384 ANNUAL OF SCIENTIFIC DISCO VERY. 



have been violated and their treasures removed. The details of the explora- 

 tion of one of the largest which remained intact, Dr. Macpherson gives as 

 follows : 



Beneath an extensive sloping artificial tumulus, running at right angles 

 with the ridge extending northwards from Mons Mithridates, I came upon a 

 mass of rubble masonry, beyond which was a door leading to an arched 

 chamber, built under the side of the mound. This led me to a larger chamber, 

 which was also arched. The walls of the larger chamber were marked oft' in 

 squares, with here and there flowers, birds, and grotesque figures. Over the 

 entrance into this chamber were painted two figures of griffins rampant, two 

 horsemen, a person in authority and his attendant the latter carrying in his 

 hand a long spear being rudely sketched on one of the inner walls. There 

 were no remains of any sort in this tomb or temple. A recess in the walls 

 on two sides resembled doors blocked up. On removing the masonry to the 

 right, the skeleton of a horse was found. To the left a human skeleton lay 

 across the door. Tunnelling on each side, the work was carried on beneath 

 the descents of former explorations from above. On the right hand side the 

 tunnel extended ten yards, but nothing of interest was met with. On the 

 left, descending as the tunnel was formed, arriving occasionally at objects 

 possessing much interest, I came upon a layer of natural slate rock, the sides 

 and roof of the tunnel being composed of artificial soil, charcoal, animal 

 remains, and, as usual, heaps of broken pottery. Thirty feet from the 

 entrance, the rock suddenly disappeared to the front and left, the mark of 

 the chisel being perceptible on the divided portion. Tunnelling in the rock, 

 we again reached, 12 feet from the spot where it had disappeared, loose sand 

 occupying the intervening space, into which the exploring rod, six feet long, 

 dropped without any effort. I worked down into this shaft 12 feet. But the 

 left side of the shaft, which was composed of the same loose sand as far as 

 the steel rod could reach, was continually falling in. Moreover, the labor 

 carried on by candlelight of raising the earth in baskets, and conveying it in 

 wheelbarrows to the outside through the building was becoming very 

 arduous, and I was compelled to abandon the work. At this period no 

 relics or remains of any sort were discovered, and the steel rod sunk into the 

 loose sand as if it had been so much flour. I felt satisfied that this shaft led 

 to rich treasures below, but regard for the safety of my workmen prevented 

 my proceeding deeper. The tunnel was carried on a few feet further, and 

 the earth allowed to drop into the shaft. I now sought out other ground, 

 and selected a place removed about 100 yards from that I had just left. 

 Descending some ten feet, I struck upon a tomb cut out of the solid rock. 

 Not far from this my attention was attracted to an excavation in the rock, 

 somewhat similar to, but on a much smaller scale than, that large descent 

 which I had just abandoned. Clearing the surface, I found that the rock was 

 hewn out 3 feet in width and 12 in length, the intervening space being filled 

 with sand, similar in all respects to the other into which the steel rod sunk 

 with ease. Fifteen feet of this sand being removed, I came upon the skeleton 

 of a horse. A few feet further on, an upright flag, four feet high, and the 

 breadth of the shaft, was placed over the entrance of a tomb cut out of the 



