New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-01-14
ANTIQUITIES FROM PALESTINE
BEAUTIFUL SPECIMENS OF PHdENICIAN.
ROMAN AND JEWISH GLASSWARE
IN ENGLAND

From The Reliquary and Illustrated Arch;polo-
glSt.
The Holy Land always seems nearer at
CHRISTMAS time to US, but few folks know that
many relics OF the people who lived and died
there from the Philistines to the Arab con
querors, are found in agricultural operations
surely an ancient work of art from Nazareth
I 3Io, Jerusalem, or. indeed, anywhere in
Palestine, ought to have higher archaeological
galue TO most thinking people than any relic
from another part of the globe The old re-
hSlons OF Palestine are shown by the gods in
Stohe ana Gay, even now found occasionally nv
the Arab farmer, for history tells that the
1Sraelltes went astTay at times. and what is
more interesting than to find traces of their
nTdtHch worship in spots sacred to lew
CHRISTIAN and MuSSuman alike AT no better
IN couIu tnese antiquities be found than now
Wheh man is able to understand and value
CICnL 50 mat they may be preserved for future
{I tttloHS' ana nothing is more distressing
man TO ind a lovely glass vessel smashed TO
EASEMENTS IN transit. a somewhat frequent ex-
peflence, am sorry to say Ancient Phnni-
clan, Jewish, Roman and Early Christian relies
nave come to England in fairly large nuggets
curing the last eighteen months. and it seems
OF these things ere they become disDrrsad or
are sent abroad. where so many of the hest
archaeological specimens appear to he going
IHe grass OBJECTS are the most beautiful of the
antiquities. The variety of form is marvellous
ana eVinces high degree of art in glass work
ing IN Palestine in olden times the iDtricota
spirals in blue and green over nortions nf a.
BODY and neck OF the vessels in the earlier
pieces belhg almost peculiar to Palestine the
forms
found being localities where the Phpnicians had
commerce with the inhabitants A few sneci-
mems occur with figures and other ornaments on
the lower portion of the vessel notably one with
Two races, and others with a knobbed Ornament
an over the body, but these are necessarily rare
roman types of glass vessels also are fouDd in
laTSer numbers as would be expected for glass
was great luxury in early civilized times and
only used by the wealthy. Decay has added 10
the beauty OF some of the objects in a marvellous
manner, by giving them lovely iridescent bua
SILVER, gold, green and purple all blend into one
another and cause glorious sheen only to no
afpIec!aled when. seen: IT cannot be described or
Illustrated The pottery is mostly Phonician i'm
type SO far as have seen at present the Mount
OF owes and Hebron being the two places where
Specimens have been discovered up to the pres
ent 1t is extremely scarce, and sells at a high
price in Palestine, and | have not seen a speci-
men IN the British Museum The lamps aDpeaI
more TO the student of early Christianity so
many bearing the ornaments and symbols of
Christian belief. The earliest lamp found in
Palestine is the open bowl with one spout
formed by pressing portion of the edge be
tween the thumb and finger when soft; this
pressed out portion held the wick. They occur
IN all Phmnician settlements, Cyprus Malta and
other places. and the form I'm iron but slightly
lodiiied, was used in Scotland and on the Con-
sinent until very recently. Jewish lamps from
palestine of another form, and bear sym-
bols, vases, grapes. lozenges herringbone pat
Sern and circles, and are OF type which have
8Ot seen from elsewhere