New-York tribune., 1901-08-25
ANOTHER CRETAN CITY.
THE RUINS OF PHESTOS ARE IN SOME
RESPECTS MORE REMARKABLE
THAN THOSE OF KNOSSOS
ID. g. Hogarth. in The London Times.

AN0i--~A---9
Elements. too considerable to have been villages.
are coming TO light at far more points OF the
Cietan coast than bear name in classical
aliases There are half dozen such in a part
only Of the eastern half isle, and the recent ex-
p!oiaton or TWO among these supplies key ~
the rest one now suspects a MycenSea1
site IN every larger plain of the periphery. So
lar as searched at present, these towns show
Httle or no sign OF having continued into the
historic period. Their civilization botted
out with the ''Mycen8an" domination. The
succeeding class of remains is found for the
most part higher up inland. on difficult heights
or in remote gorges. The coastal plains
secure no longer An age Of seafaring and COM
nCnicatiOn between ancient seats OF luxurious
lie mad given way TO one of local and jejure
Development But why and how may only
guess.
The crown of the great Cretan civilization was
in Mndan knOSs0s. No other site in the island
had furnished. or is likely TO furnish, evidences
or so nigh artistic achievement But there IS
at least one notable site better preserved.
knossos. owing 10 its revival in later epochs
and the proximity Of its site to the medieval
capital Of Crete. has suffered wreck and plunder
beyond other sites Much knowledge and more
imagination required to invest with full
significance its "shOrn and parcelled ruin"
which lying low in a featurele valley. conveys
no immediate impression of rnaenitfcenra ono
must study its cracked and faded fragments
OF treSco, and look narrowly into the work OF
lis reHets and stone vases. 20 realize why il
claims 70 rival MyCenR in interest The house
must be reconstructed from its furniture rather
than the furniture from the house.
me ordinary visitor not a specialist. Will.
therefore prefer the ruin at PhsRstos. the
south Of the island. the fun revelation Of which
has certainly been the sensation Of the paSt
sETnS. When Professor Halbherr announced in
1850 that he had begun upon a lesser Knossos
no one expected that he and his Italian col
leagues were to frd in the event a palace more
uniform. complete aud imposing What they
have now laid bare stands alone in Crete as !
spectacle Even those fresh from tie Mycene
walls and the Treasury Of Atreus. even from
Egypt and Syrie- must admire the broad stair
cases AM Majestic courts Of PhHstoS ali on 81
lnielhsihe plan and preserved - a point
which eNcltes without Ove"tlXng Imagination.
The ruin covers promontory Of rock. Far be-
low the greatest OF Cretan plains stretches -
Mount Diete in the blue distance Ida hangs
right over the site. arl through a gap in the
screen 10 IN" west show the SHOWS cf Sphakia
all three high masses Of the Cret1n relief being
visible from this one point In SO superb a set
TINS II IS the more pity Phrestos should be 50
difficult II attainment. Il may indeed. be
reached IN an hour from tha sea. but Il is from
The stormy, hartoriess Llbyan sea 4 steamer
that had land ID its passengers in the sunrise
calm A. pybAki would often be unable To Pc
embark thern at noon. one must ride there
snre. from Gambia. making a three days exped-
tcn. which VIII Include also Gortyna. but the
DAYS are long and the paths rough.
This palace OF PkRstcs is contained in a vast
rectangle obvious at first sight There has been
an earlier structure but the building now re-
vealed IS OF one character and period-that IF
the acme of the Mycensean Age in Crete. The
visitor. approaching from the north. sees from
a terrace the ruin below distinguished into
three main quarters. on his left a broad stair
tainug altar and tiers OF stone seats built
up against the rock evidently To hold an as
high above it is the main buildtns erterei by
truly majestic Hight Of steps ext.nt:ni; Ire
full width Of the fine pillared hall AT their head
But the entrance from without is from the Op-
positc side, whore second and larger paved
court stretches 10 the brink Of the precipiCe.
Thence IS admittance not only TO the piIared
vestbuIe and main hall. but to n double rank #
galleries, and a maze OF small chambers 10
southW ard. which form the third quarter This
great court, round which the walls and doors
are admirably preserved. vies with the region IN
the west where the two main stairways meet
as the best point Of view the site. To one
standing in 1t the uses Of the various blocks
about II are manifest Here were the living
and sleeping rooms of men. there OF women.
Their common hall of assembly occupies half
another side, the store galleries for the produce
OF the plain till the other half. In the cham
bers In the south they hathed. WOrshipped and
lodged their retainers and their beasts.
All this is constructed OF an excellent lime
stone. which has retained its sharp and square
outlines, while the KnosSian gypsums have
crumbled and collapsed. The general impression,
therefore. is the more convincing. But in de-
tails the inferiorty Of PhRstos is unqu-stion-
able The elaborate frescOs. the sCulptuTed
frieZes and the delicate plaster relief OF knuSSnS
were never here. PhsestOs was provincial It
could command good stone and good masons. but
not the materials or the men for the more subtle
crafts. The noble shell decorated only in
the rudest manner. and its ruin is not compare
bic 10 that Of knoSSOs as museum Of art. On
its plastered walls appear none but cOnVer-
tional patterns of primitive sort: the only
sculptured thing of any note Yet found is
fragment of shell. the clay vases interesting.
but OF common ware. and fine stone vases have
not come To light at all: trinkets in the precious
metals stones have not been found and