29 AUGUST 1908, Page 3

The record of his spring and summer campaign in Crete

contributed by Dr. Arthur Evans to Thursday's Times is of remarkable interest. The further exploration of the "Little Palace ".=-a dependency connected by a paved road, "the oldest road in Europe," with the western side of the Palace proper—has proved this building to be of extraordinary diniensiona, and reaulted in the discovery of a number of relics, painted Vides, and ritual vessels in black steatite, notably one modelled in the form of a bull's head inlaid with shell, with ioelt-ci•yetal eyes and Of exquisite workmanship,

which Dr. Evans ascribes to the end of the middle or beginning of the late Minoan age,—i.e., about 1700 B.C. The discoveries in the Palace area proper include a building—probably an official residence—connected with the corridor on the southern front, and a mass of relics forming "an epitome of the whole later civilisation of the Minoan lords,"—painted vases, fragments of crystal bowls and boxes, a lapis lazuli intaglio, part of a plaque with a griffin seizing a bull modelled in bold relief, silver bowls, and bronze implements. The exploration of the rock-cut vault under the southern porch has been retarded by the dangerous nature of the work, but the south-western extension discovered last year has been explored, and a rich store of "early Minoan" pottery has been discovered in a neighbouring area of the south front. Dr. Evans also describes the contents of the ossuary tombs opened on the island of Mochlos by Mr. Seeger, the American explorer, con- sisting of a number of small gold objects and small stone vases showing the strong influence of protodynastie Egyptian models.