Page:Travels & discoveries in the Levant (1865) Vol. 1.djvu/337

Rh The neck of this peninsula is separated from the quarry by an Hellenic wall, the foundations of which still remain. It is evident that a small Greek town once stood on this rocky site.

On the south of the Damos the land becomes less rocky, and slopes more gradually to the plain. The land here takes its name from a small church dedicated to the Prophet Elias, but forms part of the cemetery already described. Here, about the year 1842, a peasant called Janni Sconi found in his vineyard a stone coffin or soros, covered with a marble slab so heavy that he could not lift it alone. Calling in the aid of a neighbour, he uncovered the sows, which was full of beautiful gold ornaments. On the discovery of this great treasure, the neighbour who had aided Janni Sconi to lift the stone claimed his share. Janni Sconi presented him with the magnificent sum of five piasters, or rather less than a shilhng; on which the neighbour, out of revenge, informed the Turkish Governor of the discovery. The law of treasure-trove was instantly put in force, and Janni Sconi had to give up everything, and was presented with a sum of money very much below, as he assured me, the amoimt to which he was legally entitled. The gold ornaments were sent to Constantinople, and have since imfortunately been dispersed. The finest of them were obtained from the Porte by the Prussian Government.

According to information acquired at Calymnos by Ross, the whole treasure consisted of the following objects:—