The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1876-01-13
SctENcE+
THE EXCAVATIONS At OLYMPIA.

In the year 1927 excavations were be.
gun at Olympia, under the direction of
the general staff of the French army.
THIS, excavations were successful in
every way, and from the east end ofthe
Temple Of Zeus admirably preserved re-
liets OF the metopes, which now adOrn the
musren Of the Louvre, were obtained.
Unfortunately for the cause OF archo@-
logical research the sudden recall OF the
army from the Peloponnesus rendered it
necessary to abandon this promising and
interesting field. Some twenty years
later Professor Ernst Curtius, of Berlin,
who gives glowing account in the cur
rent number Of the International OF the
present prospects at Olympia, delive red
an address in which he revived the old
project of Winekelmann, rousing in the
mind OF the youthful! Crown Prince OF
Germany the determination, as soon as
circumstances should allow him, to car
ry the original plans into execution.
Immediately following the peace with
France negotiations we're opened with
the Greek Government. An agreem ent
was signed April 28, 1874. which v as
not, however, ratified until year later,
the terms OF which were, that acting in
the interests Of science, the German
Government resigned all claim to the pos
session OF the objects which might be
discovered. The Greek Government.
jealous OF its ancient relics, yet unwill-
ing to act in the matter upon lis own ac-
count, would not listen 10 the surrender
to foreigners of native works of art. In
deed many persons in Greece were open
" opposed TO the acceptance Of an offer
which must ever rebound 10 the credit
of German enterprise and scholarship.
1t was finally conceded upon the part Of
the Greeks that the Germans. in return
for their trouble and expense, should re-
ceive such antiquities as might be con-
sidercd In certain sense duplicates.
In accordance with the terms Of this
agreement, on the End OF September
last, two young men. an archeologiG,
DR.. Gustavus Hirsch6eld, and an ea2i-
neer, Paul ROttacher, set from Venice for
Zante, en- route for Olympia, where they
are empowered to begin the excavations
which have been determined upon BY
the government Of the German Empire.
These forthcoming excavations will diff
| fer from those undertaken above the
sites of the famous cities which for cen.
turies have lain and embosomed in lava
and ashes, In that no ancient cities Of
Greece have been 90 buried. In the Ian
2uage of Professor Curtius, . It il only
necessary to select site where, FIRST the
original abundance Of statues and works
Of art is sufficiently established; and sec
ondly, one where. unhindered BY mod.
ern buildings. the excavations can be
carried forward at will on eveFyside.
| All the conditions desirable for excava.
tons exist 1t Olympia. There il an area
clearly and sharply defined BY unchanZ-
ing natural boundaries. The temples
affairs, and other buildings required By
the various necessities Of the festival are
all clearly indicated. On the nortt
stretch the Oily mpia mountains, and dow.
ing down Ia : deeply worn channel roll
the Alpheios and the Kladeos. it, trib
utary. Within the space enclosed b
theoe heizhfs ard azeams lay the sncsei
asoa d Il A1tis, While Ogl1ido q ~
lfne1poRo s1ood ~ olodfuu, - Hfcpo
1 -. an6 - - - uo q