The New York herald., 1876-12-13
His Discovery Of Cypriote An
tiquities.
THE CURIUM FIND.
Its Purchase by the Metropolitan Mu-
scum of New York.
Specimens OF Silver Found Dated
B. C. 900.


lection OF Cyprote antiquities, the second instalment
Of which jus, been bourh, by public spirited cisi
zens, 10 the intense disgust Of the British Museum
The statement extraordinary, but rs as easily
proved as the multiplication table. Had there been
Count Luigi Palma di Cesnoa would not have
left Italy 10 fight the battles OF the Union. Born IN
1899, Count d Ccsnoa was in ls4s graduated as SEQ
ond lieutenant AZ tho Royal Military Academy of bis
native city, Turin. Engaged In the Italian OF 1S4S
and 1Si9 he decorated and promoted at tho
battle OF Novara and served later in the
Crimea. Peace brought idlcness in It's tram, and
the energetic Young nobIcman, channg at inactivity,
withdrew from tho Sandman army 10 face
America. Rumors OF hosttics having reached
Europe many officers sailed for New York in OF
glory employment No less than nineteen sardln-
ian officers lett their own country with object in
view, prominent among them being Count di Cesnoa,
who arrived in Now York ia November, 1860. Ignor-
ancc of English deferred many OF these adventurous
spirits from entering our army, but Ccsnoa deter
mined to overcome fatal deficiency. Shutting him
self up he devoted hts time TO the study OF English,
and the end OF three tbs had mastered our Ian
guage sufficiently 70 open military class,
at which he instructed moro than 100
officers The Fifth and Sixth New York cavalry,
called the "Ira Harris Guard,' were his pupils; yet,
busy as Cesnola was he iound time 10 WOO and wed
W. y.
after, in March, 1861 Count al Ccsnola appointed
Lieutenant Colonel OF The Eleventh New York cavalry.
aud IN the following November was com mmissioned by
Governor Morgan us Colonel OF the Fourth New York
cavalry During 1862 Colonel Cesnola commanded tho
cavalry brigade OF General Sigcs army corps and in
June. 1863 taken prisoner at tho cavalry battle
Of Aldc, Va
Confined in Libby Prison, he was exchanged at the
end Of ten weary months, and, taking command Of
cavalry brigade under Sheridan, General Cesnoa
fought battles until his old regiment, tho
Fourth New York cavalry, was honorably mus
tered out OF service The brave and
italian had good friend 10 Senator Harris who urged
him to the regular army, but without avail On
the OF Secretary seward aud Senator
Harris President Lincoln appointed General Cesnola
Consul at Cyprus-he. OF course, becoming Amcri-
citizen. Examining into tho Consul's military
vices Lincoln declared TO Senator Harris that he had
tho best record OF any foreigner IN our army
ARRIVAL Ix CYPRUS.
Arriving in Cyprus in December, 1865, General Ccs-
nola found lie unuttcrauy duh There literally
nothing to do Not wishing to have softenng OF the
brain he asked for better aud buster consulate,
which was promised, but was not offered un-
Ill three years later. Inheritins meanwhile q
small fortune from hts mother, General Cesnoa
turned his attention TO Cypriote antiquities Two
months after his arrival peasants brought him several
curosites which excited his interest and led to
termination 10 turn to good account his enforced
journ upon barren island. Being well vcrsed in tho
history Of Cyprus General Cesnola thoroughly
surveyed the whole island which Is 100 miles long and
moro than 900 miles IN circumference Thus occupied
throughout 1866 Consul became convinced that
great work TO be accomplished by identifying the
ancient cities made famous by poet and Historian the
sraocs OF which had entirely disappeared. Reducing
hts conviction TO system no dug round the island.
beginning with Kition, the Biblical Chittim. In
eleven years he has identified the most famous
cities, reconstructed tho ancient map OF Cyprus and
unearthed thousands OF art treasures never before
known in any museum. He has been decorated by the
Kings Of Italy, Greece and Bavaria for his services TO
science, has been made member OF many scientific
academies, and, having Lett Cyprus forever, is now
engaged upon book Of 500 pages devoted TO the
ancient history OF tho island and tho discoveries
made by others well as by himself This important
work Will include appendix of 200 Egyptian. Assyri-
an, PhUnician, Greek and Cypriotc inscriptions, and
lengthy notice upon CesnoIa gems, by c. w. King,
N. A., Fellow OF Trinity College, Cambridge and
great authority In glyptic art There will
also be paper by Lord Lord on the
fauna Of Cyprus. In forwarding his valu.
sent the following note, which deserves to be by
al New Yorkcrs:-"lf the catalogue offered you and
the pcrusal as Il did in tho composition IL will DO
very great success Ny labor upon was but paying
debt 10 gratitude and fortune for bringing under my
eyes such treasure never before revealed TO
mortal, and OF more Interest 10 from It's bearing
upon my favorite study than 10 any ono else on
FAILURE IN the BEGINNING.
Digging in Cyprus cannot DO carried on with i'm
punity. A nrman must DO obtained from tho Otto
, man government This secured through our
Minister al before General Cesnoia set
10 work. Other consus followed his example, but
1ark hf ehuat nnnrnU hath
they soon loft him sole monarch of the held.
THAT he monarch tho Governor General OF the Is
s'The real king OF Cyprus is the American Consult
But lot no one suppose that good fortune came sud
denly 10 General Ccsnola HIS irst efforts we're rc-
wardcd ny failure upon failure. lie dug In twenty
different places before nnding any treasure This was
not strange ns no remains appear on the surface 10 In
dcatc the site of either city or temple and there 10 no
written history 10 guide the explorer Nevertheless,
General Ccsnoa iot convinced that his labors would
bring light the missing link necessary TO connect
Egyptian and Greek art. lie reasoned that long
period must have elapsed between the st conventional
slatuary Of Egypt and Assyra and The perfect grace
OF the Elgin marblek The few fragments OF scuIp-
ture met by him on the island confirmed his theory,
and tho geographical situation OF cyprus still further
strengthened II Tor on this favored island, 80 long
dcdicated 10 Venus Tho Asiatic and HolIcnic races
must first have met
FIRST SUCCESSES
Commencing his explorations ~ ian;ca, the modern
town butt upon the metropolis OF tho ancient kitum,
General OesnoIs discovered IN ten Years over 1000
tombs dating from 400 B. G. TO the Christian era
He also identified the sitc OF one Greek and one PhD-
ncan temple Terra Gotta statucttes OF the best Greek
period found among the ruins Of the rst temple,
and adjoining tomb one OF tho Generals dig
gers discovered bronze samnos containing 600 gold
staers OF Philip and Alexander. Fragments OF marble
bowls and pattern wero iound IN the PhHnCian temple.
Near by white marble sarcophagus, with Phrni-
can head IN high rclic and TIVE large vases OF Egyp
tan alabaster wore discovered II was not, however,
until 1867, when General CesnoIa moved TO country
place near Dali (danam), CITY famous for is anccnt
sanctuary 10 Venus that the interchangeable explorer
came upon his greatest ind Here he opened l5 QUO
tombs, mostly PhGnican, and discovered thousands OF
terra Gotta vases OF various sizes shapes and designs
A. Gogos. the next digging place. General Ccsnoa cx-
cavaicd OVO statues admirable preservation, show
Ing the gradual departure from Egyptian art, the
approach 10 Greek ART aud its hDal attainment That
New York should possess this graduated history OF
sculpture thoroughly classified, is boon for which wc
cannot bs TOO thankful Exhausting Goigos, the Cen
cral went 10 Salamis, but after spending
several months and great deal OF money
he found nothing OF value aud gaze up tho search.
Cape Pcdalium followed In It's ne ghbornood, on the
site OF the city OF Icncoa General Cesnola discovered
lcInnl. with of Greek sIatnnIY