The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-12-19
ANTIQUITIES OF CYPRUS.
Rare Collection Presented 10 Johns
Hopkins University.

DSAUlttul 3utl4uiLIcS IRON the 4StdHG u
Cyprus. They viii be formally presented
TO the university in a few days. The col
lection numbers about ninety pieces { I'd
was gathered by Col Falkland Warren, a
cousin OF Mrs. Marburg. who was Govern
ment Secretary for Cyprus from 1879 TO
1891. In letter to Mr.. Marburg Mr.
Warren says:
These antiquities were especially Sc
lected during residence of thirteen years
from large assortments brought to me
from excavations made On the spot"
Some OF the relics were bought from
peasants who had uncovered them in the
cultivation OF their fields. but others were
taken out of excavations carried on BY
Colonel Warren for the sole purpose of
securing relics
Mr. Marburg explained that in Cyprus
the diseOverer of antiquities is by law
entitled to oae-third of the treasure, the
authorities third. and the owner of the
land third, but the landlord is usually
willing to sell his share at a reasonable
figure and it thus happens that the en-
thusiast usually gets two-thirds of his
find.
That these antiques are genuine and
worthy Of fullest consideration by stu
dents is manifested by the opinions Of such
men as Prof Max o. Richter and Profess
ser Sayce, who were thoroughly convinced
OF the Importance Of the collection and
extremely eager 10 get hold Of it for Cam
bridge University and the Berlin Museum
Colonel Warren was highly BATTERED by
the attentions of these sayants, but re-
fused to allow his vafuabies TO pass out
of has hands.
Most beautiful OF all the collection is
an infagifo head of Alexander the Great,
cut in red sard and supposed TO be like
ness from life by the Greek iutaglio cut
ter Pergotcles. 1t would be hara 20 in
agine a more beautiful piece Of work
manship Alexander is represented as
type OF the majestic beauty familiar In
the remains of Greek sstatEary. with biga
forehead, well-set eyes, q Greek nose,
firm mouth and chin, and the hair G ds-
tering in curls. Prof. Richter was espe-
ciaiiy anxious TO secure ta1s piece, and
,6heu he could not obtain the original was
so impressed with its importance that ne
tcek an impression for future study.
With the intaglio IS cameo rePresen-
tafion Of Alexander as the adealiZed
Zeus-Aumon. whom the Greeks confused
with Amen-Ra. the principal god OF the
Theban divine triad Of she Egyptians. and
in their minds chief Of the Egyptian IL
whites The face is msssiyely beautl-
full. bat not attractive as that in the IL
tagiio It is cut on a white st01e. and
which we're used 20 illustrate the char
aeterlstics OF this particular god whsH
the Greek artists fdealized him with
human face instead OF the rams head
with which he WAS represented by his
Egyptian woTshipers. The cameo was cut
to nemorize Alexander's attainment OF
the overIordship OF the country.
The third piece OF tEis interesting Sc
ries is az intagIio representation IN
brown sard Of Minerva killing the Titan
who dared 10 resist the power Of Jupiter.
Minerva is shosn in a heroic attitude
displaying TO the gaze OF the Titan q
shield on which is the hszd OF Nedusa-
which turned to stone any being who
looked upon it. The Titan is in nor
ror-strieken attitude and his face depicts
his agony as he realized that he was
gradually becoming monument Al OF
the work on this piece is OF most deli
cafe character. and the details are
brought out with a fidelity that is re-
markabie
What is probably the most important
of the collection historically is a series
of glass canoes found by peasants Ehi, e
pie7Fing near the village Of Ninkesa- The
style Of headress would Indicate that the
canoes were made at a very early age
and it is thought that when they are
carefully studied b. the Hopkins experts
II viii be found that glass and the art Of
working IL were known at an earlier age
than has hitherto been thought.
OF special interest are the seals and ey-
finders Inscribed srIth Hittite figures and
characters. The amount of exact kaovi-
edge possessed By the world OF H3ttite
history and language in small, and there
is a prospect that this knowledge VIII be
increased by the new materials now plac-
ed in the hands Of capable students Sew
eral of the seals have inscriptions. notably
s0fc CT s
IRE of HaTpocrifes fGod Of Silence) being
adored by one of his TprshiperS-
To the students Of earlier history cx-
zibfts Of great interest are two scarabaei.
or beetles-oRe Of black hematite and one
Of white duartz@which ara inscribed vita
ancient Cypriot characters. They are he
Heved TO be entirely unique, as nothing
ike them is known in any OF the EuI o.
pean national museums.
Professor Sayee. of Cambridge remark
ed their special value TO investigators
Judging from their general appearance
and Inscriptions Il IS thought that they
could not be of later date than 200 B.
c. which was about the time blind Ho-
uaer vas singing the songs which we're to
make his name immortal.
In one group are tweBty-one searsOaei
and seals representing the period of Egyp-
tian rule IN Cyprus. which began With the
conQuests Of Masis, about 500 B. c. These
are valuable for showing the influence OF
Egyptian art and religion upon that OF
the natives.
Under the head cylinders from Cy-
prus" are thirteen specimens Some Of
them have their written characters incor-
rectly formed. and it is thought that these
mistakes were intsltiezzl> done TO repre-
sent the ancient Cypriot characters Some
CT the characters are considered attempts
to represent C5pri01 names Theoretically.
All Of these seals are very rare, one eSpe-
ciaIly so, and those who have examined
them say that they cannot date later than
SEQ B. C.
No. SO of the gold ornaments is a gold
pendant about two inches long, q human
lgure of the -PhoeRician origin. a
popularity of this ornament, which is OF
great value because of its rarity, IS that
II is supposed to be hollow and have in
side a roll of paper containing an iHserip-
ton. The figure is net entirely CIT away,
as in the ease of a statue, and at the bot
tenn of the back support IS q small round
hole. n which can be distinctly seen an
apparently removable plug. When this
viii be opened has not been decided. but
Mr. Marburg is awaiting the time with
considerable interest.
To the casual observer the most notice
able feature of the collection of ornamen-
tai ievelry is the exquisite manner in
which il is made and the remarkable re-
ssmblance which the rings and earrings
bear to those of the present day There
Is nothing coarse or clumsy. nothing
rough. but all OF the better specimens dis
play beautiful art II there is any Differ
eoee between the ancient and the modern
painstaking care with which the dapla9-
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