the interests OF archaeological sci
ence, resigning to Greece all claims to the
possession of the objects discovered, leaving
it to the Greeks, at their option, to give the
Germans only such antiquities as may be re-
garded as duplicates. The sum appropri-
ated for the excavations by GermsIY is
$780, 900, and last September they were be-
gun at Olympia as suggested by the distin-
guished archeologist, Ernest Curtius, who,
thirty years ago, advocated such an expedi-
ton. The antiquities already discovered
justify Curtius's anticipatIons. Several
statues mentioned by PausanIas have al
ready been unearthed, and the total of
the fruits OF the opening up Of the Olym-
plan games promises to be OF vast interest
to students of antiquities and lovers of art.
The description of the temple and adjacent
buildings at Olympia, written by Pausanias,
is more accurate than any which we possess
of any other temple of antiquity, and serves
as guide to the explorers. The alluviaI
deposits from the wash of the Olympian
Hills, and the overhows OF the Alpheus
must hage preserved many objects OF art
that, had they been exposed on rocky sur
face, into which they could not sink, and
where they could not be covered by such
deposits, would have been destroyed
Pausanias's description informs US that
in the era OF the Antonines, notwithstand-
ing the ravages of Nero and the destruc-
tion and plunder of single works Of art, the
treasure house Of Olympia had suffered no
essential harm. Later, many treasure may
have been carried OF to Constantinople and
the Goths, beyond all doubt, let general
devastation sweep over the Altis. But the
greed OF the barbarians was for precious
metal, and the single portable works OF art
which were carried away by individuals can
have composed but small part Of the in
exhaustable supply which the accumulation
of more than eight centuries had collected
together within this narrow area. That,
too, which Is of the greatest value, the
great monuments Of public worship, the
| temples, with the statues which they con-
tanned, and finally the records, written on
bronze and stone-Lhese are treasures on
which we may be sure that neither Romans
nor barbarians have laid their hands. The
temple of Zeus, at Olympia, IN its entirety,
is one Of the most interesting architectural
works of antiquity, so that every enlarge
ment Of our knowledge 10 regard TO it Is
significant.
Olympia, however. as Curtius says, will
never prove q second Pompeii, for such an
abundance Of articles pertaining 70 tho
household, and OF daily use. is not 20 be
looked for, where a city, ia the proper sense
Of the word, has never existed but IL VIII
/ reveal, on the other hand, what an Italian
provincial city could not be expected 70 az
ford-a compac, group Of sacred and public
edifces, whose ground plan IL will be pos
sible to clearly trace; remains OF genuine
Greek plastic art, in bronze and marble |;
and votive offerings, the gifts OF states and
Of individuals, Of epOchs the most remote
from each other.
We shall be able TO take our bearings on
the soil with which all Pindar's Olympic
odes pre-suppose an acquaintance; and
while elsewhere. even IN Athens, We are
surrounded by only local antiquities and
memorials Of municipal history, we may
here expect monuments originating in all
the various regions inhabited by the Greeks
for we stand upSn the intellectual center of
Greece, end upon the richest archives Of
Greek history; and we may also hops TO
find records OF the agreements and treaties
concluded between different states, which,
though to as Of the greatest value, c0uk
not in the least have excited the greed
Romans, Byzantines or Goihs.