The sun., 1901-08-11

MSS BOYD ,UNcovERs ANCIsNT
CITY IN CRETE.

Interesting Recent Finds There end IN
CeAtrL Asla DIR. Stein Csavicb lsIan
\khum, Q Central lAslatie, ,Whe Hes Been
selling Faxed Ancient Manuscripts.
spxiai Css,s DsspaisA 10 TINE SON.
LONDON, Aug. i0.-N may seem incon-
yr,ous 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.
now that II has been rescued from tho
barbarian custody Of the Turks. Il proving
A wonderful storehouse Of tho records Of q
race far antedating what the archeologists
expected. It Is oven transpiring that the
stands traditional claim to embrace .
hundred cities u not without foundation.
Prof. David George Hogarth Of Oxford.
Tho noted explorer, writing to the TsHes
to-day, describes the remains Of anclsnt
cities which are coming to light at many
more points OF the Cretan coast than are
recorded in the classical aliases. He
SAYS he now suspects Mycsn&aa site In
every one Of the larger plains.
These towns 20 far a. searched show
little or no sign Of having continued into the
historic period. Their civilization was
blottsd out with the Myoensan domina-
ton.
II V impossible to chronicle the great
recent discoveries briefly. but It ID inter-
estins to call attention to the spot which
Prof. Hosarth describes - the site best
worth visiting In Crete. This was located
and uncovered by the perseverance, Of an
American woman. Miss Harriet Boyd.
Tho remains Of the ancisut Mycensan
town Of Gorynia No on the Gulf Of Mira
bello at the head Of the lowest pass to the
south coast. The sits 10 close to the main
road from Gambia to Bitris, and was dis
covered BY Miss Boyd. who had been di-
reoting the excavations. Her workmen
have now laid bare two narrow, tortuous
streets, which are paved on either end
and arc preeerv Cd to . considerable ex-
tent.
Tho houses arc built Of stone with party
walls Of brick. This style OF structure
was often suspected on the Egean Gulf /.
but the sites were never found before.
Two streets converge toward large build
ing Of fine masonry on the highest point Of
a knoll, which u easy TO recognize as the
house Of the local Governor.
The contents OF the buildings are in
teresting. as well a. the structure. Al
most 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 many clay vases are some which were
previously suspected from fragments that
have been recovered among the cham
bers. one Of which, from the objects and
been ANAL shrine.
More archaeological lore comes from
much farther east through DR., Stein Of
The British Indian Education Department.
who has just returned to London after a
years exploration In the deeply interesting
section Of central Asia. He spent months
in the little known Khotan Desert, and
succeeded In exoavating a large series Of
Buddhist temples and monastic buildings
len miles to the northeast of Khotan city.
He found lot Of ancient manuscripts in
Sanscrit, Chinese and an unknown Ian
guasv. which includes some well-known
Indian characters. He also found Bud
dhist pictures and numerous stucoo sculp-
lures which were undoubtedly OF Indian
style. From this point, DIR. Stein pushed
TO an ancient site in the desert beyond
Keriya, where he made q rich strike 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
tablets in Kharosthi script peculiar to the
extreme northwest Of ancient India.
The deciphenng Of these records re-
quires much time and labor, but already
1t can be seen that the tablets contain the
correspondence Of private Official. Some
still bear the clay seal which was originally
attached, and also the string with which
an ingeniously oontrived wooden envelope
was fastened. These seals possess specific
interest. the number showing unmistakable
traces OF the influence OF Greek art.
DR.. Stein subsequently, explored the
sites OF East Khotan, which furnished
additional manuscripts. many interesting
specimens OF ancient sculpture, all showing
The influence Of Greek art, and colossal
stuoco images.
In addition to enriching the knowledge
Of ancient Central Asia, DR.. Stein has been
the means Of bringing to light cleverly
planned extensive trade In fabricated
manuscripts These have been found in
some famous European collections, gov
ernmental and private, and many learned