The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1877-01-04
a Long Buried Palace.

DIR. .Schliemar whites from Mycenp ::
To the south OF the circular parallel
double row OF sepulchers my excava-
tiOns have brought to light vast
Gyclopean house, which, SO far as it
has been uncovered, contains five cham
bers intersected by four corridors of
four feet breadth. The walls still con-
tain here and there the clay coating,
which, however, shows now here a
trace of painting. The walls are from
two 10 four and ODe-half feet thick,
and one and the same wall is in some
places SIX to eight inches thicker than
in others. The largest room is eigh-
teen and one-half feet long by thirteen
and ODe-half feet broad. and its east
side is cut out in the rock to depth of
sixteen inches. AS we'll below this as
below the adjoining room, deep cis-
tern is cut out in the rock: the water is
conducted into it by eyclopean water
conduit, which. leads down from the
hull. Although there are no windows
IN the house, and although the scantv
daylight through the doors must have
been still diminished by the cyclopean
circuit WALL, which is only separated
from the west side OF the house by a four
feet broad corridor, yet this seems to
have been the royal palace, because no
building in better style of architec-
ture has been found yet in the acr-
opolis. Certainly his royal majesty was
not comfortably lodged In such house,
but, comfort being unknown, it was
unmissed. On the other hand, the OBJ
jects discovered in the house prove that
the family which occupied it had pre-.
t9nsions to luxury.
In one OF the chambers, at deIJth Of
twcDty-three feet below the surface,
was found fnger-ring cut of splen-
did white onyx, with seal, on which
is incised two animals without horns.
In seeing the incision and thinking that
1t belongs to an antiquity by centuries
preceding Homer, we are ready TO be-
lleve that all the works of art men
TONED by Homer - the wonderfl
shield of Achilles, the dog and the
bear in Ulysses mantle-clasp, Nestor's
goblet, etc, all existed at this time,
and that he merely describes what be
saw with his own eyes. There are
further found in the cyclopean hou,e
perforated convex pieces of agate or
serpent.ne, derived from necklaces
some with an inclsed spiral ornamental
tiOn of horses or dcers. There was also
found formstone of jasper, showing
on all six sides most fantastic types for
casting gold or silver ornaments; It
had also type for casting those FIRE.
quently found curious conical objects
of black CLASSY substanc., with spiral
lines and a pcrforation on each side
for suspension with string. Further
on some beautiful axes of green. stone,
many splendid terra.cottas, Of which |
the large vases oil two or three handles,
the ends of which have been modelled
into the shape of crocodiles, deserve
particular attention.
The vases arc covered with represen-
taiions of warriors of dark red color |
on light yellow dead ground, wearing |
coats Of pail, gIrdle belts, sandals and !
either shaggy helmets, with stiDgs OF
pricks like the sting of poTcupine, or
helmets, with loHg crests. From the |
front side Of helmet always protrudes |
an object in form OF horn. The war
riors are Invariably armed with large
round shields, the lower part of which |
is always cut out in form OF crescent
also with lsnces, on all Of which we see
the OBJECT described in one Of my pre-
vious letters One Of the men, who ia |
unarmed, lifts up his hand and seems |
to command; other is IN the act Of |
throwing lancs' The men have al |
ways the same perfectly archaic type,
very long Asiatic faces, particularly |
long noses, and long Assyrian boards.
The inside OF these vases is painted |
red.-L0HdoB .laes.