Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-08-22
Those who discovered the '

deck. They made no effort to learn
what might be in the hold. But Mer-
Inns searchers found that the princi-
pal 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
Frenchmen and their native allies are
hard at work hauling treasure after
treasure to the surface. 1t is expect
ed that the present expedition will
have results that will eclipse those OF
its three predecessors.
In a recent number of the Paris
Figaro Marcel Dieulafoy, member OF
the French Institute, tells the story of
the treasure galley Of Mahdia from
its discovery to the inception Of the
present expeditions work.
The articles already recovered from
its hold and deck, and now collected
at the Alaoui museum in Tunis, in
clude a number of extremely beauti-
full bronze statutes. One is a replica
of a statue by Praxiteles; a second
bears the signature of another famous
sculptor Of antiquity. There are also
valuable vases, pillars and other OBJ
jects of the golden age Of Greek art.
Divers who have gone over the
wreck declare that in it still are no
4 II. "a rh1n nnlnnn
piled six high, numerous marble
statues, candelabra, gigantic vases,
similar to those at the Louvre in Paris
and a large quantity Of other articles,
forming a whole Of marvellous, ines
timable value.
From inscriptions on some or the
articles saved from the sea 1t 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 extravagant extremes to
adorn their city homes and their VII
las at Baiae, Puzzuoli and other re-
sorts. They collected the finest paint
ings, marbles and bronZes in exis-
tence. All corners of the world were
ransacked for such works Of art.
Naturally Greece, from which Rome
borrowed the best part Of her cul-
ture, attracted, first Of all, the cove
tous eyes Of these Roman collectors.
No nook of the Hellenic Peninsula
was too remote, no price demanded
by the owners Of its art treasures was
TOO exorbitant to scare away these
Romans.
Hence 1t was that galley after gal
ley left the Greek ports loaded deep
with the most beautiful products OF
the artists Of ancient Greece. Those
who have studied what has been ta-
ken from the galley OF Mahdia are
inclined to believe that 1t was but one
of these many galleys, it's cargo des-
tined for the adornment OF the homes
Of wealthy Romans.
In spite Of the fact that 1t founder
ed close to the coast Of Africa, these
experts think it improbable that the
cargo was intended for any city on
there up to the present time implies
that the inhabitants Of the cities or
the African coast we're addicted to
such ostentation and luxury. =.
Nevertheless, one theory was ad-
yanced that the ship was bound to
Caesarea and that its cargo was to be
delivered to Juba H., King Of Maure-
tania. M. Dieulafoy is skeptical about
that-he Is all for believing that II
was for the gorgeous Rome OF Cae-
sar's day that the salley's precious
freight was destined.
Be that as 1t may, the freight Is or
a kind that might we'll arouse either
Imperial Caesar or Moorish king 10
the most extravagant rapture. The
bronze Praxiteles alone, which mas
lain so many centuries at the bottom
,uA,t1I 70 q Gift WnrfhV In
adorn the finest palace in the world.
1t represents Eros, god Of love, and
is one meter forty centimeters In
height. According to the writer OF
the article in The Figaro, 1t Is an ex-
cellent replica Of Praxiteles, dating
from the fourth century B. c.
"I call it a replica" he says, but
when the subject and the date OF the
statue are taken into consideration
the word original would be more
correct, since the work Is a priceless
one, famous in ancient times"
An ancient writer, Callistrates, has
left behind him an enthusiastic de-
scription Of this Eros.
1T is Eros, Eros himself" he wrote,
"a young man in the flower or his
youth, winged, and bearing bow and
arrows. The bronze seems to have all
softness of flesh, and reproduces Its
in a wonderful way.
"Delicately graceful, Eros Is, never.
theless, not effeminate. Deprived OF
m ovemeut, he seems about to move.
Fastened to a pedestal, he seems to
fly away into space.
He is overfiowiEg with joyous
high spirits; his eyes, bright, but full
of sweetness, sparkle brilliantly. He
is shown bending his right arm back
toward his head; his left hand raises
the bow, ready to let fly from 1t an
arrow"
The original Eros was carved by
Praxiteles a few years before his Ia
NOUS Apollo and Hermes. According
to the Figaro writer, 1t Is we'll worthy,
from any point of view, to be COM
pared with those masterpieces.
Another bronze. found in the NAH
dia wreck, Is q Hermes signed with
the well-known name of Boethos
Chalkedonios. This artist is famed
as the sculptor of statue Of Antioch
us ~, King Of Syria, who reigned
from l75 to 164 B. c.. In addition to
being an excellent sculptor. Boethos
was likewise highly skilled as a work.
er in gold and silver
The most famous work by him
which has survived the ages Is known
as the "Child Strangling a Goose. y
This group was so famous In ancient
times that it was copied innumerable
times.
But, the French writer says, 1t gave
an idea Of Cnly one side Of the genius
of Boethos The statue recovered
from the sunken galley Is Of an en-
tirely different type. 1t shows COM
bination Of Greek and Assyrian char
acteristics such as was popular among
the Greek artists Of antiquity.
Two other statuettes taken from
the wrecked galley represent two
competitors in a torch race. In such
a race the runners were obliged to
keep their torches alight, in spite OF
the great speed at which they ran.
One Of these Statuettes represents
the torch-bearer handing his torch to
a comrade after he has covered his
part Of the course. The second shows
the runner going at top speed. OW-
ing to the beautiful workmanship OF
these rch-bearers the Figaro writer
is of the opinion that they were made
by Polycyles of Athens, a celebrated
sculptor who flourished at Athens
about the time that the doomed GAL
ley sailed from Greece.
All the aforementioned treasures
were found by the divers employed on
the two expeditions that followed the
discovery of the wreck in 1907. Finds
No loco nraoio,Ic Irara made hV the