Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-01-19
One Of the Wonders Revealed by Re-
cent Excavations in Crete.
LABYRINTH OF MNoS LAID BARE
Remarkable Results of a Search
for Antiquities.
PRECIOUS TR E A S U RE S


come prominently before the public eye
an isle of Unrest the storm center of
the eastern question, the Pandora's box
which has threatened more than once to
disturb the harmony of the great powers.
Owing to it's present low estate and TO
the unsavory reputation of its inhabitants,
due in part, no doubt, to St. Paul's severe
characterization ''Cretans are always
liars evil beasts, idle gluttons''-it is hard
to realize that at the dawn of Greek his
tory Crete was a great maritime power,
extending its sway over the islands and
mainland of the Aegean, and had devel
oped a legal system that afforded a mod
el even for the law-given Lycurgus in pre-
pairing the Spartan code.
Crete occupies a strategic position in the
Mediterranean. Situated at the base of
the Aegean, about half way on the direct
route between Egypt and the Hellespont,
between Phoenicia and the Pillars of Her
cules, 1t stood as stepping stone between
Greece proper and the two continents which
produced the worlds earliest civilizations
Hence oriental culture in its westward
march made its first Judgment in Crete Of
any Hellenic land. To Crete, therefore, we
must go for the origins of European civili-
cation
Crete is the scene Of many of the sug
gestive incidents of Greek mythology, and
Archaeology, through IT'S discoveries, Cur
roborates legend and conjecture and at
fords the basis of fact in ascertaining the
historical. One of the interesting results
of modern research In the study of an
tiquity is the realization that the fabulous
heroes of Greece had local habitation as
well as a name, and that myth and leg
end have been corrOborated by actual re-
mains in stu. Thus the palace of Priam
at Troy and the home and tomb of Aga
mcmnOn at Mycenae have been revealed
to modern eyes, and some score of years
ago DIR. Schliemann, the eXcavator of these
Homeric sites. announced In startling
telegram to King George of Greece that he
had dsinterred the body of his illustrious
predecessor Agamemnon. These discover
les demonstrate that the manner of life
portrayed in the poems of Homer actually
existed, and though Hector be a myth and
Agamemnon poets fancy, yet men like
Hector and Agamemnon once lived and
moved and had their being.
Epoch-MakinE Discoveries.
The discoveries of DR.. Schliemann at Troy
and Mycenae unveiled a hitherto unknown
civilization and enlarged the bounds of his
tory by the knowledge of a pre-Helenic
period known as the Myceaaean age. Now.
the center Of archaeological interest has
been transferred to Crete, for on this island
recent discoveries have been made which
are epochnaking In their results, as they
furnish written documents and material
r. IN aims dating hack to the year 2OoO b. G..
and reveal a prc-Mycenaean period. We
have at hand, therefore, available for study,
records such as VIII supply the connect
ing links between the civiliza tons of Egypt
and Assyria and that of Greece.
In early Greek mythology there are few
stories better known than that of King
MInos Of Crete and his famous labyrinth
built by the skilful hand Of Daedalus, Of
the cruel MnOtaur demanding human sac
rfices, Of the Athenian hero, Thescus who
accompanied the devoted band of youths
and maidens sent as tribute from Athens
to Crete-TheseEs. who won the love of
the Princess Ari1dne, ana, provided by her
with sword and clue, slew the monster
found his way out Of the entangling mazes
of the labyrinth and carried off the prin-
cess his bride. After being lost 10 the
world for 5000 years this labyrinth of dire
renown has yielded it's treasures to the
p:ck-aX of the archaeologist, and We can
now know the royal palace Of King Minos
It must have been in the bright days
OF its splendor and in the freshness and
youth of it's monuments.
For some years the site Of ancient Cnos-
sus. about four miles south Of the modern
Gambia. 1.-The city of Minos and Daedalls.
and the traditional site of early Cretan
civilization" has attracted the attention CT
archaeologists, but Turkish occupation and
the Greco-Turkish war prohibited any at
tempts at excavation. The new regime,
high commissioner OF the powers in Cree,
offered a favorable opportunity. and in
April. 1900, Mr.. Arthur Evans and Mr. d.
G. Hogarth, two eminent English archaeol-
ogists, got concession from Prince George
to eXcavate the site OF Cuossus and also
that OF the Cave of Psychro. intimately
associated with the legends Of the Cretan
Zeus. They began at once the work OF eN-
cavation The extraordinary results which
rewarded their undertakings threw into the
shade all the archaeological campaigns OF
recent years in Hellenic lands. and can be
justly compared only with the remarkable
discoveries of Dr. Schliemann.
Prehistoric Palace.
At Cnossus was uncovered a prehistoric
palace, SO rich in its relics Of a primitive
civilization that beside it the palaces of
Tiryns and Mycenae sink into insignifi-
canoe. a brief summary of the results IS
thus given by Mr.. Evans:
"At but very slight depth below the
surface of the ground the spade has uncov-
cred great courts and corridors, nropylaea,
a long succession of magazines. containing
gigantic stone jars that might have hidden
the forty thieves, and multiplicity or
chambers pre-eminent among when Is the
actual throne room and council chambef
of Homeric kings. The throne itself, on
which Gf so much faith be permitted to us)
Mnos may have declared the law, Is carved
out of alabaster, once brilliant with colored
designs, and relieved with curious tracefy
and crocketed arcading, which is wholly
unique in ancient art and exhibits a strange
anticipation of thirteenth century Gota &C.
In the throne room, the western entrance
gallery and elsewhere, partly still adhering
to the walls. partly in detached pieces on
the floor, was a series of fresco paintings
excelling any known examples of the art in
Mycenaean Greece. A beautiful Hfe-size pic
ture of a youth, with an European and al
most classically Greek profile, gives US the
first real knowledge of the race who pro-
duced this mysterious early CIVILIZATION.
Other frescoes introduce US to lively and
hitherto unknown miniature style, repre-
senting among other subjects groups or w.
men engaged in animated conversation IN
| the courts and on the balconies OF the pal
| ace. The monuments of the sculptors art
are equally striking. It may be sufficient TO
| mention here a marble fountain in the
| shape of lioness' head with enameled
| eyes; fragments of frieZe, with beautifully
| cut rosettes, superior in its kind to any
| thing known from Mycenae: an labaster
| vase Enthusiastically cut from Triton
shell; porphyry lamp with graceful fola-
| ton. supported on am "EgyptlanlZing lotus
| column. The head and parts OF the BODY OF
| magnificent painted relief of bull in
| gesso duro are unsurpassed for vitality and
| strength
| Ages Added to Greek Literature.
| Furthermore, in the chambers of the
| palace there came toilight a series of clay
tablets inscribed in two distinct types of