The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-09-13
RELICS OF ANCIENT TROY.
A Priceless Collection of Idols, Weapons
and Drinking Vessels at Smithsonian.

a Priceless COuecC1On OF l0OiS. weapons
and Drinking Vessels at Smithsonian.
Trojan relics of priceless value and
high antiquity have reached Washing
ton from the New York customhouse,
which will form one of the most inter-
esting collections presented to the
Smithsonian institution for many
years. They were dug from the ruins
of Troy by DR.. Schliemann and must
have passed through the mighty con-
hagration which the legend says ended
the Trojan war. The meaning and as
sociations of these are of surprising in
terest, for until few years ago schol-
ars and learned men believed that the
heroes of Homer and Virgil, who
fought at the dawn of history,
existed only in myth and story.
The discovery worked revo-
luton in classic history. These
interesting objects are made of
many materials, of which stone,
bronze, ivory, marble, terra Gotta and
bone may be mentioned. There are
one hundred and lightweight in all.
They include variety of articles, such
as weapons, idols, vases, urns, knives,
daggers, pins, whorls, drinking vessels
of elaborate designs and patterns,
rings, jugs and bullets. The whorls,
which are the most numerous of any
objects in the collection, had peculiar
use. There are eighteen of these.
They are circular shaped, vary from
one inch to three inches in diameter
and are made of stone highly polished
and ornamented. They formed very
essential part of the rude spinning
wheel which the Trojan matrons OF
that day used. Then it was fashiona-
ole for all women to spin, and even
those of royal blood, who from the
walls often watched their friends and
favorites in the battles on the plains
below, could deity twist threads of
great evenness and uniformity.
The drinking vessels excite the
greatest curiosity. A few of the names
rs they appear in the original cata-
logue will show what variety Of
them there is. There are globular
jugs, lustrous jugs with incised orna-
mentation, two-handled goblets, two
handled jugs, twO-handled cups, one
handled cups, liliputian jugs, bowls
and other vessels. These are of vari-
GUS sizes. Some hold as much as two
quarts, and some no more than
thimbleful. The double handled COB
lets, of which there are three, are of
curious construction. They stand
about six inches high and have on
either side long, slender handles
reaching from top to bottom. They
hold about the same quantity as COB
let's of the present day. A broad.
shallow bowl in the collection may
have been used in the sacrifices
to hold the sacred meal which was the
custom of Greeks and Trojans to throw
over the animal about to be sacrificed.
Besides the drinking vessels there are
mapy interesting vases. One of these
is a tripod vase about ten inches high,
which was made to stand upon three
short legs. Another is vase of mythic
style, and third is ornamented with
strange lines that portray the likeness
of woman's face. There are other OBJ
iects of terra Gotta, of which three
balls. oblong and pyramidal weights,
one idol, one head and one ring are the
most important. There are many Gu
rious pieces of marble quantity carved
which were very essential in the econ
omy of the Trojan religion. These are
rs thin as waters and grotesquely
shaped Post.