The New York herald., 1879-07-30
FINE ARTS.

EXCAVATIONS ON THE SITE OF ANCIENT
sYBARIs.
An account Of the excavations and discoveries
made at sybaris by signor Cavallar appears in the
London Acaden.y of the 18th inst. The writer from
whom we condense. is f. Barnabei. The luxury OF
this powerful city Of Magma Grncia has become
proverbial. Founded about T20 b. q. by Greek colo
nsts this seat of spendor in that fruitful country
through which flowed the rivers Crathis and Sy-
baris, was destroyed by the conquering inhabi-
tants of Croton about $40 Il. G. To-day trace
OF it remains the desolate plain which its
site. Excepting the few researches made by
the Due de Luynes in 1920. systematic
excavations until the present have ever been carried
out in Magma Grecia. The work commenced
under the direction of the Italian at the
commencement of the present year. In January
sgnor Cavallari in concert with signor Tocci. in
spector of excavations. proceeded to Bufalora. in
the province of Cosenza, which the two rivers
(Crathis and Sybaris called the Coscile) meet,
and not far from which they used to- they passed
under the walls of the ancient city. The country
thereabouts however, desolatc and inhospitabe,
and il decided to fix the centre of operations
at Corigliano, u station further south on the
railway which skirts the shores Of the Ionan
Sea. From this station out Cavallari pro-
ceeded to the west along the provincial road,
and began WORK nrst ut lerranOva d1 SiDari, which
lies between the Graft and the Esaro, which flows
further north into the Cosce. Wishing to first ex-
plore the country rising above the sotudcs to
discover which of the heights served the acropos
he commenced excavations the Terra Ponara,
group OF small hills rising TO the west of the plain
and hamlet or Poinara, near tho Craft Ficte
mains of great antiquity were found here. consid-
cred by Ca vaar to date from the sixth century Ii.
c. They consisted of an architectural fragment,
others of archaic vases. similar to those found in
SaIt it,kla
head.
Evidence was found to fix the old of the
Craft in the pl lin below where at point the river
still strives to force an entrance to the ancient bed
from which 1t was diverted by the Crotonates dur
ing the Cavaari came to the conc iusion that
the acropolis was formerly on the Sierra Ponara,
the city in the plain below and the metropolis beyond
old Craft. near Farella della Corte. above the road
leading from Corgiano to Terranova. Here
mains of tombs had been already discovered. On
this right bank of the old Craft at intervals rise
small elevations, in one of which, Mt the beginning
of this century. antique objects were found.
These hillocks are known as tmpon. Three of them.
the "Tlmpona Grande one called "Paladno,'' that
which had already been partly explored. and Tim
pona di Benanti,' called from the owner of the
land. arc between the commencement of tho "Old
Crati'' and the railway. Excavations were Inn
mcdiately commenced in the "Timpona Grande."
This was eight metres in height and had n base
diameter of twenty-eght metres. There were twelve
different strata-alternate layers of vegetable earth
and charcoal. After tho removal of 1000 cubic
metres of earth a tomb was disco overed--a sarco-
phagus OF tufa, with lid of the material rest
ing on q base formed in steps. In 1t were
found white sheet completely charred, below
which was mass of carbonized material
From this 1t was deduced that the corpse having
been burned in the sarcophagrs the sheet was laid
over 1t. Even the wooden Golfer, fitting closely into
the sarcophagus, was turned to charcoal Near the
head of the corpse some fragments OF gold orna
ments and the bronze nails of u small box were
found. At the point nearest the breast of the de-
ceased were two small silver plates about the size of
large buttons. They bear very beautiful female
heads in relief. by the remains of the skull was a
small folded piece of thin gold. which were Wis.
ibe traces OF Greek writing Wrapped between this
was small gold plate. less than four centimetres
square, also inscribed. This parcel was sent TO
Rome. The writings were judged to con ain some
prayer, some sacred record for the sole benefit OF
the dead.
Professor Comparctti, to whom copies of the in
scrptons were sent says that he does not believe it
possible TO explain the larger plate by the common
language of the Greeks. He believes il TO be mystic
matter, written by ono initiated In tho Eousiuiau
mysteries, being confirmed in his opinion by study
OF the smaller plate which liz written Doric and In
capital letters. Here person initiated in the mys-
teries addresses the dead, who must also
have been initiated, and congratulates him
that, alter having suffered tho worst of
evils, nc has from miserable mortal become
god having pursued the right path which leads to
tho helds reserved for the just in the bowers of
Persephone II Is thought that instead of belonging
to sybarite the tomb more probably that of
fellow inhabitant with Herodotus OF Thouroi, tho
city erected from the ruins of Sybaris by new
colonists from Greece. In another hm,pone called
"dAbbenanti. human skeletons, without covering
Of any kind, were found In the strata. Tho central
tomb Of this mound was, however, not reached. The