Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-08-01
BALTIC SEA ISLAND
YIELDS AGED COINS
History Is One of Chief Prod
ucts' OF GottIand, With Many
Medieval Marks.

History, one of its chief products, -
has again brought Cortland Island, in
the Baltic Sea, into the world news.
Sixty-seven Byzantine gold coins, prob
ably buried when Cortland was the
trade center between Northern Europe
and the Near East, have just been I'M
earthed on the island.
In seven hours modern steamships
from Stockholm land the traveller at
Visby, largest city and principal gate
way to the island; and, incidentally, in
this short time, the pages of history turn
back several centuries" says bulletin
from the National Geographic Society.
From the steamer deck the old gray
stone wall which was built around Visby
in the 1200S resembles the rampartS of
an old fort. but inside more than 10000
sturdy islanders have lived peacefully
since before American Colonial days.
Twentieth Century Touch.
"A twentieth century model bicycle
mounted by native in modern Euro
pean attire, an electric light bulb repos-
ing in the socket of foot-long bracket
attached to the side of corner building,
and now and then the raSping horns
and shotlike backfiring of automobiles
lend modern touch to the town, but
none of these has marked effect
that prevails there.
Narrow, cobbled. but spotlesSly clean
streets, run in crazy fashion within the
walls. Now and then they pass modern
buildings which seem out of place; for
in these alleylike thoroughfareS no wider
than the sidewalks of many streets in
our larger cities. the steep gabled build
ings. perhaps nearly as old as the wall,
are still holding their own against mod
H.
nate a native may show you his cellar,
where the wealthy merchants of ViSby'S
prosperous days stored their rich wares.
ITO thus describe ViSby, leaves an
impression that only lovers OF antiques
could enjoy visit to the town; but
frequently in the narroWest byway
small openings flame with the color of
the famous Visby rose, and here and
there the uppermost limbs of mulberry
or walnut tree thrust themselves over
the wall of private garden.
Smaller Than Rhode Island.
1.-THE same atmosphere that one finds
at Visby obtains throughout the island
The railroad trains from ViSby station
run within 90 miles of nearly every
square foot of Cortland, which Is just
100 square miles smaller in area than
Rhode Island They carry the traveller
mately half the island as we'll as
through the fertile rolling country
where Cortland farmers raise barley,
rye, wheat, oats and sugar beets. Some
OF this produce is exported to Sweden.
Few Of the quaint little towns of the
island are without the ruins Of one Of
the early church buildings built with
funds OF Visby merchants. 1t is not
uncommon to see a few Vine-clad
arches amidst piles of stone, marking
the site Of an old edifice which was
once, perhaps, the dominating building
Of thrifty community.
Many relics of the Bronze Age and
Iron Age have been found in Cortland
and many coins dating from the first
century A. D.. have been. uncovered.
During the Middle Ages, when ViSby
was the center of the North Eurpean
trade, 1t drew merchants from the East
and West, and the town became one Of
the most important members of the
famous Hanseatic League.
"Visby's prosperity caused its doom,
for the Danish King Valdemar After
dag, melted by the stories of the towns
fabulous wealth, set out for Cortland
on a successful plundering expedition
in 1851. From that time Visby de-
clined in importance and all Cortland
followed"