The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1889-12-26
A TOMB OPENED NEAR SPARTA.
Results Which Recall the MycanR Finds
of DIR. Schliemann.


The Athens correspondent of the
London Athengnm in a recent letter
says the tomb opened by Nj. Tsountas
at Vaphio, near Sparta, has yielded
results which far surpass any discovery
of the sort since the finding of the great
treasures at Mycena by DR.. Schlieman.
Here, as there, an undisturbed tomb of
an ancient chieftain has been opened,
with all the vessels in gold, silver, and
bronze, arms, and engraved gems IN
tact. And we have not simply repe-
tition of the same discovery, for this
tomb at Vaphio was of treasury
type, with a 'dromos' leading into
beehive-shaped vault-a form universal
ly recognized as belonging to later
stage of the so-called 'Mycenan' cul-
ture than the simply pitlike graves on
the citadel of Mycena.
This view is fully borne out by the
nature of the objects discovered, which
In many ways occupy an intermediate
position between Mycenaan work and
the earliest products of Hellenic art.
NJ. Tsountas has already published
short account of his excavation. BY
his courtesy l have been permitted to
examine his discoveries, and l may say
a few words about them without antici-
pating his final publication.
The yaulted tomb chamber and also
the avenue, or 'drOmos,' were built of
stones, mostly of small size, from
neighboring quarry on Taygetus. 1t
is remarkable that in the doors and
elsewhere the joints. and even flaws in
the stone, were concealed with lime
mortar, and the undisturbed state of
the tomb show that it must have re-
mained buried since primitive times.
A similar practice was observed in the
last treasury tomb cleared by My
cenae. But as that was emptied and
shown in ancient times later repairs
were there possible. Within the vaulted
tomb at Vaphio was shallow grave
lined and covered with stone slabs; the
evidence that the corpse was buried, not
burned, seems to be mostly inferential;
no bones We're found. The treasures
buried were scattered all about the
floor of the vaulted chamber.
The most important of all are two
gold cups, each made of two plates
of gold, the inner one plain and the
outer decorated with very fine de-
sign in repoussee work that fills the
whole field. The relief is fairly high;
the drawing and composition, in spite
of few mistakes or inadequacies. are
bold and successful, but the execution
lacks the exquisite delicacy in details
that marks the gold work and espec-
tally the in,aying work, of Mycenae
The subjects are most interesting
the hunting of wild bulls and the lead
ing of tame bulls by men-and we thus
see carefully executed figures of men
about two and half inches high, and
in the same costumes as we find on fig
ures from Macenae, Tirny, etc.--a
kind of loin cloth depending from a
girdle and ankiets, pointed shoes, etc.
These are all so clear now that no fur
ther doubt is possible as to their nature
and the way in which they were worn.
The bulls, which are rendered with
great spirit, resemble in form that on
the wall painting from Tiryus; one.
which is caught in net, is doubled up
in contortion which recalls the
strangely distorted animals on early
gems. 1t is remarkable that most OF
the trees represented are palms.
Another cup OF silver has prettilv
NiotSiJ -cih iIillr anu iIi.liiti OtiS
small ornaments in gold, silver, amber,
etc, were found, including a delicate
little pair of gold fishes cut out of a flat
plate, with incised details. Some speci-
mems of fine granulated work in gold
closely resemble later Greek technique.
Various strange bronze implements,
large and small, and two stone arrow
heads. and an iron ring were found.
and there were fragments, but no per-
feet specimens, of the beautiful inlaid
swords. A bronze AK OF peculiar form,
with two apertures between the edge
and the haft, is of interest and seems
to confirm Dr. Wares suggestion that
it was through line OF axes of this
form that Ulysses shot his arrow.
THE engraved gems, mostly of the
island gem type were very numerous
and had the usual representation of
animals, monsters, and men; the dress,
both of men and women, is clear in
several instances and of the well-known
types. There are two gems with the
strange nondescript animal with a
head like a goat Cor horse) and spiny
back, carrying jug (Milchhofer Iris);
one gem has a pair of these monsters
face to face another has one. In
many respects the Vaphio treasure
seems to be intermediate between
Mycena and primitive Greek art; if it
really helps to bridge this gulf it will
be of the utmost value and interest"