The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1906-06-07
THE SPARTA EXCAVATIONS.
Finds of British Explorers on the Site
Of Athens Great Rival.

Illus OIL BRITISH Explorers OH the BIG
Of Athens Great Rival.
The Walls of the city have been
traced for four-fifths of their extent,
and are ascertained to be not Bryan
tine, but Roman in period. 1t seems
likely that the adjacent enceinte was
cleared Of buildings in classical times
for strategic purposes. The excavators
think that the ancient city may have
included the area btween the low hill
which served as an Acropolis and the
River Eurotas in which case our no.
tons of Spartan topography must be
revised.
The second point Of interest has been
the investigation of the theatre, hither-
to the only Unidentified site of the an
cient city, where a life sized statue of
Asklepios, with portions of reliefs pro-
badly belonging to the proscenium, have
been found.
| But the most important result obtain
ed has been the Identification, attested
by inscriptions, of the site of the Tenn
pie of Artemis Orthia, which we know
from Pausanias to have been the scene
of the chastisement Of the youths of
Sparta, where enormous finds of Votive
offerings have been made. The scene Of
| the discovery is field on the right
bank of the Eurotas, about half mile
to the south of the modern bridge.
From time to time boys playing in the
river bed had picked up figurines Of
lead. Similar flgurines having. been
found some years ago in the excava-
tons at the shrine Of Menlaos on the
opposite side Of the river, the British
excavators suspected the existence of a
second sanctuary and made trial
here on April Z. Within a few hours it
was clear that the site contained an
immense deposit Of votive offerings.
During the past fortnight a few
skilled workmen, working slowly with
knives, have extracted many thou
sands Of these peculiar figurines.
At least fifty variant types have been
found representing divine and human
! figures, musicians, centaurs, sirens,
fish and other animal forms, with in
animate objects, including affairs,
wreaths, vases, helmets and mirrors. If
| the material and the modest scale of
the offerings seem to illustrate the
traditional simplicity of Spartan usage,
their number proves the Importance and
popularity Of the cult. Nor are offer
ings Of more costly material wanting.
The ivory carvings include two statuet-
ties in the round lion, four figures of
dams, a helmeted head and a number
of disks, combs and pins. In bronze
there are statuettes of a horse and a
dog, and large fragments Of bowls and
caldrons richly decorated in repousse
work. Smaller objects of both gold and
silver have been found, including a sill
yer pin with fine spiralfrorm deoora-
ton. Terra Gotta statuettes in great
variety have come to light with large
quantities Of pottery. Apart from this
deposit upward Of 100 inscriptions have
been found since the work began.
| Broadly speaking, the deposit de-
| scribed above consists of objects which
may be assigned to the sixth and fifth
centuries before our era. The pottery is
| largely Of the "Orientalizing" types,
and the presence Of scarabs and other
imported objects confirms what has al
ready been suspected, the presence of
strong Oriental influence in Laconian
art of the archaic period. The site Is
one Of exceptional promise and more
than justifies the selection Of Sparta
as the scene Of the labors Of the Brit
ish school when 1t is remembered that
the results enumerated above come
\ from mere fraction Of the temple pre-
cinct that has been opened. Until to-
day archaeologic research has done
little or nothing to add to our know
ledge of the State which vies with
Athens herself for the commanding
place in Hellenic history; and it rests
with us to see that the work thus hap
PLY inaugurated is. adequately sustain
ed.-London Times.