The evening times., 1900-10-06
Discoveries IN CRETE
Great Finds in Region of Pre-
historic Greatness.
The Excavation of a Royal Palace In
knosaos-IiGht on Aboriginal
civiIizatfoEi-f'ottery of the Mycen-
aeam Types-Curious Script OF An
tfquity-Fine Fresco Workmanship

81
as centre of early civilization has long
been recognized comparatively little prog
ress has hitherto been made in bringing to
light the abundant remains of the pre-
historic age which undoubtedly exist in
almost every part of this interesting and
once celebrated island. The realm OF the
legendary Minos. the great conqueror and
lawgiyer. who at the close of his temporal
reign took his seat on the dread tribunal
CT the neither world, the abode of Daeda-
Ius, the father of architecture and plastic
art, the haunt OF the mysterious Daetyls,
the earliest artificers in iron and bronze
the refuge of Europa, and the birthplace
OF Zeus himself, Crete was in remote
times the home of a highly developed cul-
ture which vanished before the dawn Of
history. The fertile island, with its thriv-
ing population and its hundred Homeric
eities-centum urbes, we are told of I1e
Cretans, hdbitant. uberrima regna-at-
tracted the commerce of Egypt and
Fhoenicia and became the stepping stone
Of civilization in its passage from the
south and east to the north and west.
Those shadowy mythical 1gures-the
Cretan Minos, the Cretan Daedalus, and
the Cretan Zeus-represent the indebted
ness OF the Greeks IN the domains of law,
art, and religion to the indigenous pre-
Hellenic population of Crete, the Eteo-
cTeteS genuine Cretans" of Homer
Recent researches throw an interesting
light on the civilization of this aboriginal
race, the zenith of whose culture and
power was coeval with the great Ny
cenaean age. 20
Among the prehistoric cities of Crete
Knossos, the capital of Minos, is indi-
Gated by legend as holding the i3remost
place. Here the great lawgiYer pro-
muIgated his famous institutions, whio h,
like those of Moses and Numa Pom piiius
were derived from a divine source here
he established a maritime empire, sup
pressing piracy, Gonquering the Islands
of the archipelago. and imposing trib-
ute on subjected Athens. Here Daedalus
constructed the Labyrinth the den of the
Minotaur, and fashioned the wings-per-
haps the sails-with which he and ICarus
took flight over the Aegean. In historic
times the city waged a pTotracted strug-
gle with its neighbor Gortyna, fer the
hegemony of the island The attention
of archaeologists has long been direct
ed to knossos; the late DR.. Schlie1naun
was anxious to eIcavate the site, which
was partially investigated by " ]. Still
man. The difficulties attending the pros
ecution of research in Crete under Turk
ish rule have now been removed, and it
make a systematic exploration Of the
ancient stronghold, with results which
equal, if they do not surpass, in imp3r-
tance the discoveries of SchIiemann at
Tiryns and Mycenae-
Like Athens, Megara, Corinth, and other
towns which played a part in Greek mari
time history, Knossos was situated at
some little distance from the sea- The
Akropolis. or fortified palace, now exea-
waited lies about four miles southeast of
Gambia, which under the name HeTaklion,
was the seaport Of the town in classical
times. The palace stands on a slight emf
nence, overlooking brook and surrounded
by an amphitheatre of hills, over which
the ancient city. apparently extended. Its
site was marked by a wall Of Cyclopean
masonry, the only vestige OF the structure
remaining above the surface. consid-
cradle portion of the building has now
been brought to light. The entrance,
which is approached from paved court
ON the eastern side. is faaked by two
columns and leads into a large ante
chamber furnished with stone benches.
Hence we pass into singularly interest
ing apartment. which, adopting the sys-
tenn of nomenclature initiated b. DR.,
Schiiemann, we may designate the "Coun-
ell Chamber of Miuos.' Against the all
on the right stands a throne of gypsum
the Oldest throne in Europe by about 2.tG0
years-with low seat and a tall, Gu
riously-carved back, which still shows
traces of painting. Along the walls on
either side are continuous stone benches
like the seats in an old-fashioned family
pew; on tie opposite side, protected by
a high parapet to which seats are also
attached, is an oblong rectangular de-
preston constructed with finely COM
pacted slabs and evidently intended to
contain water. This was probably a kind
of ornamental impluyium, open to the
sky; it is approached by gradually de-
seending steps, but no outlet for the
water is visible The walls Of the coun-
Gil chamber are ornamented with frescos,
still sufficiently preserved to enable US
to distinguish landscapes. flowing water,
| and towering plants; on either side of &
door leading into a smaller apartment
| are two griffins seated on baskets and
apparently engaged in Matching.
On the southwest side of the palace
We find another and larger paved area
| leading to what appears TO have Eeen
| the principal portal Of the structure, as
! distinguished from tlY royal entrance on
| the eastern front. We enter long cor
/ ridor, on each side of which are a series
/ of frescos representing male and female
| figures aFTayed in rich costumes. In
| fortunately, In many cases only the lower
| parts of the bodies have been preserved,
| of two men to above the waist draped
i in long flowing mantles. On the left
| side the central figure is a woman, dis
| tinguished from the rest by her wide
founces, and evidently queen. In a
| room near the northeast corner were
| found parts of a freSco in an entirely
new miniature style, showing groups OF
| elaborately dressed young women, seated
| in what seems to have been the harem-
| li6 of the palace and engaged in animat-
| ed conversation. Most interesting of all
! is the we'll preserved form of a graceful
| youth or maiden-it is not easy to de-
| termine the sex-hofding aloft a tall,
| slender vase, and apparently walking in
| sacrifciai procession. The color is still
| wonderfully fresh and the outlines are
! clear and we'll drawn. A strange fasci-
/ nation is attached to the beautiful life
/ like figure, this yisitant from a long for
/ gotten world recalled to the light CT day
and the gaze of mankind from a night of
] three thousand years.
| On the same side of the palace are also
| the royal magazines or storerooms, ap-
! preached by a long corridor which leads
to succession of twelve apartments. IL
many of these stand rows of enormous oil
| vases five feet in height, some highly or
nate and furnished with numerous small
/ handles through which ropes or bands
| were possibly drawn one has pair OF
| handles on the inside, perhaps intended
| for the insertion of strap to coun.eract
| the pressure when the vessel was full
! Beneath the floors of some of the cham
! berS and passages are curious reeeptacIes