The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-07-15
THE VENUS OF MILO.
Alleged Discovery Of the Lost Arms
in the Island of MelOS.
TREASURE OF GREEK ART.
The Question as to the Genuine
ness of the Discovery.
ATHENS. Greece, June 81. 1877.


truth OF tho recent widely spread rumor Of the ind
Ing Of tho two Of the Venus OF Milo repaired
Immediately to General Meredith Read, our learned
diplomatic representative Greece, who most ooig
ingly furnished with much interesting niorma-
ton, which shall cmbody IN this letter.
Some weeks ago person waited upon our repre-
sentative at Athens and told him the Of the
famous Venus had beer found At the island OF Meos,
noar tho spot the original statue discovered
IN 1920 Tho statement was accompanied with such
details that IL seemed desirable investigate the
subject As the best means oil ascertaining the truth
Of the story General Read addressed himself to tho
government, stating the facts, and asking that he
might permitted order plaster casts to be taken
OF tho objects supposed to be the arms OF tho
Venus de Milo. Alter days the Greek gov
eminent replied that 1t had knowledge
Of any such artistic 'nnd," bu. that 1t would
pursue the INQUIRY. dny or aflerward the Greek
press that the above mentioned arms had been
discovered ut Meos by members OF tho Frencn
Archaeological School AZ Athens THIS report now
cvor, Immediately denied, and II was alleged on
the contrary that the discovery referred 10 had been
made by Mr. Nostrakis, dealer IN antiquities, who
lives Athens but who owns property and carries on
excavations in the mentioned island. Upon apply
ing 10 Mr. Nostraks General Read obtained tho follow
ing interesting statement
RESULT OF THE ExCAfAToNs
I'm the course OF tho excavations which we are car
rying on IN the Island OF Melos have found the fol-
lowing rclics.--
II. A statue Of Neptune, perhaps Of Roman origin,
with inscription
~ female statue, with little Cupid, OF good
period Of Greek art, without a head. The CUPID is
intact.
"a A bust; well fashioned and OF good period OF
Greek urt.
~ A horse with on its back, Of natural size
and OF Greek art. Tho horse without ears.
"5 statue OF a woman with extended arms; nat
ural size. Greek art
Sc Two or three heads, very well preserved and OF
very ne tran parent marble 1t Is supposed that the
bodies belonging to the heads will also come to light
~ Many arms; Greek art.
49, The LEI, arm OF the Venus oil Milo and the hand,
which is, however cut oil The latter was found
first and the next. The arm terminates at the
shoulder exactly at The spot where tho left arm OF the
Venus dc Milo is wanting. Tho hand was originally
attached TO the arm with iron. Tho workmanship
is exquisite and l. Basil Nostraks, am certain that
il originally belonged to the Venus de Milo. The hand
holds mirror OF marble and is finely executed. The
spo, where the found is called China, near
the western shore OF tho island.
"During the researches spring was discovered,
which lows with such vigor TO rctard the excava-
tions. II seems to have It's origin in an ancient
aqucduct The water is OF tho purest and bcst uaty
and SO abundant that nine workmon are employed in
draining anu only TWO Ia excavatlng
Fourteen years ago tho uncle OF Theodore Nustra-
k,s John Saramaskos Ia man who had much practice
in antiquarian excavations, because nc used to accom-
pany English travellers to Gambia aud other ports Tor
tho saxo oi antiquarian rcsearchcs) found In his
den, The spot In which excavatioE3 are now being
made, largo slab Of marble Having removed this
slab no found beneath II flight OF marble stairs. He
did not upon further explorations, but Gov
cred place again, intending latcr TO prosecute his
INQUIRIES. Al the time Of hrs deabtcn years n2o--hc
called his nephew, my fatncr, Mr.. Theodore Nos
trak,s tO~him and told HIM TO excnvate at the place
where the slab was, mulberry tree. My father
did not exactly get hold OF place whore this slab
situated, and cxcavatcd below TIE real place. ana,
although he spent great deal oil money, no
did not succeed in inding anything. But lately,
Blk weeks ago. my father twho had received
the place garden dowry) while digging for Gull
t,vaIng purposes, found by chance Indications oil
ancient statues and discovered tho statue Neptune
the p!ckaxo having Knocked portion OF the head OIL
al this time the directions OF the deceased were
recalled and excavations begun above The null
berry and not below IT, as before The slab and
the slarcasc, however, have not yet been found We
transfer 10 that place the proper nstru
menLs DRAINING and then shall proceed 10 cxcavae
~ "a supposed that the place whore these discov-
cries wore the spot whcrcon the Temple OF The
Venus OF Mio Stood because Of tho different pieces OF
columns found there aud moreover because the orig
statue was found IN place which u appears was
not its proper location
DIscovKIY THE VENUS MILO
minutes distant from the place whore these present
excavations are carried on. Eustrato Saramaskos,
nickuamoa Anticoyannls. was engaged by hin day
gather some stones Tor some arrangements IN his
held. There by chance he saw the statue. Not know
Ing It's value he sold the French Consul VI. Brest
Tor 200 plastres-about l70L The Eustrate
saramsskos discovered the place where excavations
arc now being made aud which Is supposed TO DO the
site OF tho Temple Of Venus.
s.Ihe statue found Ia kind OF cave or trench,
covered with heap oil stones, and that accounts for
s being injured IN diieont places especially The nose
The cave Is ~ be seen AT the present time.
my aunt used To say that there were 1t the same
time found two arms which had traces oil iron
in each to attach them 60 some statue
'The theatre Is half way between the present
vatiors and the spot where the Venus OF Milo WAS
found in lS20.
sufficient extent the different paris 81 the sup
posed Temple OF Vents, and therefore nothing 10
suic the place 90 which The statue might have
Stood
ain tho theatre round OF stairs OF marble to he
seen, but no seats or statues.
.lhe man s.,l. lives, named Anthony Bottoms, who
was with tho uncle vi Mr Theodore NosiraKis who DIS
covered statue Of the Venus. He the who
others). Neither VI them had any idea OF It's value
"My iather, MI Theodore Nostrakis, has make ex
cavations IN different parts OF The Island the y,cnsy
OF Gina But at the present time there being
prosecuted except those above referred 10.
.'Somc nine months ago the FrcLch Scnool sent 10
Mcos some OF its scholars cxcavatc but they did not
obtain my result They cxcavated at Irpotc, quar-
Ter VI hours distance from the place whore The
statue was found. They also cxcavatei in some other
only sxcavalcd Tor month but without any success "
A GOvKnxAENr COMMISSION.
This statement wac 0Dtaincc by General Read few
days ago aid ha his archaeological researches aud
has never before been made public Air. Coumapou-
dis the learned Secretary oi the Archaeological soc-
ETY. mas moreover, informed him that govern tnent
com lssion viii pr0DaDIy be sent to Molos 10 inspect
the antiquities and to report upon their value and
tLority IL Is his intention, iu any event. 10 procure
plaster Of the arm ano, " prove OF value, to
present II TO our government Alter collnting the
statement o Mr. NostraRis with tho accounts gwen by
various writers General Read doubted whother there
were good reasons TO suppose that the arm recently
found belonged " the Venus dc Milo. But, no very
Justly remarked, large library wouli scarcely
contain ali the books which have been written
concerning this statue, and the subject lie be-
set with ANTIQUITIES. One party contends that both
the arms were found with the statue bat that
lost and tho other muliiaed mat only fsag-
mcnt With tho hand saved. Others declare that
those arms DID not belong 10 the Venus. A third
party admits that tho remnant Of an arm and the hand
holding an apple In tue Louvre wero formerly at
tachcd The statue but thai this was merely COM
paratveiy modern attempt al RESTORATION. The matter
however, Is OF toe highest Importance az respects
C,e< elm nj lint Nal tros eu