The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-05-14
scHL1EHANNs LATEST WORK.
He Digs Up an Immense Palace in the
AcrOpolis at Tiryns.
Nauplia Letter in London Athcnmum,

Nauplia Letter in London AthcnGum,
In may be interesting to your readers to hear
something of the new work now going ON at
Tiryns under the instga ton and at the cost of
the interchangeable DR. Schliemann. hoped to
have gone out with him this morning, but as he
rises at 1870 A NJ. and after u bath starts at
once for the works, he benevolently counter
manded my directions to be called i'll time to ac-
company him. Before Z o'clock however,
found him on the famous prehistoric mound
with fifty workmen or women turning up the
soil and throwing it over the boundary wall into
the plain below. The Doctor was going from
group to group, inquiring, watching, eNhortlng
his men, and looking for moment at any piece
Of pottery worked stone which happened to
turn up. Already, at two opposite sides of the
mound least and vest have been found the
bases of pillars-on the western side three,
with two corner stones, making the facade of an
ancient house. the floor of which is gray com
posite akin to rough mosaic.
Yesterday a DOric capital of very old style
mado its appearance: the echinus Is very wide IN
proportion to the shaft. and it is sixteen course
of futiDg. This determines the style of this
house; but its age, use and general plan are as
yet undetermined. DR.. Dorpfeld, who was with
me, hopes that in a week two more definite
notions may be attained There are, of course
endless fra gments of pottery of all kinds de
scribed as archaic but the few complete vessels
as yet found have been, unfortunately, damaged
in the digging out. AS the eastern pillar bases
are on a lower level than the western there may
little doubt that the surface was arranged in sue
cessive terraces.
A deep shaft has also been sunk to find the
depth of the accumulated EARTH but as yet moth
ing but fragments of pottery have been turned
up, with a piece OF one very curious limestone
vessel and very oxidized little can, which L
guessed to be silver but which is so curiously
modern in form and light in substance that
nothing would for moment save its character
but the great depth fourteen feet at which 1t
was found
Though DIR. Sehliemann is not so well pleased
with his Greek Tor rather Albanian) workmen
here as he was with those in Troy, and though
he calls this trifling affair." he has only so in
stead of 100 men at work, the scene at Tiryns is
striking in the extreme. The figures of both
men and women are very handsome. They are
dressed in the gay Albanian dress, those who are
resting or experimenting having their soft
woollen cream-white capotes-the most beauti-
full overcOat conceivable. The compilations of
the people are mostly dark, not like the
Argives who surprise the traveller a few miles
away
All around are the enchanting views about the
Gulf of NaupHa, perhaps the most enchanting
in Greece, even in Europe. The Alps of Ar
cady still have their caps and streaks of snow.
though the sun is very hot, and the trees of the
plain are assuming their summer dress. The
beetling fortress of Nauplia and its fort islands,
where the national Marwood has his compulsory
home remind one of the old days of sieges and
surprises, when the land was barren with war,
ana not S1n1l1ng, as IL now Is, WITH peace ana
plenty. The narrow ford of blue sea is studded
with white sails, and a single steamer leaves its
track of curling smoke as it rounds the head
land to the south. All about the great mound
and far out into the valley, gardens of lemon
trees, orange trees and tall Expresses variegate
the deep green of the growing wheat. And over
all the rich PLAIN of Argos and over all the ranks
of the piled-up Alps is that variety of light and
shade, showing in perspective that infinite varie-
ty of outline both Of which are to be seen in
Greece, and in Greece only.
Here follows an extract from letter from DR.
Schliemann, dated Tiryns, April IL, 1884, which
forms fitting supplement to Mr.. Mahaffy's let
ter i'll the Athenaum of the 18th inst: Three
cheers to Pallas Athena In fact have sue
ceeded here in a wonderful way, having brought
to light an immense palace with innumerable
columns, which occupies the entire upper aerop-
oils of Tiryns, and of which the floor and all the
walls are we'll preserved. OF paramount
interest are the wall paintings, which my achi-
tect and collaboration, DR.. Dorpfeld is copy
ing with the same colors. OF the very highest
interest are also the vase paintings, with the
most primitive representations of men and ami
mails The plan of this wonderful prehistoric
palace can be made with great accuracy, and it
will excite universal amazement for nothing like
this has ever turned up. The capital
found is of the most ancient Doric order ever
discovered"