The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-11-09

aud know the royal palace of King
MinoS as it must have been in the bright days
OF its spendor ard III the freshness and youth
oi its monuments
For some years the site of ancient Cnosss,
about four miles south OF the modern Candia
the city OF Minos and Daedalus." and "thc
Traditional site OF early Crctlu civilizations" has
attracted the attention OF arclacologstS, but
Turkish occupation and the Greco.T'rkis war
prohibited any attempts at excavation. The new
regime, however, with Prince George OF Greece
as high commissioner OF the powers in Crete.
offered favorable opportunity. and in April,
1900. Mr.. .Nthur Evans and Mr.. d. G.. iio.
garth, two eminent English archocologistS got
| a concession from Prince George to evcavate The
site of CnoS>lis, and also that OF the Cave "t
P~ycl,o. intimately associated with the legends
oi the Ccctan ZruS They began at once the
work OF excavations. The extraordinary results
which rewarded their undertakings threw into
| the shade all the archaeological campaigns OF
recent years i'll Hellenic lands, and can be just
~ compared only with the remarkable discov.
cries OF d.. S.hlicmann.
At CnosSls was uncovered Il prehistoric pal.
arr, 50 rich in its relics oi a primitive cviliaa.
ton that beside it the palaces OF Yiiyns and
Myccnlc sink into inssniticLncc. biie! sum
mary hi til" results is thus given by Mr.. Evans:
"At but a very slight depth below the s'r.
face Of the ground !hc spade has uncovered great
courts ana Corliuors, IhoPS l"e", q '"h6 S"'''"'
sion oi magazines, containing gigantic stone
lars that might have hidden the forty thieves,
and multiplicity OF chambers prcernincnt
among which is tue actual throne room ana
council chamber Of llolnrric kings. The throne
ITSELF on Which iii so much faith bc permitted
10 usl Minos may have declared the law, IA
carved out Of alablster once brilliant with col
ored designs, and relieved with curious trlceTy
and c,ouheled arcadng, which is wholly unique
in ancient art and exhibits st!ange anticipa-
tion OF thirteenth century Gothic In the throne
room. the western entrance gallery and else
where partly still adlcring 10 tho walls, partly
in detached pieces on the floor, WAS series Of
lreSco paintings cxoeling amy known examples
oI the ant in Mycenleln Greece. hcint!ui
l!fc.>iac picture Of youth, with AZ European
and almost clasSicalv Greek profile, gives Us III,
FIST real knowledge OF the race who produced
this mysterious early civilization. olh'r it''-
Goes introduce us 10 4 lively ana ilthcilp NI-
known miniature style, representing among other
subjects groups OF women engaged IN ahlhEItru
conversation in the courts and on The balconies
oi the pllar,. The monuments OF the scu'p-
tors art are equally striking. II may be sur
iicicnt to mention heir a marble fountain IN the
shane Of a lu,rsS' head with cnamcled cye';
fragments ol igielc with brau iflily ont
,oscttcs, superior in lis kind 10 anything kno"n
from Myccnc; an alablstcr vase Enthusiastically
cut nom a Triton she'll; 4 porphyry iainp with
graceful toliation, supported on an 'Esyp'lan-
izing" lotus column. The head and parts Of the
body of a mlgni0ccn, painted relief o! u bull in
gesso du.o arc unsurpassed for vitality and
strength.
Furthermore in tie chambers Of the palace
there came to light a series Of clay tablets in
sorihed in two distinct types OF prehistoric script,
one hclioglyphic, the Others linear, and carry
ing back tho existence OF written documents
in an Hellenic land some seven centuries earlier
than the first known monuments OF historic
Greek writing. The work of eYclvlting this
palace is only hali completed, and there is no
telling what further discoveries will he made
90 add 10 ON knowledge nj this early Aegean
civilization
lndisputabl2 evidence has been found ,lat Tits
/, actually the labyrinth of King Mino3. Tire
bull i> frequently found in igesco and relief and
the lrstau doublc.aE, the labiy3, tnc emblem Of
the ,Ietln Zeyls, is pvofusey srulpturcd on The
colncIstonc's pillars OF she palace showing Tor
tho INST time tlc tree ot,mo!ogy ~ tlc disputed
tenn itSeli--thc labyrlnth, og the House q the
Doubc.aS.
Discoveries hardly less remarkable were made
by Mr.. Ilogarth at the cave o. Psyelo, 10 other
than the holy Dictaein cavern, where tooh place
the Legendary union OF zeus and Europa, aud
from where their offspring, Minos, like another
Moses, brought down 10 mankind the Law after
communion with the Crctin Ieus. H. this cavern
were found numerous s,atuettcS, gems votivc
double axes. trinkets and weapons, showing that
here in remote ages was sacred shrine, where
pious dovotees bestowed their offerings and con
tributing to modem times number oi minor
works oi ant, which throws light on this re
mote civilization.
Professor Louis Dyer, OF ONfoId. England
Hearst lecturer Tor 1900 al the University Of
California, who is near neighbor OF MI. Evans
in oxford, has been entrusted by him with much
unpublished material regarding the latest Gre