Abstract
A DISCOVEBY, which would seem to be remarkable even in the annals of Mediterranean archaeology for the quantity of objects of gold brought to light, is reported from Delphi, where excavations have been in progress under Prof. Delacotte on behalf of the French School of Archaeology at Athens during the past two years. A dispatch from the correspondent of The Times in the issue of May 10 states that in the course of raising and relaying the pavement of the Sacred Way from the eastern side of the Sanctuary in the direction of the Temple of Apollo in a search for inscriptions, a cavity has been found in the centre of the Stoa of the Athenians, in which was a mass of objects, covered with dust and ashes, and including a large number of gold articles. Of these the most important is the gold overlay of a chryselephantine statue, of which the ivory has been carbonized. The robe, diadem, ear-rings, bracelets, curls, heads and flowers, which formed the decorations of the robe, and the girdle, all in gold, have been recovered. A bronze statuette holding a receptacle for the burning of aromatic woods, which is complete and of remarkable workmanship, is dated at 500 B.C. In addition, there is a quantity of material in clay, copper and bronze. Expert opinion at present is that the finds show evidence of Oriental influence, possibly originating from the Greek cities of Asia Minor. A further discovery is a second cavity, found in working in a northerly direction from the Sacred Way, which was full of bronze and copper objects, all much encrusted, but otherwise in good preservation. Here also Eastern influence is discerned.
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Treasure at Delphi. Nature 143, 889 (1939). https://doi.org/10.1038/143889b0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/143889b0