The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1878-07-13

UleS OF cyprus nave OF late years attracted
intense interest among antiquarians; and
especially SO to Americans by reason of
our possessing the best museum of Cypri-
ote antiques in the world. Search for
the ruined capital and temple of the an
cient Ph9mcians of Cyprus had been
prosecuted by the French antiquarians
since 1917, and down to 1864; but with
out success. Their discovery was subse-
quently due to an American Consul resi-
dent there, named Cesnola, to whom a
romantic history attaches.
This Count Luigi Palma di Cesnola
was an Italian of Turin. He served in
the war between Italy and Austria, after
wards in the Crimean war. After the
Crimean war was ended he came to Amer
lea. Being rich in nothing but titles, he
here taught music and languages for a
livelihood, Among his pupils was a
daughter of Commodore Reid, of the
United States Navy. He married her
In 1861 our war called his military edu-
cation into use. He became the Colonel
of the Fourth New York Cavalry. He
was wounded in 1868, taken prisoner and
confined in Libby Prison. In 1864 he
was exchanged for Colonel Brown, a
brother Of Governor Brown, of Georgia.
He resumed his command, and continued
in service till the close of the war, when
he was breveted a Brigadier General.
He was soon afterwards appointed our
Consul at Lanarka, Island of Cyprus, and
took up his residence there.
His attention being attracted to the
excavations going on for the discovery of
the old PhGnician temples, he gave the
subject careful study. On the island
was village named Dali. He had learned
that there had been on the island an an
cient city called Idalium, which in the
Ph@nician tongue signifed "place of the
goddess" Assuming that Dali might
have come to stand for the ancient word
ldalium, General Cesnola concluded to
make excavations at that village. He
did so; and on going down he struck the
ruins of the ancient city which had
ceased to exist two Thousand years ago,
and accidentally came upon the very
temple itself. Permission being obtained
from the Turkish Government he pros
ecuted his excavations heroically. His
success becoming known, frman came
from the authorities forbidding further
search, and he was obliged to suspend his
work.
The relics obtained, however, amounted
to about $4,000 pieces. Among them is
statue called the COLOSSUS of Gogas," +"
2S feet high, found in the ruins of the
temple, wearing the Assyrian cap as a
priest | 800 years before Christ, the Oldest
of any statue in Europe or America
General Cesnola recovered vases of over
LOCO different designs; and though prob
ably 5000 years old, are still fresh as
from the potters' hands. Many gems and
jewels were found. Among the latter
was pair of solid gold armlets, with a
Cypriote inscription of the name of King
Eteandras, whose reign is fixed at about
66S years before Christ.
Learning of General Cesnola's S collection
of these Cypriote relics, the Emperor
Napoleon, in 1870, sent him an offer to
purchase the whole for the Museum of
the Louvre. Cesnola replied accepting
the offer. But when his letter of ac-
ceptance reached Paris Napoleon was
dethroned and a prisoner.
In 1872 he sent the whole collection
to London for sale to the British Mu-
scum. They were examined by experts
and their merits recognized, but kept
secret. Cesnola himself soon afterward
came over to London, and was surprised
to find that his collection was unknown
to all except few connected with the
Museum. Cesnola was indignant
Just then an American gentleman
made him a liberal offer for them; it
was accepted and money paid and the
whole collection Immediately shipped to
New York, where they now remain as
the choicest collection of antiques in
the world. On finding them gone, British
lamentations and Indignation knew no
bounds.
But England will now have ample
scope for prosecuting these excavations
at Cyprus; and doubtless it will be done,
and probably with success in bringing to
light the handiwork of those old Hamites,
who were skilled artisans when Britain
was savage island. And this, too, will
doubtless be made to rebound to the glori-
tication of the British Premier, whom we
take the liberty to denominate the Duke
of Cyprus"