The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1909-11-13
GREEK ART FROM THE SEA.
Marbles And BrOnzes Taken From
Wreck OF the Coast OF Tunis.
(From the Cologne Gazette.)

the sea which the director or anti
Quities of Tunis has caused to be
made off Mandia have led this sum-
mer to rev and surprising discoveries.
The ancient ship which sank there
once not far from the north coast Of
Africa held within itself whole mu-
scum Of ancient works In marble and
bronze. With true ardor the Greek
eivers who discovered the treasure on
the sea bottom brought one piecs af-
.er another to the surface during May
and June. That was no slight work,
for the loulk Of the ships cargo con-
sisted Of large number of marble
columns, most Of them 3.35 meters
long and SO meters in diameter. One
OF them w>s lifted to the surface in
order to give some idea Of ths archi-
lecture 10 which the columns, the
many column bases and the richly
adorned Ionic capitals belonged.
Amons other marble pieces the ,e-
port Of the director Of antiquities at
Tunis, A. Merlin. mentions a number
Of triangular bases or pillars resting
on griffin feet, the lateral surfaces
surrounded by strings Of beads in re
lief; they bore crowns with rich orna-
mentations Of oak and acanthus leaves
Further, four immense marble milk
Jars adorned with bacchic reliefs,
worthy companions for the celebrat-
ed Borghese vase in the Louvre. More
over, the ship must have borne a null
tltude of marble statues, of which up
statuette of the hunting Artemis. 10
heads of laughing satyrs, larger than
life; a faun, several female and
number Of children's statuettes have
oeen raised. Many statues are badly
6ishgured by the barnacles that have
grown upon them; In one Of the wo-
men statues. however, the face has
oecn wholly spared A tombstone re-
lief representing a funeral banquet at
which six persons are taking part was
also found.
In addition to the marble work art
objects In bronze are represented In
large numbers. Among them are a
statue or Eros, which served as a can
delabruul. satyrs. dancing Cupids, man
bearing a mask, busts that servo az
brackets or supports: likewise an
Athenc with tn. helmet, OF ve-y fine
workmanship; Aitenns with the ,Iuiv-
e IN her yhorlcer; then heals vi
horses. mules, ducks, which served as
feet for beds and ornaments; further,
lion heads. masks OF bearded men and
Bacchanres. griffins, which beiong I'd
to articles Of furniture. A vase handle
is made out Of a a panther preparing
20 spring; a plaque has on 1t two grif-
inns: columns. capitals. animals feet
belonged TO large candelabra. Charm
Ing lamps complete the rich collection
of bronxes.
The greatest surprise, however was
caused by four Greek inscriptions. The
first Is simple. sepulchral column for
man from the village of Phyle. in
Attica; the second contains in twenty
three lines a resolution of the Para
loi. u district In Africa, in honor Of an
Attic citizen. In ths third inscription
also the word Paraloi can be read; the
fourth comes from the temple of AM
mon In Athens. and names the votive
offerings which the demos Of Athens
gave Of this god in the fourth century
before Christ. This proves that the
wrecked ancient ship came from Atti-
ca before 1t was cast by contrary
winds on the coast Of North Africa.
Traces are also now found of it's
crew and equipment. The anchor has
been hoisted to the surface; further,
many amphorae used for water. oil
and wine, In one Of these remnants of
pitch could be made out. Also an
earthenware lamp. perhaps of the first
century before Christ, in which the
wick was we'll preserved. This belong
ed doubtless to the crew, as did two
little hand mills for corn. The point
to which this richly laden ship was
steering from the Attic coast can
hardly be doubtful. No one but Ro-
man provincial official or dealer In an
tiquities could have gathered together
on the ship this Jelect quantity Of
Greek plunder. In which even the
simple blocks with inscriptions are
not lacking, and for the purpose Of
fetching 1t to Italy. How many Of the
countless Greek works In marble in
the italian museums may formerly
have crossed the sea In like manner!