Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-10-31
GORGEOUS MOSAIC
Presented to Turkey BY Princeton
University.

Princeton. n. j.. Oct. 3o.-The
princeton Archa Expedition to
SYRIA has presented to the Imperial OF
tom,n Museum in Constantinople a
very large and gorgeous mosaic pave
nent which was discovered by the eX-
ncdi;ion when it vas in Jerusalem two
wears ago. Prof. Howard crosby BUT
lar. who with Prof. w. N. Prentice, Dr.
Emo Iittman and Frederick n. Nor
ris. composed the expedition sent out
nv Princeton, has returned from Con
stantinopIe, where during the past
summer he sur er;ntended the laying of
tho mosaic in a position of honor in
tho MAGNIFICENT new wing of the I'M
pcral Museum.
This mosaic pavement is one of the
most important discoveries OF modern
archa eoloey. 1t measures about 26Xli
| feet. and apparently belonged to a Ro-
man villa on the outskirts of JeruSa-
| Lem. The design comprises a number
of rictures framed in a beautiful Dor
der Of geometric and naturalistic
mosaic WORK The great picture of the
pavernent is about 5x10 feet square.
| representing in brilliant colors and
| finest workmanship scene in which
| Orpheus is sitting beneath a tree play
| ing upon his Tyre to an audience COM
| posed of many kinds of beasts. birds
and reptiles. Another picture is a
| group of two perSonagcs, possibly por-
| traits Of the master and mistress of the
hous" There are other pictures which
| represent centaurS. archerS, ana run
ners. besides four huge tragic and
| comic masks in the angles of the pave
mrnt. The period is Roman. probably
| the third az, fourth century A. D.
! This great work of art in place of
honor in this important museum Is a
| monument to American archaeological
| discovery in the Turkish Empire, and is
accepted as such by the Turkish au-
thorities. In addition to the mosaic
| pavement the Princeton Expedition
| also presented to the Imperial ottoman
| Museum several other important
| ANTIQUITIES. including a number of
| sculpturnd heads and busts from the
| great temple of Baal Shamin at Siah.
| the full plan of which was discovered
by the Princeton men two years ago.
| AS a mark of appreciation of the gifts.
| the Turkish authorities permitted the
| Princeton party to travel much fur
| Their inland and do much better work
than they would have been able to do
| Otf erWiSe.
| While in Europe Prof. Butler also
| visited Leydcn. Holland. and arranged
| for the publication of the report of the
Princeton Expedition to Syria. The re
| port is to be brought out very elabor-
atciy. in English. with numerous illus
| trationS. by RriIl. the most famous of
| European publishers of Oriental ma
| tcrial The discoveries set forth in the
| report will furnish much data toward
| the reconstruction of the history of Il
people now almost fOrgotten-the peo-
rle who ruled Damascus in the time Of
| st. Paul
| The rich archaeological material
brought back to Princeton by the
| Syrian Expedition is now on exhibition
| in the Art Museum Of the University.
| The casts embrace several complete
doorways very richly carved and orna-
mented. window headings. carved
panels, fragments Of architectural orna-
ment in relief carving. and quantity
| of inscriptions in Greek, Latin, Ma
| bataean, Syriac and Ara bic. There is
| q collection of nearly 1000 pieces OF
| ancient glass from tombs in Syria, be
sides lamps and other objects in pot
| terry. small bronze objects. a few orna-
ments in gold and silver. and large
collection of coins dating from the
! third century 3. c. to the sixth CEN
| fury A. d.