Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-07-31
DIVERS AT WORK.
The Sea Gives Up Art Treasures Lost
1000 Years Ago.

Splendid treasures of art which
sank to the bottom of the Meriterran-
can 1000 years ago. when the galley
bearing them from Greece to Rome
was wrecked off the coast of Funis.
are being brought to the surface in daz-
zling quantity by divers in the employ
of the French government. Though
the treasure trove up to the present
TIME has scarcely been more than
scratched by those engaged in wrest
ing il from the grasp of the sea, the
statues and other objects recovered in
dictate that the galley's cargo, if recov-
cred entire. will be of value that
will put in the shade all other such
finds In history.
The sunken ship lies in water 100
feet deep about three miles from the
coast village of Mahadia. in Tunie
There it was discovered four years
ago by native sponge gatherers, who
in the course of their labors in tha
seas depths stumbled across the wreck.
The tales told about their discovery
induced NJ Merlin, director of arts
and antiquarles in the French colony
of Tunisia, to put divers on the job Of
recovering the treasurers described.
In all Merlin has sent four expedi-
tions to bring these treasures to the
surface. The first two. which went
out within a short time after the orig
inal discovery. were so remarkably
successful as to inspire the most san
gune hopes for the future.
Those who discovered the wreck
spoke only of the statues. pillars, etc,
which they had seen on the galley's
deck. They had made no effort TO
learn what might be in the hold But
Merlin's searchers found that the
principal part of the precious cargo
was slowed below decks.
The third expedition went out last
year The winter weather put an end
to the efforts of its divers. But now
that good weather is here again the
F'renchmen and their native allies are
hard at work hauling treasure after
treasure to the surface. 1t is expected
that the present expedition will have
results that will eclipse those of its
three predecessors
The articles already recovered from
it's hold and deck, and now collected
at the Alaoui museum in Tunis. IN
clude a number of extremely beauu-
full bronze statues. One Is replica
of statue by Praxiteles: second
bears the signature of another famous
sculptor of antiquity. There are also
valuable vases. pillars and other op-
jects of the golden age of Greek art
Divers who have gone over the
wreck declare that in it still are no
less than sixty white marble columne,
piled six high. numerous mafoie
statues, candelabra. gigantic cases
similar to those at the Louvre IN Paris
and large quantity of other articles
forming a whole of marvellous 'nesti-
mable value.
From inscriptions on some OF the
articles saved from the sea IL is sup
posed that the galley sank at ABOUT
the time when Caesar was at the
height of his power in Rome. In those
DAYS wealthy Romans went to the most
axtravapant extremes to adorn their
CITY homes and their villas at Balea,
pozzuoIi and other resorts, They col
Jected the finest paintings, marbles
ord bronzes in existence. All corners
of the world were ransacked for such
works of art.
In snite of the fact that 1t founder
ed close to the coast of Africa. these
exnerts think it improbable that the
cargo was intended for any city on that
continent Nothing. discovered there
I'm 10 the present time implies that the
inba bitapts of the cities of the African
coast were addicted to such ostenta-
ton and luxury.