The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1876-01-04
Buried Histories.

clent history. Inc DOCKS OF the NfecB
and Roman authors long ago yielded al
the knowledge they were capable Of al
fordiug, and have become uncertain and
deficient guides. In fact, they hardly
touch really ancient history. That which
is authentic in them does not date further
back than about the beginning Of the
Olympiads, in the eighth century before
Christ. At this time whole family ot
great nations had grown up, hourished
and disappeared. Egypt was in the dc.
cline Of her third empire. Two or three
empires had risen, one upon anothcr't
ruins, in Mesopotumia, and fallen. The
Ph@nicians had done their work Of build
ing commerce and planting colonies and
most of their colonies had passed their
greatest stage. According to the now
accepted estimates, the time Of busy life
and civilization before Greece and Rome
were founded was quite as long as chat
that has elapsed since, it not longer. Oh
the histories Of that time, tho classical
writer's give little besides fables, guesses
and vague gossip.
Much Of the best ancient history is lost
leaving gaps which it has been impossible
to fill, Moreover, the old books, honest
and true in the main, are marred by
blunders and contradictions, just as many
modern works are. But while, 10 the
case Of the modern works, there arc stand.
ards abundant and readily accessible. by
which to correct or verify them, such
standards are wanting with reference to
the ancient authors and the student has
to judge them without collateral help. OF
late, however, the spade has been the
means of bringing to light many ancient
monuments. These are authorities whose
authenticity cannot be disputed. What.
ever they establish they fix beyond a
doubt, for they were Of the time, and a
part of the act which they record
At Pompeii,a "a Roman city has been dug
out so as to reveal all the phases Of its
life on busy day, except that the people
are absent. In Egypt, superficial explo.
ratioas have disclosed infinitely the man.
ners and customs, the domestic and public
life, and the social conditions, with hints
of the history, of people two or threo
thousand years older than the Romans
DR.. Schliemann has unearthed city as
old as Homer's Troy, probably older, and
in the same neighborhood, if it be not
Troy itself. He has recovered from It the
domestic utensils, sacred articles, and
treasures Of nation OF whom the world
five years ago know nothing. Extensive
discoveries have been made in the sepul.
chral cities of the Etruscans, people
who were civilized and lived in Italy be.
fore Rome was built. Enough of their
inscriptions have been discovered to pro.
woke study and controversy respecting the
affinities of their language. What Gen.
Cesnola found at Cyprus is on exhibition
at the Metropolitan Museum Of Art. The
two thousand articles or more in the col.
lection include household utensils toys,
respectable works Of art, toilet articles,
weapons, tombs, and few Inscriptions,
dating back to from five hundred to about
one thousand eig ght hundred years before
Christ. Excavations at other places are
yielding definite facts in history and
chronology. AT Nineveh operations are
prosecuted in one Of the royal libraries
suit of apartments flled with documents
and chronicles on brick, in fine state Of
preservation. They are genuine records,
arranged, dated and detailed with circum.
stance. They include tables of chrome.
logy, of which three centuries have been
translated and published, and histories of
their own reigns related by the kings.
These are genuine records, well made
compendiums of facts, authentic and De.
finite. Religious works, books of science
and art, and business papers have been
found, and traditions which relate to near
the generally accepted beginning of the
life Of man. Among the last is the
"s,pTse,lggge 8, Tablet" which has been exton;
creation and the fall of man, which are
promised in full.
Excavations in Jerusalem have led to
discoveries which illustrate the Biblical
history or are illustrated by it. The
buried cities of Palestine and Moab are
to be disinterred for other Illustrations
AT Ephesus, Mr.. Wood has uncovered one
of the most magnificent buildings of the
Greek architects. The subsoil of modern
Rome is explored for the buildings,
statues and precious goods of the ancient
people. The soil has been, or will be,
examined at Athens and primitive Argos
and Mycen@ and other places in Greece,
wherever it is practicable. The most i'm.
portant excavation in Greece has just
been begun on the plain of Olympia, the
spot where the Olympic games were cele-
brated. 1t was the great national rally
ing spot of Greece. All the states had
common Interest in it. They built grand
temples there, aud brought there most
precious treasures and best works Of art
as yotive offerings aud to adorn it, so that,
according to the historian, DR.. Curtius,
an accumulation Of treasure was found
there, the like Of which never existed any.
where else. If they escaped the ravages
Of the barbarians, it is likely they are
there still. The chances are in favor of
their having escaped, as the situation and
conditions of the place are such as must
have insured their being speedily covered
up and preserved. The work is conduct.
ed with scientific care and thOroughness,
under special agreement with the Greek
government. The first report records
the discovery of the great temple Of Zeus,
and is more favorable .han the projectors
Of the enterprise had reason to expect
There is enough of this digging in pros
pect to employ several generations Of anti
quaries. The amount of promising work
to be done in Mesopo amia is simply stu.
pendous. The PLAZA is covered with
mounds, each indicating an ancient city.
Three of the four oldest cities named in
the Bible have been identified but not
dug into. Syria is full Of mounds of an.
cient cities, some Of which are wholly un
known. So few Of tie oldest monuments