Page:History of Greece Vol II.djvu/245

 MINERAL PRODUCTIONS. 229 found, yet without producing any result comparable to the Iliad and Odyssey. But Homer was, nevertheless, dependent upon the conditions of his age, and we can at least point out those peculiarities in early Grecian society, without which Homeric excellence would never have existed, the geographical position, is one, the language another. In mineral and metallic wealth, Greece was not distinguished. Gold was obtained in considerable abundance in the island of Siphnos, which, throughout the sixth century B. c., was among the richest communities of Greece, and possessed a treasure- chamber at Delphi, distinguished for the richness of its votive offerings. At that time, gold was so rare in Greece, that the Lacedaemonians were obliged to send to the Lydian Croesus, in order to provide enough of it for the gilding of a statue. 1 It appears to have been more abundant in Asia Minor, and the quantity of it in Greece was much multiplied by the opening of mines in Thrace, Macedonia, Epirus, and even some parts of Thessaly. In the island of Thasos, too, some mines were reopened with profitable result, which had been originally begun, and sub- sequently abandoned, by Phoenician settlers of an earlier century. From these same districts, also, was procured a considerable amount of silver ; while, about the beginning of the fifth century B. c., the first effective commencement seems to have been made of turning to account the rich southern district of Attica, called Laureion. Copper was obtained in various parts of Greece, especially in Cyprus and Eubcea, in which latter island was also found the earth called Cadmia, employed for the purification of the ore. Bronze was used among the Greeks for many pur- poses in which iron is now employed : and even the arms of the Homeric heroes (different in this respect from the later historical Greeks) are composed of copper, tempered in such a way as to impart to it an astonishing hardness. Iron was found in Euboea, Bceotia, and Melos, but still more abundantly in the moun- 1 Herodot. i. 52 ; iii. 57 ; vi. 46-125. Boeckh, Public Economy of Athens, b. i. ch. 3. The gold and silver offerings sent to the Delphian temple, even from the Homeric times (II. ix. 405) downwards, were numerous and valuable; especially those dedicated by Croesus, who (Herodot. i. 17-52) seems to nave surpassed all predecessors.