The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-07-23
BURIED TREASURES
Now Find OF Grccian Art Mt Excavations
In Erctrin.

Now Find OF Grccian Art Mt Excavations
In Erctria.
The excavations conducted in Fret
ria, in Euboea, under the direction of
the American schools at Athens, havo
been very successful.
The thcatcr has been opened, says
the New York Independent, and throws
considerable light on the construction
of the stage. Before the stage building
is n low, narrow platform, with an arch
through the middle. We have opened
q large number of tombs in what up
pears to be city of tombs. Of these
the finest show elegant marble archi-
lecture. Tho only cpitaph mentions q
daughter of Aristotle" Dr. Walstein,
the permanent director of the Amer
lean school, distinctly disclaims the
identification of this as tho tomb of the
philosopher Aristotle. Much gold has
been found in the tomb, including six
diadems, IN immense wreath of
wrought gold, seal ring and earrings
in the form of doves set with jewels.
Nothing finer in the way of ancient
jewelry has ever been discovered. Be-
sides these may be mentioned four
white lekythoi or vases for unguents.
The walls excavated show that New
Erctria was founded upon old Eretria.
The studc nts assisting the permanent
director, DR.. Waldstein. and the an
nual director, Prof. Richardson, In the
excavations, are Messrs. Bronson,
Gilbert, Fossum and Pickard. Prof.
Waldstein is now continuing tho ex-
cav atoms ut his own expense.
The famous city of Eretria, men
toned by Homer, was situated ten
miles from Chalcis, the metropolis Of
the island of Eubea, the modern
Ncgropont, south of tho point, where it
nearly touches the coast of Greece. Tho
old city, which was destroyed by Darius
in the Persian war, 400 3. c., was sub
seQuently rebuilt and became the seat
of an important school of philosophy,
headed by Mcndemas, pupil of Arts
totle. There has been from time to
time considerable discussion as to the
construction of the stage in the Greek
theater, and the question has not yet
been settled. The finding of the low
platform, with an arch through the
middle, however, is piece of very i'm
portant information, as throwing light
on what was be fore in doubt The
stage building is supposed to be what
German archeologists call the "Duhne-
gcbaude."
The cablcgram does not explain how
it is that, although many tombs have
been discovered, some of them of Gle
giant marble architecture. only one in
scription has been found, that of the
daughter of Aristotle" Her name is
not given. Aristotle, 1t is said, was
buried in his native city-Stagira, in
Chalcidicc, near Mount Athos. But it
is also matter of history that Aristotle
had daughter by his first wife, Pyth-
las, who came from Chalcis, few miles
north of Erctria, and that the great
philosopher retired to Chalcis when he
fled from Athens, so that his daughter
may very well have been buried in
Erctria.
The finding of the gold diadems, Ill
though they may have been Itinerary
crowns, such as were sometimes made
of thin gold IN the case of the death Of
wealthy people, and the unusually fine
earrings indicate the wealth and lux
ury of Eretria The white lekythoi are
the Greek vases fou nd in the tonbs and
are covered w it'll beautiful designs.