Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-08-06
THE GRAvE-cREeK INSCRIPTION.
The stone said to Have Been Carried to
Richmond-W1ere Is 1t?
for ha niCpu.Ph

The New York Herald of July 9th con-
tains an article by William Henry Goodyear
on Americas Discoveries before Column
bus" He states that accounts OF pre-
Columbian voyages TO America are very
numerous" OF these various accounts
historic science has accented but one
that of the Mortimer OF the eleventh
century" The discovery of America by
Buddhist monks in the fifth century 4. D..
as related bv Charles G.. Leland, he thinks
highly probable" Then he proceeds
to state the purpose of his own article
Ito demonstrate stu more ancient as
covery by one or more peoples OF early
Mediterranean history" In 1873 Professor
A. II. Sayce published "a tentative recon-
struction of the Carian alphabet" until
then unknown 10 mOderns. This was FOL
lowed in 1887 by more complete publlca-
ton. THE Carian language is still uude-
ciphered." he states but the. inscriptions
known consist almost entirely OF proper
names, which can be read tentatively"
The small province of Cara lies IN the
southwestern corner of Asia Minor. Ira
dition attributes to the Carians the dis
tinctlon of having been once the greatest
nation of the shores and islands OF the
Greek Archipelago" In the sixth and
seventh centuries b. g. they were "mcrce-
nary soldiers, serving with lonlan Greeks
in Egyptian employ; but in the days OF
Phmnician greatness. twelfth century Is.
G. TO the eighth century, the Carlans
bore the Phonicians burdens. fought Their
battles. sailed their ships, and were spread
wherever they were" Professor Goodyear
states " that an inscribed stone was found
In West Virginia i'll 1888 whose every
character can be referred to the Carlan
alphabet In 1898 mound was opened
on the Tomlinson farm in West Virginia.
Great care md much expense were en-
4 -, n ~
first discovery was that OF tomb-cham-
Der containing two skeletons IN such decay
that the teeth alone were perfect; q large
number of beads i'll state OF decOln-
position were also found in tins same tomb
chamber. Many feet below this first ex;;
cayation another tomb-chamber revealed
itself. similar to the first one, both resenl-
bling the tombs found by DIR. Schliemann
at Mycen@. In this chamher was one
skeleton only, many beads, and small sea-
shells. copper bracelets, small pieces or
mica. and the inscribed stone, when
scholars now prove to bear an inscription
IN the Carian language. After these exca;,
yations were accomplished the mound
known as the Grave-Creek tumuius was
converted into a museum where couid DC
seen all the articles which the Tomllnson
diligence and skill had so successfully ex-
humed. In 1sI3 Schoolcraft saw the IN
scribed stone there. Later tins stone
seems 10 have been carried to Richmond,
Va 70 whom il belonged Is unknown.
GOODYEAR thinks il possible that the stone
NAV vet be somewhere in Richmond.
This inscription, Professor Goodyear
proves, could not possibly be O forgery.
the Carian alphabet becoming known to
moderns long since the discovery, and Its
existence proves beyond doubt that
America was known to the Ph9nicians,
hence its great historic value. If every OBJ
servant nerson who read Professor Good
wears article or who reads this brief review
of his statement to the scientific world
would make it his duty and his pleasure to
be on the alert for any stone bearing an
Gent and undecipherable inscriptions Viz
GINA might yet place the stone from the
Grave-Cre tumuus into the hands OF
scientists and historians. n. Is. W.
August l, 1850.