EGYPTIAN GODS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume L, Issue 15252, 15 March 1913, Page 5 (Supplement)

EGYPTIAN GODS.

EXCAVATIONS ON DELOS ISLAND) Interesting ' details have, been supplied to the French Instituta by M. Homolle,, director of the French School at Athens,as to the latest discoveries in connection with excavations made under tho auspices of the French Archaeological - Society in i the island of Delos. The more recent researches . relate to the Stadium, the' Palffistra, the Theatre, and the shrines of I Oriental divinities in the ravine of Inopos. ! Excavations in the Stadium have revealed ! the track, the seats of the judges and magistrates, and' the starting point. and goal of the. competitors, these fixing the. [length of the course at 500 ft. Between the Stadium and the shore have been ' found traces of houses fronted by domestic altars, dec6rated with paintings, represent--ing variously a sacrificial rite, Pan playing, Hercules and his labours, religious rites, and combats. Confirmation of tho report that Delos once possessed an important Jewish colony is forthcoming by the discovery of the remains of a-synagogue, with its inscription: "To the Most High. " The Palaestra, or wrestling area, has been entirely uncovered, revealing the portico at the north, which served to shield tho spectators from tho wind, the dressingrooms, ante-rooms, etc. Here, too, has been found a wall which, from an inscrip-" tion, is shown to have been a military work constructed by Valerius.' Triarius, one of the generals in the Mithridatic war. A bronze bust exhumed near this spot is believed to have been that of Triarius himself. Great progress has been made in connection with the Theatre, which now stands fully displayed. Behind the stage was found ..a huge ; cistern, nearly 100 ft long by 18ft wide, and. having a depth of 21ft. Hero were found fragments of an altar belonging to the Theatre, namely, two young satyrs, upon whose back was supported the architrave. Near the Theatre stood a huge building of three" storeys, which is presumed to have lodged the exponents of the Dionysian cult. Of the many temples which are known to have been erected in the valley of the Inopos, that of Aphrodite has been identified by the discovery / of two . Bases of statues bearing dedications.to. that : divin:.. ity, and that of Serapis,by! the finding of a column on which is inscribed a history of the Egyptian deity. Here have been discovered the hall where the votaries assembled, and separated" from it by columns that for' the use of the crowd in general, also • the treasury ' where the offerings wero deposited. Near this temple was/ a smaller one built over a vault, through which rolled the waters of the Inopos (how dry), employed in purification ceremonies. Here was found the column above referred to, the hundred lines of text on which deals with the history of the' temple and tho cult of the god. The inscription shows'.that the worship of Serapis was introduced into Delos by an Egyptian named Apollonius, who had a son named Dimitrius. Tile third priest of the family, called Apollonius, after his grandfather, " received Divine instructions to build a temple on the place revealed by the Deity, and this is the temple which has now been laid bare to view.