New-York tribune., 1922-06-11
Uncover Ancient
Pre.Byzantine Art
In Syrian Ruins
Finding of Rare Paintings
in Old Roman Fortress
as Hostile Forces Close
Retold by Archaeologist

CHICAGO, June 20, by The Asso-
cisted PTess.)-Arrhesology has is
dramatic moments. The ancestry Of
Byzantine painting" hitherto consider
ably obscure, was discovered while ros-
tile forces were closing ~ upon ire
investigators .n Syria, and 81 invest
igstiors were completed IN single day
prlor % the shifting O. tie protecting
British lines, according % q Tepofi b.
Professor J. 4. Breasted. o. tie C-i-
versity q Chicago. which is a5cs; 90 be
presented % the French Academy O.
Science. Contents O.: this report have
just been made known f0r ire .rst
sine IN This country i1 an interview
given by Professor Breasted % TIE
Assoc.stei Press.
The irvestigation vas made. accord
'rg % Professor Breasted, u1dcr n.s d.
rec;ior after the retgrn o. the Meso-
pct1mlar expedition q the Oriental
Institute q tie Lr.versity of Chicago
and rs arrival q: Bagiad late in April.
1920. TIE British civil authorities az
this tine asked Professor Breasted and
his party % ascend the EgphTates 20
ruined Roman fortress a. Salihlyah.
on an an informal archaeological ex-
petition on their behalf The Chicago
@~tf~+~+ WftNHtHf4 ktt- NNAtsAs1rtaAf a4E
asked that ne might frat complete
some researches ia Persia. Il was
secretly informed t1L. delay would
make the E1phrates mission inpos-
sible. 1s re British we've PREPARING %
withdraw their ..-es CT the upper Eu-
pirates G.Host 100 rn.ies down the
river.
1; developed tha. While ,hs British
forces had occupied the r-.rei fos.ress
Captain u. G. Murphy rad discovered
IN a chapel u TIE ruln sone wal paint
irss evidently q ancient origin. Tnis
discovery was communicated % tte a.
thoFities through L.eg;enGn, Coi0nel g.
Leachmsn. Miss Gertrude Bel, whom
Professor Breasted described as a.
intrepid explorer and rcheo.oris..
was consulted. and suggested ina. Pc.
fessor Breasted be sen. % the fortress.
Accordingly re SCI out with his party
and arrived on ;he scene the day be-
fore the Withdrawal of the British
military frontier
oars vas the frst Western e1ped.-
ton said Professor Breasted. ~to
cross the new Arab state from Bacc1d
20 the Mediterranean after i. wGs rro-
claimed. The fortress q Saiihiyah
was difficult of access even when i was
within British lines. and it IS unlikely
that another expedition Will soon pere-
trate into this remote sad iahosPiiab.e
region
On the way % Salihiyah the party
was entertained a. the British camp.
and Lieutenant Colonel Ieschman
cleared out his of5ce 20 make room for
the areheaologists' FIVE field beds.
Ihe chapel ot the fortress was de-
ciced By the investigators % have been
the temple not only of Roman legion
aries, but likewise of some Oriental
cult This appeared from the char-
aeter Of the paintings, some q which
had 70 be uncovered by clearing PUB
bish which had aeeump plated in the
ruin. One o. the paintings appeared
20 show a local Oriental family 90
worship. another shOew group q
Roman soldiers woEshiping before
images o. the cefed emperors TIE
Oriental personages portrayed had
hands upraised Ia a gesture RECON ized
as one employed in Eastern religious
rites among them was a gorgeously
dressed woman, thought % be q local
ruler. such as Zenobia. the famous
queen who deaed Rome. The name IL +
serioee beneath her hgure rcsembled in .
form that O. Zenobia. who ruled Pal /
nyrs. only 100 miles away.
That We have IN these wall scenes
az example o. the mostly lost sncestrv /
q Byzantine painting is evident" said .
Professor Bressted. from comparison .
Of them vita the early nosaics surviv- .
ing az RsvernG This ruined Roman /
fortress a. Sslih.yah has thus fur t
rished rev and unparalleled example /
q the transition from deezcent Orien- .
t1lized HelleniEtle ar % the Byzan- .
tine an from which TeT.ving Europe IL /
herited 50 much"