The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-11-23
THE INDIANAPOLIS GREEK
An Interesting Talk with DIR. Henry
Schliemann, the Explorer.
Man who Married a Greek Lady, and
Devotes His Life TO Digging
Among Ancient Ruins.
J. Fl. Haynies's Paris Letter.

met citizen of indianapolis, Ind. yes
terday, in the readingroom of the Grand
Hotel, who happens to be one OF the most
ulustrions men of modern times If he
were Frenchman he would be called
sayant but as he is an American citizen L
uhall speak of him as famous explorer-not
of virgin forests or boundless plains; not of
rugged, roek-ribbed mountains, nor rapid
running rivers; not of unknown seas or
unciviized lands, but of ancient cities
towns and villages which old beldame
earth has swallowed up or covered
with the dust of many ages. The life
of this DR.. Henry Schliemann, of whom L
am writing, has been a most remarkable
one; and not the least interesting part of it
to the many readers in the West is his citi-
Eenship in the capital of Indiana. u own
property there" said he, but he did not tell
me in which part of the city his home is
located. / asked him how long it was since
he had been in Indanapolis and when he
told me, l said to myself that is so long ago
very few people will remember him as their
fellow-citizen. Then, aloud to Schliemann:
"Why indianapolis had not more than 10000
4U,UOO luHdUlIdulS Wucu NOu WClS buOlS,
and now it contains population of more
than 1875 000."
$50 much the better for my property" said
he with a smile.
said to the Doctor that the Western peo-
pie would feel interested in knowing what
their illustrious compatriot (by adoption)
was doing Let me tell them something
about the explorations and excavations that
you are now engaged in, something about
them which has not yet been published" L
added.
well there is one fact that has not yet
been made public" said the Doctor, with
smile, land that is that my work in the
Troad is now entirely completed, and the re-
suit of my last years labor will soon appear
in volume now in press. L have published
very little in France but have just arranged
with Firmin Didot for the publication of
volume which will contain the substance of
what is in Ilios' and 'Troja.' The general
reading public in this country does not take
the same interest in archaeological subjects
that the Germans, English and Americans do,
and where l have ten readers in Germany,
England or America | will not have more
than one here Harper Brothers, my Ameri-
can publishers write me that they have lust
issued a second edition of Ilios.' The present
year have devoted to writing the volume
which is now in press. My plans for the flu
ture include explorations in the island Of Crete
and perhaps one or two other points that
are famous Ill LU6 early ulSlOFy vi OTS6C6,
but before undertake anything new in that
line | intend TO take at least one years rest
from work of every sort, with view to re-
covering my health. Like most men of sed-
entary habits, have certain organic affec-
tions that are beginning to give ME trouble,
and as | am now sixty-one years OF age. I
cannot trihe with my health as l used to do
when | was younger"
In reply to Is request for some information
concerning the results of his latest excava-
tons on the site of ancient Troy. Dr. Schlie
mann said: Like all the explorations and
excavations that l have made during the
past twelve years. those of which / give an
account in 'Troia' were directed toward one
end that of ascertaining how far the Homeric
account of the Trojan war was founded upon
historical facts Many scholars have con-
sidered the whole of the Had as a myth, but
always believed that Homer had merely
given the poetic dress and color to the his
tory of the people to which he belonged,
Homer mentions three cities in his &C.
count of the Trojan war: My
cene, Ilios or troy and Orchomenos. The
site of the first named has always been
known, and more than one of the early
Greek writers speak of it, and of the tombs
of Agamemnon and his nlpanions as among
the sights of the place. For more than two
thousand years travellers have been shown
certain ruins near what was once the gate of
the city and have been told that they were
was a mistake, for these ruins did not agree
either in their appearance or in their loca-
ton with the account of them given by the
Greek writers to whom l have referred. Sew
enteen years ago | published an article in
which | stated my opinion on this point,
and gave my reasons for that opinion, and,
of course, | was laughed at by all the arch
biologists. 1t was this that led me to ex-
plore the site of ancient Mycene, and the
result of my exploration was that found
the tombs of Agamemnon and his
companions in the exact place. that
is, at the foot of the rock on which
the Acropolis stood, that the old au-
thors who had written about them had
said that they were located. l not only found
the tombs, but | found the treasure chamber
that the same authors had spoken about as
being a part OF them, and in it gold crowns,
earrings, bracelets and utensils of all Sorts
The articles in gold alone that | found weigh
over ITO pounds troy. The site OF Orchome-
nos was unknown until l found it, which l
did by following the indications given by
Homer, or at least my excavations proved
that city had once existed on the spot had
fixed upon. Here found no treasures in the
precious metals, but l found a great many
archaeological relics of all sorts, and among
other things a subterranean chamber almost
intact, with ceiling in carved stone that is
as magnificent a specimen of early art as has
ever been discovered. Besides the question
as to whether the Homeric accounG OF the
Trojan war was myth or not there was also
;he question as to whether any such a city
as Troy had ever existed. The plain of Troy
is now barren and, may say, an uninhab-
tied wilderness of sand hills, and all knowl-
edge concerning the site of any large city
having once existed there was lost. Accord
ing to Homer Troy, or Sacred
Hum as he calls it, was city
that lay not far distant from the
sea coast, which, after having stood
ten years siege by the allied kings of Greece,
was captured and totally destroyed while
the inhabitants were either massacred, car
ried away into slavery or escaped into exile.
1t was with view of finding the site of this
city that my explorations in 1882 were made
and | may safely assert that these explora-