The Washington times. (Washington [D.C.]) 1901-1902, 1901-08-11
THE RESEARCHES In CRETE
Valuable Results of the Recent
Archaeological Discoveries.
Sites of Prehistoric Cities Being
Brought TO Light-Dr. stein Recov-
crs Ancient Indian Writings -
Fraudulent Manuscript Factory.
Especial Cablegram-Copyrighted)

Especial Cablegram-Copyrighted
LONDON, Aug. 10.-It may seem incon-
gruous to cable news of human affairs
many thousand years old, but the present
salutary calm gives added interest to the
remarkable additions just made to the
knowledge of prehistoric periods. Crete,
especially, now that it has been rescued
from the barbarian custody of the Ticks,
is proving a wonderful storehouse OF the
records of a race far antedating what the
archaeologists expected. 1t is even trans
pring that the islands traditional claim
TO embrace a hundred cities is not with
: out foundation. Prof. David George Ho-
garth. of oxford, the noted explorer, writ
ing to the Times today, describes the
remains of ancient cities which are COM
ing tc light at many more points of the
Cretan. coast than are recorded IN the
classical aliases. He says he now sus-
poets a Mycenaean site in every one Of
the larger plains.
These towns. so far as searched, show
little or no sign of having continued into
the historic period. Their civilization was
blotted out with the Mycenaean domino
ton. 1t is impossible to chronicle the
great recent discoveries briefly, but it is
interesting to call attention to the spot
which Prof. Hogarth described as the
site best worth visiting in Crete, which
was located and uncovered by the per
severance of an American woman, Miss
Harriet Boyd.
This was the remains of the ancient
Mycenaean town of Gorynia. 1t lies on the
Gulf of Mirabello, at the head of the low
est pass to the south coast 1t has not
been observed up to the present time, al
though il is close to the main road from
Gambia TO Sitria. This was discovered by
Miss Boyd who had been directing the
excavations. Her workmen have now laid
bare two narrow. tortuous streets, which
are paved en- either end and are preserved
to a considerable extent.
The houses are built of stone WIKI party
walls Of brick. This style of structure
was often suspected on the Aegean Gulf,
but the sites We're never found before.
me two streets converge toward a large
building OF line masonry on the highest
point of a knoll, which is easy to recog-
nize as the house Of the local governor.
The contents of the buildings are inter
esting as well as the structure. Almost
everything IN the shape of precious metal
has vanished. but everything in bronze
seems to have remained, in the shape Of
weapons tools, and vessels. Among the
which We're previously suspected from
fragments that have been recovered
among the chambers. One of these cham
beers, from the objects and symbols found,
ii is safely inferred had been a small
shrine.
More archaeological lore comes from
much farther East through DR.. Stein. of
the British Indian Education Department,
who has lust returned to London after
years exploration in the deeply interest
ing section of central Asia. He spent
months in the little known Khotan desert
and succeeded in eXcavating a large Sc
ries of Buddhist temples and monastic
buildings ten miles to the northeast of
Khotan City. He found lot of ancient
manuscripts in Sanscrit, Chinese, and an
unknown language. The latter are in
well known Indian characters.
He also found Buddhist pictures and
numerous stucco sculptures. which were
undoubtedly OF Indian style. From this
point DR. Stein pushed to the ancient
desert beyond Keriya, where he made a
rich find of ruined dwellings, half buried
in the sand, and an abundant supply of
Biographical and other relics likely to
prove of great Importance to students of
Indian antiquity and early central Asiatic
history.
He obtained 500 documents written on
wooden tablets in knarosthi script pc
culiar to the extreme northwest of an
Gent India. The deciphering of these rec
ofds requires much time and labor, but
already il can be seen the tablets con-
tain the correspondence Of private OH
ciaI Some still bear the clay seal which
was originally attached and also the
string with which an ingeniously con-
trived wooden envelope was fastened.
These seals possess specific interest.
a number showing unmistakable traces
of the influence of Greek art In addi-
ton to enriching the knowledge of ancient
central Asia, DR.. Stein has been the
means of bringing to light cleVerly
planned and extensive trade in fabricated
manuscripts. These have been found IN
some famous European collections. gov
ornamental and private, and many learned
men have wasted precious hours endeaH-
oring to decipher what were believed TO
be the records of hitherto unknown Ian
guages.
DIR. Stein found that Islam Akhun, who
for a central Asiatic was a phenOmenally
enterprising man. was locally credited
with having established a factory Of an
Gent documents. He is the agent through
whom the British and Russian represen-
tatives at Kashgar. as well as private col
iectors. obtained manuscripts Owing 10
the gradually increasing suspicion about
him in the last few years, the demand for
his documents has rather fallen of. and
he has taken up the profession of medi-
zine.
When DR. Stein returned from Khotan
In Ap-il the Chinese district officer pro-
duced Islam Akhun for examination. Islam
first denied that he was a faker and for
ger but ultimately confessed.
IL seems that he was originally engaged
with accomplices in making up manu-
ycripts Of what appeared to him a reason
able imitation Of the genuine ancient
scraps Finding a profitable market, he
allowed his inventive powers free scope
and turned out documents at rapid rate.
This process sim seemed too slow and too
laborious so Islam conceived the auda-
cious scheme Of block printing.
In order 10 give an ancient appearance
70 modern Khotan paper h. first soaked
IL in a solution which impaired a yellow
color. then he printed II without much at
tention to its supposed connection. After
this the printed sheets were hung in Chin
neys and finally buried for some time in
the desert sand. They were then palmed
off as ancient documents. Islam Akhun 5
wIck.dncss did not end there. for he used
to go about the mountains and represent
himself agent sent by the British
Government 10 look after the slaves. orig
finally carried from India and now ordered
released
He was able to levy blackmaiI on the
ton ant fng ~ nrndIIplnU "a "a