Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1877-01-18
II He HER AID.
ARCHAEOLOGICAL.
DR.. Schliemann's Remarka-
BILE Discoveries of An
cient Relics in Greece.
Ornaments of Gold Aggregating
Many Pounds-Implements OF
Warfare and Household Fur
niture.

Schliemann is confident, that he has
discovered the tomb of Agamemnon,
the principal hero of the Had, it is the
grandest archaeological discovery OF
modern ages; for as yet it is not fully
decided whether indeed there ever
was an Agamemnon except IN the I'M
agination of Homer. VIM. Cullen
Bryant, the translator of Homer, and
one of the most profound of Greek
antquarians, while not thoroughly IN
formed as to the grounds on which DIR.
Schllemann claims the vault which he
discovered TO be Agamemnon's tomb,
is evidently inclined to doubt the idea-
tity until further information of the
Doctors assurance. But whether
AQamenon's tomb has been found or
not, it is certain enough has been
found to place DIR. Schliemann in the
front rank Of investigation in his de-
partment of labor The place where
he is pushing his investigations
prospecting" as miners would call
it is in the northern corner of the
plain of Argos, at the base of two
rocky mountains, one OF which is
1900 feet above the sea level, and
whose summit is crowned by small
church dedicated to the Prophet Elias
Here is situated the celebrated Acrop-
oils of Mycenae, on triangular
shaped rock 1872 feet in height and
about 1920 feet square, and IS sur
rounded by cyclopean walls from
thirteen to forty feet in height These
walls are of three different styles of
architecture, and were doubtless built
in three different eras. One part is
built Of large stones placed upon
small ones another part IS composed
Of polygonal stones beautifully joined !;
the third style is composed of large
square blocks of stone built in horl-
zontaI lines. The lower city was stu
ated to the south and southwest OF
the Acropolis, as is seen by the re-
mains of the cyclopean walls, houses
and bridge, all cyolopeau; also nine
treasure houses, and by the fragments
of beautifully painted ancient clay
vases with which the ground is liter
ally covered. The positions of the
town being principally on precipitous
hills the accumulation of earth is but
small and does not exceed eighteen
inches in depth. The treasure houses
spoken of are what DIR. Schliemann has
been investigating; and the account
of what he discovered therein has oc-
cupied several letters to the Loudon
papers. To open one of these treas
ure houses occupied dozen men
hard at work for fortnight. 1t was
blocked up by huge stones, which,
DIR. Schliemann thinks, were thrown
down to the Argivers when they were
besiegipg the Acropol;s, 1876 years
b. e.. No ancient author affirms that
the city of Mycenae was inhabited af-
ter its capture by the Argives when
the inhabitants were driven away ;
but DIR. Schliemann is convinced that
it was again peopled, and that there
was a new city existing for a long
time probably for more than two cen.
turtles, because the surface of the
ground to the thickness of three feet is
full Of the remains of Greek age.
This repeopling took place, according
to DR.. Schliemann's ideas, early in the
fourth century b. G. This theory is
supported by the fact that many coins
of the Macedonian period have been
found, and by the entire absence OF
coins of the Roman epoch. The city
of Mycenae had no coinage off its own.
Underneath the comparatively mod
ern Greek city quantities of fragments
of beautifully painted ancient vases
have been found pointed both in
side and outside, the inside painting
from the variety OF its coloring and
beauty of design, frequently far sur
passing that of the odtsidc. Some
fragments have stays painted outside
and inside figures of men and women.
But to even index what he found, as
narrated in half dozen letters, would
occupy page instead of column
Among them are articles showing
that IRON and glass were known to
the Mycenaens in very ancient times
as at depth of ten feet pierced glass
bead aud many articles of glass like
substance, something like buttons
were found; the latter were probably
used to ornament doors, etc. In iron
were found two daggers and two keys
of very curious construction. One Of
the keys about two inches in length,
has at one end copper ring for sus-
pension also two well preserved
brass knives one of which has part OF
bone handle; and two arrows with
pxramidal points also fragments OF
a crystal vase and a wooden comb
That gold and silver were in use is
proved by the fact that piece OF
porphyry has been found on both
sides of which are cut fifteen differ
ent patterns of ornaments, such as
earrings, breaches, &c, which or
naments, there is no doubt, were al
ways made of gold and silver. There
have also been found, at depth OF
about five metres, numerous copI err
articles, among them five large knives,
two small wheels, two lancss, two
batlleaxee, pair CT tongS, two vases
and pieces of four others. Also many
pieces OF agate, with pictures of ami
mails delicately engraved upon ITEM;
they have holes through them, and
were probably used for necklaces.
Most wonderful are the variety OF
the paintings on the vases. The
greater part of them are painted in
side and outside, the inside paintings
were much the finest. Up to this time
more than 10 gold buttons larger
than farthing have been found, ais }
many bone buttons. surrounded with
gold, and sixteen large golden ones,
about the size of penny; sixteen
copper two edged swords and goli-
en- sword handle, beautifully worked;
small lance belt, probably for u
sword. entire, and finely wrought,
length over metre and about three
inches broad. Some copper boilsrs
have also come TO light. Oh Infinite
value and interest ere three or fou~