The New York herald., 1879-08-25
FINE ARTS.
cYnrs1AN COINS AND ANTIQUITIES.

cYRRNIAN COINS AND ANTIQUITIES.
There are now exhibition at Feuardent Co.'s
small collection of ancient coins. jewels and pot
terry. brought chiefly from Cyrenaica by Lieutenant
Commander Henry H. Gorrnge. lately in charge of
the United States steamer Gettysburg and who is to
start shortly to bring to this country the much
talked of Egyptian obelisk. The collection was
Gently purchased from Commander Gorringe after
that officer had refused Offers from the British
Museum order to try and keep the objects in this
country by selling them to the United States Mint.
which. however, obliged to regret not being
able purchase them account of the lack OF any
funds available for such purpose. The series of
coins though small, Is complete from the beginning
of Cyrenan coinage. IN the seventh century before
Christ down to the days when Cyrenaica fell into the
power Of the Gr@co-Egyptian monarchs 800 b. c.
The typical representation the fret OF these coins,
which are autonomous or from self fgovernng muni-
cipaities is the sacred sphium the tree from which
the gum laser. celebrated for its curative prop
critics In pulmonary complaints. is extracted This
gum was the chief export. and was thought so pre-
cous that the Romans kept store Of 1t in the public
treasury.
On the earliest of the coins. rudely fashioned
silver piece. the tree with its fruits is coarsely
dered unaccompanied by legend other type.
Gradually through the next four pieces smaller but
of silver the representation Of the tree becomes
more correct and artistic--beng at last the
sixth coin. small gold piece. whore it has become
the century bes to on
the diverse, and gradually the silphum disappears
and the gods occupy both sides OF the pecesrelig-
ion thus replacing commerce. The god principally
represented on the coins Is Jupiter Ammon. On the
gold coin just mentioned. on the reverse of which
Is the silphium, the diverse side Is occupied by
beautifully executed relief of horseman with the
star in the sky behind him. The first four of the
silver pieces are unique and unpublished. The
first and largest, as said above. has side the
sphium, aud on the other the Sunk square," The
second bears the diverse the fruit OF the sill
phium, which covers the entire field, and the
reverse in the "sunk square q dead lions head.
The third has the diverse the head of Pan. with
half o: the fruit OF the silRhium behind it, and on
the reverse the opened flower of the tree in the
..sunk square," Finally the fourth has the sill
phium tree the diverse and the head OF Venus in
very archaic style on the reverse ornamentng the
SUNK square,. which at that period 500 b. c.. tends
to disappear from the coinage as seen in this piece
The next two silver pieces, relatively well known,
bear heads of Jupiter Ammon on the diverse and
Silphia the The very small gold pieces
which follow in chronological order the first and
larger piece OF gold described above beautifully
executed and have all heads OF Venus on one side
and of Jupiter Ammon on the other. having in each
case. the initials TX. Y. OF Cyrene behind the heads
The most important coin and No. 13 of the "and"
has only one known prototype. which is in the
French Cabinet OF Medals. 1t is worth about $1,000
and will probably go to the British Museum This
Ptoemy Softer. who had just come into possession
Of Egypt and Cyrenaica. on the large Empire OF
Alexander the Great being divided among his gen.
erals 1t Is gold slater, of about $5 in
value at the time. and is finely executed 1t
is the only Greek piece ever struck by country in
| honor OF u king. On the diverse is the helmeted
head Of Athena Minerva. and the IL the
legend in Greek, 1.-The Cyrenians to Ptolemy," and
winged figure of Victory holding standard and
wreath Thus it Is Of the usual type OF the regal
pieces of Alexander. The remaining twenty-five
coins gold, silver and bronze. Of little value.
OF the Byzantine period 800 A. d. and were found
at Carthage.
The first specimen of the jewelry and seals from
Cyrene is the bezel of silver ring OF the time OF
Alexander, bearing in intaglio the representation
found the coins Of that King-a winged Victory.
A little gold statuette is Cupid holding mask in
passes around his naked body. Such statuettes
always found suspended by little gold loops
and in the tombs of children. The third piece is
child's antique gold ring III which the stone is
sard bearing Minerva pdssdnt The two foregoing
pieces OF the time OF Alex,n The four seals
which follow OF late Roman period and OF little
artistic interest aIfd value. one is of curious
colored stone and of the time OF Honorius.
The collection of pottery consists or thirty-six
pieces-vases, Gotta figures and lamps. chiefly
the first and second centuries before Christ. They
are principally from Cyrenaica. a few being from
Cyprus aud Troy. We will describe only some of
the most important examples. A terra Gotta of
beautiful form aud carefully finished Is fourteen
of This a,sochoe wine vase, Is in red clay
glazed black. has three handles. and as its
only ornament a hllet Of pearls in red:
and form and u inches In height. 1t is ornamented
by two lines OF palmated leaves which curiously
stamped rare little lamp has. hole in the cen.
tre showing that 1t carried on staff OF wood
or bronze. little terra Gotta ststuette resembles
those Of Tanagra though not decorated. 1t repre-
very ancient little vase OF terra Gotta. formed at
Neandria, near Troy. Is in tho form OF head of
there is small stone hatchet head and three stone
spinning weights. An amorous little group Is from
Cyprus. curious piece is q lead clamp Tor huge
vase. which comes from Cyrenaics