The Savannah morning news., 1901-03-23
ARTISTIC TREASURE TRovE.
Oceans Bed Where They Have
lain. 1000 Years-Perhaps.
From the London Times.

lain. 1000 Years-Perhaps.
From the London Times.
Athens. Feb 12-The strange and. in
deed, sensational discovery OF works OF
ancient art at che bottom OF the sea near
the Island of cerigo (Cythera) viii be re-
garded as an event of the highest inter
est by the antiquarian and artistic world.
Statues of exquisite beauty belonging to
the best period OF Greek sculpture have
been rescued from the dark. unfathomed
caves in which they have lain for. per-
haps. 1000 years and restored to the ad-
miring gaze of a distant generation. Many
OF them, unfortunately. have been much
corroded by the salt water; in some cases
the mischief is irreparable; in others it
is comparatively slight, the portions Of the
statues imDedded in the sand being still
in excellent preservation. The discovery
is due to a sponge diver. who, while pur-
suing his vocation, came upon some
bronze objects at a considerable depth;
the authorities at Athens were informed,
and the Investigations which followed,
though much hindered by bad weather
and insufficient appliances, have already
yielded most important results. 1t is evil
dent that a vessel containing a cargo of
the choicest works of art must have
foundered on the spot; her captain, In all
probability had directed his course along
the eastern coast line of the Peloponnes-
sus with the intention of rounding Cape
Taenarum and proceeding to Italy, when
impotenti prensus Aegeo, he was caught
by the fierce bora and driven in a south
erly direction. The statues were, perhaps,
intended to grace the triumph of some
Roman general or proconsul or to adorn
the villa of some wealthy virtuoso. Some
Of ha fY,r. -
the ship have also been found, as well
as various objects used by the sailors.
Many of the statues and fragments
have now been brought to Athens where
they have been deposited for the present
in the Ministry of Public Instruction.
Foremost in interest and beauty is the
life-size bronze figure of youth, appar-
emily Hermes. The head arms and upper
part of the torso are intact and in good
preservation; both legs have been found,
and enough of the remainder of the body
to render an almost complete reconstruc-
ton of the statue possible. The figure is
poised on the left foot, the right is ex-
tended, the hand apparently grasping a
wreath or a sacrificial vial. The general
style is distinctly Praxitelean; the head
somewhat resembles that of the Hermes
at Olympia, but the cast of the features
is more manly; the dignifed and noble
expression is softened by a slight melan-
choly The statue probably dates from
the fourth century B. c., and may per-
haps be attributed to Lysippus or his
school; it would. therefore, be unique as
specimen of the bronze works of this
epoch, our knowledge Of which has hither-
ii been derived from copies only 1t will
perhaps be known to posterity as the
Hermes of Cythera, or of Anticythera-
the spot where it was found being nearer
to the smaller island. The ship in which
1t was conveyed together with the other
statues was conceivably that in which
the conqueror Sulla deposited many CT
the great masterpieces Of Greek art; the
vessel was lost, according to Lucian,
somewhere in the~neighborhood of Cape
Malea.
Next to the Hermes in Importance is
finely executed statue of young man
bending on his right knee and gazing for
ward with an expression of keen and con-
centrated attention. The head, covered
with short curly hair, the right arm and
leg, and the greater portion Of the body
are in excellent preservation and disulay
admirable workmanship. The left arm,
which is sadly corroded, was evidently
raised, while the hand shaded the eyes,
! or, perhaps, was held aloft in anticipation
of the onset of an antagonist. This 1.-THE
and vigorous figure probably formed part
of a group of wrestlers in which the op-
| BOSAHS athlete was represented as SldIlQ-
ing upright and preparing to close with
| his adversary. The statue displays many
| of the characteristics of the school of
/ Rhodes; 1t may be attributed to the ear
/ lier portion of the second century B. c.
Among the smaller objects of art now
| brought to light are two bronze statuettes
Of athletes which, though slightly cor
roded, are practically perfect. They both
present the muscular type of the school
of Argos and Sicyon; the larger of the
two, which resembles the idolino of the
| Ufizi Gallery, may be assigned to the
latter half of the fifth century; the small
| er, which recalls in some respects the ia
nous doryphoros of Polycletus is of la
ter date. A draped figure, also in bronze,
belongs to the middle of the fifth century,
the feet and the front portion of the head
are unfortunately wanting. The head
| and one arm of a bronze statue of a
boxer have been recovered; the truculent
and somewhat brutal expression of the
face is heightened by the bushy ringlets
and beard and the fiat somewhat swol-
len nose. The forearm and hand are
bound with the thongs of the cestus A
number of detached hands and feet have
been found, and it is believed that the
torsos to which they belong will be dis
| covered in good preservation at a greater
depth in the sand. Six marble statues
completely corroded by the sea water
| and the torso of a large marble centaur
| have been brought to the surface.
The researches have hitherto been car
ried out by divers from Symi, whose work
has been rendered difficult by the great
depth of the water. The tackle at their
disposal has proved insufficient to raise
some of the larger statues, and better
appliances must be provided, as well as
the means of lighting the bottom of the
sea. NJ. Stats, the minister Of public in
struction, and NJ. Kavvadias, the general
ephor of antiquities, are about to proceed
to the spot in order to superlntend the
operations. Their anxeties will not come
to an end with the recovery of the long
lost works of art. The removal of the
| incrustation from the statues by means
Of chemicals will require the greatest
care and caution, and the piecing of the
fragments of the Hermes will be a still
more delicate task. The restoration of
this superb masterpiece. a task of the
utmost responsibility. will no doubt be
intrusted to an artist of worldwide rep
uation.
To the Editor OF the Times:
Sir: I think I may be able to throw
some light upon the interesting discovery
Of Greek statues in the sea off Cerigo.
find in the memoir Of the life Of my
late uncle, Col W. Martin Leake, that in