NO KEY TO LANGUAGE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 68, 22 March 1937, Page 5

NO KEY TO LANGUAGE.

ANCIENT CRETAN RELICS. Little clay idols,, which were worshipped by the men of Crete more than 5000 years ago, were among the relics of the past on view in the exhibition of British Archaeological discoveries in Greece and Crete, which the Duke of Kent opened at Burlington House, Piccadilly, recently. Sir Arthur Evans, whose excavations in' Crete revealed a whole new field of early history, spent ■ the previous day arranging his section of the exhibition illustrating the work of the British School of Archaeology in Athens.. Among his treasures is a series of tablets inscribed 3300 years ago in the mysterious Cretan language. Sir Arthur, who is 85, has no hope of ever being able to read them, although he has been studying them for 40 years, says the "Daily Telegraph."

"I do not think anyone will be able to read the language," he said. "Even the discovery of a 'Rosetta: Stone' would not help; for, although we know the letters, we cannot tell what their values are." .'; '

The Cretan section is the only one which contained more than a few of the actual objects found. The 50 years' work of the British School in other parts of Greece .had to be illustrated by drawings and casts of the finds, because the law. forbids the export of antiquities.

As Crete was independent when Sir Arthur Evans astonished the world with his first aiecoveries of Finoan civilisation, he was allowed to bring home many qf the treasures he dug up. He bought the hill on which the Palace of Minos stood, excavated it for. 30 years, and then handed it over toi the British School. .•■'*