The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1880-05-12
The oIympian Discoveries.


A letter in the London Times of the
goth ult., gives an interesting account
of some of the discoveries at Olympia.
The writer says =" Some idea of the ex-
tent of these collections may be formed
from the official return made by DR..
Treu in September last, which exhibits
the results up to that date. There had
been then found l 1923 sculptures in mar
BILE or stone, 7 ,464 objects in bronze, o
O94 terra cottas, COG inscriptions and g.
O35 coins. To this list have since been add
ed many objects in each category. The
principal soul ptures, such as the group OF
Hermes and Dionysos, by Praxiteles; the
victory by P@onios, and the pedimentaI
sculptures and metopes from the Temple
of Zeus have already, by means of casts
and photographs, been made familiar to
many students of art who have not been
able to visit Olympia, but these seulp-
lures cannot be properly appreciated
without seeing the originals. This is
particularly the case with the Hermes.
In the plaster cast of which the exquisite
color and texture of the original are lost.
The right foot of this statue, which was
discovered in November last. is beauti.
fully modelled; the sandal has been gilt.
a day or two before my arrival hand
was found, which corresponds in scale
and motive with the torso of the infant
Dlonysos, the nursing of the Hermes
This hand Is, however, very inferior in
execution to the rest of the oroup and
as the greater part of the neck is want
ing, It's present attribution can hardly
be considered certain. The back of he
Hermes is left rough, and it is thought
that this is the result of pe,ataDae57to.
and that the sculptor, after altering the
original modelling, left his work un-
finished. The Nike, by Peonios. has
gained much since I last saw it bv the
addition of the left leg and foot and by
the discovery of the back of the head
The hair Is partially concealed by broad
bands through which it shows at inter
walls as In the colfures of the contem-
porary silver coins of Syracuse. The
extreme refinement and delicacv with
which this fragment of the head IS sculp-
tured make as regret the more the loss
OF the face Many missing heads and
limbs have been added to the pronps
from the pediments and metopes of The
Temple Of Ieus; and during nv short
stay Of two days draped arm was found
which probably belongs to the one ipure
in the western pediment which is still
wanting. The Metroon, the eredro Of
Herodes Atticus, and other sites have
contributed number of Roman statues
Of emperors, expresses, and other person
ages, two Of which are specially interest
ing, because the names of the sculptors
by whom they were carved are Inscribed
on them AS works of art these statnes
do not rise above the ordinary standard
OF the Roman period. 1t would seem
from the statement of Pausanias that the
Romans converted the Metroon. the most
ancient temple in the Altis. into an
Augusteum, where they dedicated the
statues of emperors There are some
interesting remains Of sculpture in relief
IN caleareous stone which represent q
igantomachia, and once ornamented the
pediment Of the Treasury Of the Mepare-
ans. The treasury was in the form of a
small temple IN antj8, and was orna-