New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-11-29
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
M. sCHLIEMANN's NEW WORK.


The few excavations ho was aOle to make III that
,n,o yielded inst enough to inhame his desire for
mara thorourh search Tiryns was hlli ciCadei
ot for from ARGOS situated at the head OF What Is
row known ~ the Gulf of NaIplia, ana classical
locend ascrbed its construction TO inc 'yclopeS'
broupht thither for the purpose by hlhg lro'os IL
vyas the reputed birthplace OF Hercules ana us
,noss;va walls and towers were celebrated
,brougb the ancient world There seems
TO be good reason for the conclusion
that 1t was built by Phencian colonists III pre-
historic times, and that 1t was destroyed at 'ho
same epoch as the neigh6oring city OF Myceh@-ah
event which DIR. Schemann Is dlsDoSed 10 SoU
much further back than most authorities We
NAV indeed admit, with the highest probability
that both Tirvns and Mycen8 were dc''roleu "'
the time Of some great revolution. revolution ~
destructive IN its effect, so terrible III It's con'0
ouences that tn, civilization OF Greece was ooii
pletely oyerthr0wn and upon is ruins al'So H'"
and wholly different culture in all the Dfalc"cS u
bnmon industry And in fact, we possess lde lhos'
Trustworthy historical information concerning 'il'
fearful revolution. 1t was brought aOouV ny 'no
Doric invasion, or the s0called Return Oh '"0
UeraclediD, which the tradition OF an an''q"i''
with wonderful agreement places eieh' years "i'e'
tbo Trojan war or abort he year 100 u. e."
II was not until 1884 that Dr. Schliemann found
on onnortunity TO renew his search at IirynS, ana
tho nrcsent volume gives the result OF ms dlscoV-
cries IN that and the present year Such an eNraoi
binary find as that which rewarded his eXcaNa-
tions on the supposed site OF Troy was not 10 u
eypccted twice in a lifetime bat III some respects
the discoveries ut Tiryns have novel ana even
nnioue interest. They lay bare not merely scat
tered fragments of the fortress, but substantially
tho whole of the ground plan, and enough Oh tue
sunerstructure to make tho general arrangement
lInbt
the architectural style and the method of building
They show series of strongly walled enclosures
one within another styled in the narrative the
lar middle and uDper foItresses; and i'll the H.
,erncost forming the centre and apex of the clta-
del il the royal palace with its imposing
onproaches its spacious courts ana NeS:lpnleS' us
hall OF state its altar of sacrifice IT'S royal arhory
and treasure house. The separate apartments oi
the men and the women, each with Its own open
court and common hall and its own corridors; the
bathroom paved with an immense single slaD' the
water conduits aud cisterns; the royal OeI-chaIh-
Der: the offices aud guaTdrooms all these are
plainly made out we see, as we nave never seen
before the whole interior If the palace OF Il great
chief as it was in pre-flOmeric days; ana COUNT
less references in Homer acquire from these Illus
trations much clearer meaning Inc detailS OF
the defensive works are scarcely less Interesting
mann has labored principally on the remains OF The
MINER fortress, and there much still to be
learned abOut the outer works and what
they enclosed; but the general system
of defence By massive walls, so broken win towers
and salient and re-entcring angles that beSiegeTS
could always be taken in flank is already obvious
Very curious galleries and chambers III the
thickness of the walls were probably intended for
magazines or store-rooms. There was only one
princiDal entrance That was by Il steep incline OF
ramp which started from the plain at the horth-
east corner of the fortress and, running aohe ''e
face Of the eastern wall to the great gate reached
the level of the upper fortress near the southeast
corner and there entered the precincts OF the pal
nee II was so AIMED that an assailant IN ascned-
INC must always expose his right, OF unshie,dcd
side To the garrison. One of the most recent dis
royerles is q small postern on the west from whlch
narrow staircase of stone scaled the rock on whlch
the fortress is built and probably led into the cla-
adel.
Tho hinge Cyclopean walls which form the prlnci-
nal defepces are composed Of irregular limestone
blocks, many of them from six 10 nine feet long
three feet wide, and three feet hgh, ana d.
Schlieulann declares that they were lald without
mortar. their weight keeping them IN position, and
the intcrstices being filled WITH small stones The
came statement Is made IN the body of the work
nv DE- D0rpfeld. In an appendix, however, de-
failing the results of the latest excavations Dr.
D6rpfeld shows that this is mistake. All the
walls we're butt with clay mortar. For the upper
structures smaller stones ami sun-baked
bricks were used. The roofs and upright
supports were of wood, the roofs be-
NO pro badly covered with PUSHES and clay; but
the precise manner Ofroofng cannot be asccrtained
Wooden pilasters, etc, we're perhaps covered with
mates Of bronco although no remains OF
such plating have yet been discovered. Massive
stone ss are still IN place in the doOrways show
ing socket-holes into which fitted the plvots OF the
folding doors of wood. The system of lighting has
NOT been made out There are large and important
rooms which having vestibules and fore-couTts,
conld have received very little light from the door,
and entirely enclosed every side except the
front by other chambers. The roofs OF these rooms
may have been raised above theencloslng structures
20 that light could be admitted by windows close
"a the ceiling or sort of clerestory with openings
may have been erected the centre OF the apart
ment
The interior walls were plastcred and decorated
in colors and fragments enough have been lOuhd III
the debris to give an excellent idea of the general
STYLE of ornament and the favorite patterns. Only
Eve coloIs seem to have been uscd-black, white,
rod blue and yellow-and there is no indication OF
the employment of different shades of the same
color although, as the fragments have faded I'M
equally all conclusions as to the original tint must
be given under great reserve. The decoration, at
least in many cases. was applied in rescd, and the
artists worked with free and bold hand. They
were often careless in Details but the general effect
showed degree of symmetry and vigor which indi-
Gates a somewhat advanced stage OF art Bands,
spirals meauders. roSettes and other conventional
nattorn. are deliberately combined, with striking
contrasts of color. There Is very remarkable
6qnrepaintng. of which fortunately so many oil
che fragments have been found and fitted together
that we can judge perfectly the spirit OF the whole
1t represents an athlete on the back OF gallopng
bull. large figure of which the remains are much
more defective, is supposed to have represented
pondescript winged creature. In the womens hail