New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-02-02
TO EXCAVATE CORINTH.
VALUABLE PRIVILEGES GRANTED THE
AMERICAN SCHOOL AT ATHENS.
THE GREEK GOVERNMENT SHOWS ITS KINDLY
FEELING TOWARD THIS COUNTRY A
GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR AMERI-

FEELING TOWARD THIS COUNTRY A
GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR AMERI-
CAN SCHOLARS.
To the Editor OF The Tribune
Sir: The Greek Government has just granted
to the American School of Classical Studies the
exclusive r!slt Of eXcavating at Corinth. This
l. one Of the most important concessions yet
made for archaeological worlS-in some respects
the most mportant-and may be viewed as
direct testimonial Of kindly feeling toward
America and its people The most enthusiastic
admirers and institutions have among
the European nations, it is well 10 know, are the
Greeks We hear it and feel it on all hands
End We have been repeal teddy urged II make
some large request. In order that Greece might
have tho opportunity Of testfying to her friend
linoss The concession just made represents the
best and the greatest that the little nation has
TO give.
Corinth was the second city Of Greek antiquity
and in point of wealth. the first. Athens. which
in general outranks 1t. can never be thoroughly
explored. for the modern city stands on the
ste of the ancient Old Corinth however. is
covered in the main only by grain fields. The
scattered hamlet which marks the ancient site
has a population # barely 600 souls. Treasures
Of art. Of architecture. and Of history written on
tables Of stone richer than the bolIest archae-
illogical Imagination is able to detail. await but
the turning Of the sod.
As yet, no one Of the great cities Of Greece
has been excavaied. Olympia and Delphi were
places Of occasional resort. not the abodes OF
civic lifc-paces where men celebrated, not
where the, lived We have az yet no idea how
a Greek city was arranged. how its streets were
laid ifS or chief D.
peared. or how it's homes Were built. Not even
the agora If Athens has yet been found. Temples
and theatres nave been explored In great num-
hcrs: they constitute. indeed. the most that we
know of Greek building: but until the agora of
al least one principal town has been laid bare
and studied. we are still far from knowledge
oi the real conditions according to which we
must judge Greek life
AS has been already intmated. Corinth Is un-
questionaby the spot In ali Greece where search
Is likely to be rewarded with the greatest and
the most desired results. In Athens. sparta,
Argos and Theb"s the presence of the modern
cities sets an almost irs1rmGuntable barrier To
excavation II IL doubtful, too, whether in the
case OF the last three anything remotely com
parable l. The remains likely 10 be found at
Cllin'h Is - be expected. PlusanIass account
of what he saw AT C)rnth In the second century
:. H. testihes t. the Existence. even then. de-
Spite repeated "IestruCtions" OF the city.
az many important buildings and monuments
derived from its earlier and diFtinctivey Greek
past
Tn. site Of the city. furthermore IS favorable
90 the preservation of roles ~ IT'S different
periods. Il stood upon sioping terraces reach
ing up toward the foot Of lis colossal citadel,
the Akro- Norlnthos. and th- kindly earth has
been continually hndng its way Gown To pro-
vide proper burial for the disused and dis
mantled works OF mems hands. Within the last
ten centuries the level OF the soil over these
terraces seems to have risen from ten Ia fifteen
feet St.ll. 1t has not awaited 10 obscure en-
;irely the surface traces according To which an
Il. g.. f,..lAu kn n
be ridges and hillocks and terraces in the sur
face OF the grain fields are not the work of the
ice age. They testify to architectural treasure
beneath. In one place. for instance. the out
lines IL TN" stylObate ~ some gigantic struct-
uro probably temple. can clearly be discerned
forcing their way up through what Is probably
q dozen feet ~ superintendent earth me
ulourh has sof'onr1 the lines. but not cnaccd
ihop As we stood there fortnight since. look
ing out over these moundcd fields II seemed
- the eyes II our zeal as II the ancient city
were already rising 70 throw of It's winding
sheet
why. II So hopeful and 80 important. has not
this work been undertaken before. or by some
one else because It Is so great work be-
cause IL does not Offer attractions for a single
seasons venture II requires prolonged ana
.,.sfcnatlr exploration The first years OK
pl0ratious and perhaps. those 81 the second;
80, i ,.nt,fi.c They must be directed
,...,.rd ,n. discovery Of landmarks by which
the explorer can determine his bearings once
the theatre. for instance has been found Two
other buildings can Immediately be locate" ny
hc,f. q pausarias's account one or these oulu
irr- would guide ~ toward the western exit
~ tha arora. ~, a..
Tho American School receives. unlike us
French and German colleagues. no support rom
m. state II has a better and vastly SAFER re.
u.,c. .r the generosity and public spirit or
private citizens f. has now great work IN
hand and 1t nay iuetly appeal for support. II
has but $500 with which 70 begin Iha' ~ Ut
trrlv nrfncicni IL VIII suffice only for few
81 ,r.,.h.s tn. sum needed is $4,000. rms
v,iu provide for four or five years work. ms
amount and this time are the minima. Any
thing less IL out or proportion l" "'' ".f
,,,,t,. ana tts restonsiblllty Work must be-
Gin in March Address. American S'hoo'
Athens. Greece. ,.,,,,r,rp
BENJAMIN lDE WHEEl'th'
Athens Jan. l.. 1875.