The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-06-28

ed the founder of their city and as such
venerated-there were placed two lions.
In the excavations of these days the bases
o. these two figures have been brought to
light, and there is reason to believe that
they date from the fifth century before
the Christian era. But more important
still are the objects taken out of the de-
bris between these two bases. Among 9th
er objects is one which l have not seen
AN admirable fragment of a fine terra
Gotta Greek vase with black figures on a
red ground.
The inscription which has been brought
to light near TO the base already men,
toned, which is to the right of the spec
tator, is of extreme Importance. 1t Is
said now, and in this imperfect mode of
seeing 1t, to be written in the most an
Gent Lain alphabet; that is to say, the
alphabet of Chalcis. A squeeze of imprint
on wet paper of some of the letters of
this inscription has been made to show
the forms of the letters, which are more
akin to the Greek than to the Latin al
phabet. The Chalcidian alphabet has, it
appears, been the source from which all
the Italian alphaDets We're derived. These
alphabets fan into two families. which DIFF
fer considerably from one another. The
first family contains the Etruscan. I'm
brian and Oscar alphabets; the second
the Latin aud Faliscan. The Latin alpha
an English authority on this subject, in
the retention of Keppa. which the Romans
developed into Q. This letter, IL its older
and ruder form-a complete circle, with
a downward ob.ique stroke from it's a
notable feature in the inscription lust
discovered. Signor Boni inclines 20 think
that there are remnants Of Greek form
not the Dorian Greek-in the letters
brought to light. but he wisely SAYS thar
it is impossible At the present moment to
pass judgment either on the character or
the lettering or on the contents Of the in
scription until these are carefully studied
ana read by experts. Before leaving this
question Of the alphabet In which the in
scription at first sight seems 70 be writ
ten, it IS to be noted that this ChaIcidian
alphabet Is that Of the Chalcidlan colo
mics Of Sicily and Of the west coast OF
lfaly-Cumae, Neapoiis, or Naples. etc
and that from an this was derived the
Latin alphabet, the direct progenitor or
that We use to-day. IL Is well known
that Chalcis one Of the Islands Of FIN.
boea, in the Aegean sea. sent numerous
colonies into Magma Grecia and Sicily
SUCH as Cumae-the modern Cuma ana
Rheigium, Inc modern Reggie di Calabrit.
in the south 81 ltaiy
The language q the Inscription that Hos
under the Tomb Of H9muiust Is su,u-uad
10 da.e from the seventh or the SKIN con-
tlfy before tha Chi tiau era ana, her
conjecture IS that 81 ls "buzuoled,ca +" as
an Italian wll.er terms 30. which means
that 10 may be alternately reed fran ri,bi
70 ieft and from left 10 ught. III h vyeil
known that Greek writing ln ancient Bvcs
following Ire e5amtie ihoeniela. was read
from right - ief Thon trc practice ~
Wiling from iefi 20 right came into ue.
IN the iaiervai between he adoDiI9n OF M
iaitfr mode there was in use ihe comblps.
ton Of BON, Wnefe he eye. ranging from
leit 20 right and then hack from ripht m
iett, alternately THIS ~ caHed "boustro.
pDeAtnn,' Deeapfe, hays . learned author
'the hrea were maze n the same wav aa
ihe iNtfoWa nf olfn in piyuYhina
Ih"fe D. $40 opinion prevailing that tblg
D. de1iea ery nscfp. ION. probable placed
htfe p frtctl tDe f8oi taat al thls rpc,
thfff ha9 been offcd NJ he gods tbe
great tzpaftty sagfNee. fbc aabos ~
"n.eH nn4efIe He patemom and haze
aiffDpnaei ~ ao many azf-s ~ ifsrr,n.
lpH }nfi Taf ezDarau3n waa d t5c
,"n!' l''fe ffTaf1ifR % shg1a b. rigbf
l.At N.i'n Nss made alter TIC 1ogaftgrc
~ il.o Ga4is. ''''