The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-09-29
GREAT FINDS IN CRETE.
IMPORTANT 1RCHIEOLOGIC1 IN
VESTIGATIONS IN KNOSS0S.
Light on an Aboriginal Civilization
Royal Palace with the Oluest
Throne In Europe.

IhrOhe IN EUROPE
Although the great importance OF
Crete as a center of early civilization
has long been recognized, comparative
" little progress has hitherto been
made in bringing to light the abund-
ant remains of the prehistoric age
which undoubtedly exist in almost
every part of this interesting and once
celebrated island. The realm of the le-
gendary Minos, the great conqueror
and laW-giver, who at the close OF MS
temporal reign took his seat on the
dead tribunal of the neither world, the
abode of Daedalus, the father OF archl-
lecture and plastic art, the haunt OF the
mysterious Dactyls, the earliest art1fl-
GERS in iron and bronze, the refuge OF
Europe and the birthplace of Zeus NM
self, Crete was in remote times the
home of a highly developed culture
which vanished before the dawn of his
tory. The fertile island, with its thrlv-
ing populati ton and it's hundred Homer
ic cities-centum urbes, we are told OIL
the Cretans, habitant, uberrima regina
attracted the commerce of Egypt ana
Phoenicia and became the stepping
stone of civilization in it's passage from
the south and east to the north ana
west. Those shadowy mythical figures
the Cretan Minos, the Cretan Daeda-
1us and the Cretan Zeus-represent the
indebtedness of the Greeks in the do
mains of law, art and religion to the
Indigenous pre-Hellenic population Of
Crete the Eteocretes or genuine Gre
tans'' of Homer. Recent researches
throw an interesting light on the civil
ization of this aboriginal race, the zen
18th of whose culture and power was CO.
eval with the great Mycenaean age.
Among the prehistoric cities of Crete
Knossos, the capital of Minos, is indi-
Gated by legend as holding the fore
most place. Here the great law-given
promulgated his famous institutions,
which, like those of Moses and Numa
Pompilius, were derived from a divine
source; here he established a maritime
empire, suppressing piracy, conquering
the islands of the archipelago and i'm
posing a tribute on subjected Athens.
Here Daedalus constructed the Lady,
rnth, the den of the Minotaur, and
fashioned the wings-perhaps the sails
with which he and Icarus took flight
over the Aegean. In historic times the
city wages a protracted struggle with
its neighbor, Gortyna, for the hegemo-
ny of the island. The attention of
Psychologists has long been directed to
Knossos the late DR.. Schliemann was
anxious to excavate the site, which was
partially investigated by w. J. Still
man. The difficulties attending the
of research in Crete under
Turkish rule have now been removed,
and it has been reserved for Arthur
Evans to make a systematic explora-
ton of the ancient stronghold, with re-
suits which equal, if they do not sur
pass, in Importance the discoveries of
schliemann at Tiryns and Mycenae.
Like Athens, Megara, Corinth and
ether towns which played q part in
Greek maritime history, Knossos was
situated at some little distance from
The sea- The Akropolis, or fortified
palace, now excavated, lies about four
miles southeast of Gambia, which, I'M
der the name Heraklon, was the sea-
port of the town in classical times.
The palace stands on slight eminence,
overlooking a brook and surrounded by
an amphitheater of hills, over which |
the ancient city apparently extended. |
Its site was marked by a wall of Cyclic |
pean masonry, the only vestige of the |
structure remaining above the surface. |
A considerable portion of the building
has now been brought to light. The en-
trance, which is approached from a |
paved court on the eastern side, is |
Ranked by two columns and leads into |
a large ante-chamber furnished with |
stone benches. Hence we pass into a
interesting apartment, |
which, adopting the system of nomen-
,lature initiated by DR.. Schliemann, we
nay designate the Council Chamber of
Minos." Against the wall on the right |
stands a throne of gypsum-the oldest |
.hrone in Europe by about two thou |
sand years-with low seat and a tall, |
carved back, which still
hows traces of painting. Along the
walls on either side are continuous
stone benches like the seats in an old |
fashioned family pew; on the opposite
tide, protected by a high parapet to
which seats are also attached, is an OBJ
ong rectangular depression construct
d with finely compacted slabs and evil
lently intended to contain water This
vas probably kind of ornamental i'm
oluvium open to the sky; it is ap-
preached by gradually descending
teps, but no outlet for the water is
yisible. The walls of the council
hamber are ornamented with frescos,
till sufficiently preserved to enable us
o distinguish landscapes, flowing wa
er and Towering plants; on either side
f door leading into smaller apart
nent are two griffins seated on baskets
nd apparently engaged in Matching
FRESCOS OF FRESH COLOR.
On the southwest side of the palace
re find another and larger paved area
eading to what appears to have been
he principal portal of the structure, as
istinguished from the royal entrance
n the eastern front. We enter long
orridor, on each side of which are
cries of frescos representing male and
amale figures arrayed in rich cos
umes. Unfortunately, in many cases
My the lower parts of the bodies have |
cen preserved but a large fallen piece
bows the figures of two men to above
lie waist, draped in long, flowing man
es. On the left side the central figure |
a woman, distinguished from the rest |
y her wide t1ounces, and evidently a
ueen In a room near the northeast |