Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-02-14
LOST CITIES OF SYRIA
IMPORTANT DISCOVERIES ny AMERI-
CAN EXPLORERS.
Rains Found i'm the Deserts OF n
R~giOn Unknown for
Man, Centuries.
ernn, lI.s NeN York Tribune.

Prom the New York Tribune.
The generosity OF four Americans and the
we'll directed efforts Of the men selected by
them to carry out the work have added
new chapter to the history of the world. II
j. So strange in some Of its features that II
resembles romance. but it IL true in every
particular and its truth IS demonstrated
by the camera. The chapter consists OF the
records and the experiences OF a party OF
Americans who penetrated into part or
Asia Minor which is known as a desert,
where water Is scarce and the natives nos
tile. where the soil has been washed away
in most places. leaving only small ana poor
matches of earth. and where everything IN
nature combines to throw barriers in the
way Of the possible visitor.
The explorers did not go in search OF al
venture but to finish a work which had
been begun In 1861, when the Marquis de
Vague made a journey into syria ana there
discovered number Of deserted cities, ana
a country thar showed by its architectural
remains that it had once heeD inha bited by
people who had reached a high state or
civilization. The results nj this expedition
were published in 1861 when De vogue
brought out book containing not only an
account Of his adventures. but pictures OF the
runs which he had seen. These pictures We're
made from drawings. which conveyed only
imperfect impressions of the ancient mon
hat in the desert region of Syria there eX-
iSlrd the remains OF great civilization.
and This was doubly interesting because the
architectural fragments covered period
hel wctn the fourth and sixth centuries or
ne Christian era. which Is almost blank 81
far this region Is concerned III the rec
urdS az the rest of the civilized world De
Vogue found specimens Of earlier architec-
ture Also going back to the first century
before Christ, and coming down 70 the be-
ginning of the seventh century A. ID. His
book Was written In an interesting style,
its pictures were extensively reproduced.
and nuCh was written on the subject of the
81 ri;tn desert cities bu: the subject was not
followed up In a practical way. few Ger
man schGlars-students of observation-disclosures
turcd into the bleak and barren country,
but never went far beyond the line of civ
iliZsttion. They visited the country near An
tinch Damascus and Hama. and COrrobo-
rated in small way the statements of the
diSc6verer. Nevertheless. the greater part
of the country explored by De Vogue re-
Inained unyisted: its monuments and in
scrjptiuus did not attract the attention of
archacologiSts: the fact that the period To
which they belonged was later than the
classical era may have been one reason why
expeditions were not organized 10 visit and
report upon the desert land 1t was for the
purpose of following up the work of De
Vogue, cnrrohorating his statements with
photographic views and measurements and
extending his exnlora tinnS that the Amer
icaa archaeological expo dition in Syria was
organized III lStl
Organization of the Expedition.
The work was divided into four depart
mcntS. The first. for the study of archi-
lecture and sculpture and archaeological
matters. was under the direction of How
ard Crosby Butter: Pref. William Kelly
Prentice was placed in charge of the de-
pdrtment for the study Of classical inscrip-
tioaS: br Emo Gittmann of the University
of Haze had the department of Semitic in
Scrtl'tI0nS. and Rubert Garrett Superintend-
ell ,hc map making and surveying. The
parry WAS accompanied by khalil GaudOur.
a draeomdn we'll known in talest line. and
for part of the time Henry NJ. Huxley.
VIII" wished 1" make studies of the Be
dOutn> and o,her iHhahi ans of Syria, was
'.uJ Cf the patty. The members of the ex-
petition had their servants and "A military
escort. which was furnished ny the Turkish
government. they carried also letters from
Turkish officials To the governors and other
persons in authority. which secured for
them not only safe conduct, hut hospitable
tr- atment in places where they had reason
to expect The contrary. The party num-
brrcd sixty persons. To transport the camp
Quilt and instruments, supplies, etc. one
hundred animals were necessary. OF these
twenty were horses. thirty camclS and the
res pack mules.
Syria was entered at .Nlexandrelta. which
j. situated on tbs northeastern corner OF
thr Mediterranean sea. Thence Il went to
Arl'och, a small modern village which
marks the site of The ancient city. which
under the Roman empire was one of the
four largest cities IN the world. Al Antioch
tbs expedition left civilization and. crossing
II mountain range running north and south
came I" the country visited forty years be-
fore by De Vogue. The writings Of the
carly explorer had in a measure preDared
the visitors for whas was before them yet
tht great barren stretches, devoid of animal
a"d vegetable life. though bearing evil
dcucrS uf former fertility and civilization
produced Impressions of wonder and awe
ttreful surveys of TIE country were made,
photographs OF the buildings which De
Vogue had described were taken. inscrip-
Ji"HS previousl! recorded were verified and
new inscriptions discovered and deciph-
erred.
When ali the OLD sites had been visi ed
he expedition started ont ON a new field
ard explored groups OF noun aims in which
many additional ruined cities We're found,
Win many new types of architecture, in
trIr~ilng sculpture fine mosaicS and IN
Scripti"Hs Of great intereS,, chiefly in Greek
win some la Latin ana many in Syriac
Found Many cities.
In this new country" said Mr.. Butler.
ne sat in his Office at Princeton. recall
ing the incidents Of the expedition. we
found thlrly-thrcc cities not counting
sacred shriucs temples .morasicries and
public buildings which stood without CITY
iirai,S- Most of these cities were of fair
size. and. CpnSiGerip the WAY jn which the
aucients were crowded IN their houses II
N''S safe to suppose that nearly all ,hese
places were Of iaree population The dis
ttHteS between the cities varied some be-
ine only four or TIVE miles apart and every
where there was abundant evidence. that
ihiS country, which is now a vast eXpause
~ desert. was at time rich and -four
lSHing We found grca: numbers If wine
ana owe presses. immcIlss terrace walls
when hcld up groves and gardens and
huge grauaries. But there is now where
these monuments of former industry and
"hiuence exist. not sufficient SOL to sus-
iatu even the small iIomadic population.
After exploring the groups in the north
'rl part OF central Syra The expedition set
out 10 find. IL possible. the geographical
limit OF these reraius Of an ancient civtI.Za-
Ton. When IL reached the great mountain
"t Shekah Barekat. which faces the north
Cih END or tar mountain system nothing
could be seen further north The exped. ton
then moved eastward toward Ai-pno and
soon found Itself outside OF the region IN
which important ruins exist. The march
was continued toward the ca ST. and The ex-
i!crerS passed through tho rains of an