The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-01-24
THE ExCArATION or OLYMPIA.
Tho Treasures of Antiquity the Germans are
Unearthing.

The excavations now going on Mt the site
OF ancient Olympia, In Greece. under the direc-
| ton Of the German Government, are on a scale,
and are directed with an intelligence which
promises the securing OF rich additions Go the
store OF the treasures of Grecan 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 science,
resiRnlnR to Greece ali 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 regarded as du-
plcates. The sum appropriated for the excava-
tions by Germany is 100000, and last September
thew were begun at Olympia, as suggest ed by
the distinguished archwOlOgist. Ernest Curtius,
who. thirty years ago, advocated such an expc-
dition. The antiquities already discovered jus
tify Curtius's anticlpations. Several statues
mentioned by Pausanias have already been un-
earthed, aud the total Of the fruits OF the OPEN
ing up Of the seat OF the Olympian games prom
ises TO DO OF vast interest to students
81 antiquities and lovers OF art. The
description Of the temple and adjacent build
ings at Olympia, written by Pausanas, is
more accurate than any which we pos
serves as guide to the explorers. The au-
Viii deposits from the wash OF the OlympiIn
HIS, and the overfiows Of the Alphcios must
have preserved many objects Of art that, had
they been exposed on a rocky surface, into
which they could not sink, and whore they
could not be covered by such deposits, would
have been destroyed.
Pausanias's description informs us that I'm
the era Of the Antonines, notwithstanding the
favages Of a Nero and the destruction ana plLn-
der OF single works Of art, the treasure house OF
Olympia bad suffered no essential harm. Later,
many treasure may have been carried OF to
Constantnope and the Goths, beyond all
doubt, let a general devastation sweep over the
Alts. But the greed Of the barbarians was for
precious metal. and the single portable works
OF art which were carried away 10y individuals can
have composed but small part OF the mex
haustible 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 contained, and finally the records,
written on bronze and stonc-thcse are treas
ures 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 enforcement
of our knowledge I'm regard TO It Is significant.
Olympia, however, IA Curtius says, will never
prove a second Pompeii, for such an album
dance OF articles pertaining TO the house
hold, and Of daily use, Is not TO be looked
for, where a city IN the proper sense OF
the word has never existed hut II will reveal,
on the other hand. what an Italian provincial
city could not he expected to airord-a compact
group Of sacred and public ednces, whose
ground plan It will he possible to clearly tro ce !;
remains OF genuine Greek plastic art, in bronze
and marble and votlve offerings, the gifts OF
states and Of individuals, Of epochs the most re-
mote from each other.
We shall be able to take our bearings on tho
| soil with which all Pirdar's Olympic odes pre-
SUI pose 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 upon the intellectual centre Of
Greece, anu open the richest archives OF Greek
history and We may also hope to find records
| Of the agreements ana treaties concluded be-
tween different states, which, though To us Of
the greatest value, could not in the least have
| excited the greed Of Romans, Byzantines, or
GOths.