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About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (May 26, 1963)
. MEDFORD MAIL TR1BUME, ME-FOBO, OBEGOH SUNDAY, MAY SS, lf3 y Controversy Still Prevails About Archaeologist s Discoveries By ROBERT MUSEL United Pros Inttmational London-iUPt-When Sir Ar thur Evans died at the age of 90 in 1941 he bore one ol the most honored names In archaeology. Scientists the world over de pended on his dramatic dis coveries on the island of Crete for dating events in Eu rope before recorded history. Was this famous scholar, revered by generations of archaeologist, guilty of wish ful thinking? Was his system of classifica tion "pure invention?" For nearly three years these questions have been debated by his defenders and his de tractors as the result of a sensational claim by Prof. Leonard Palmer of Oxford that "many of Evans' deduc tions were false and at times he misrepresented his find ings." Still Gathtr Evidence Both sides are still gather ing evidence that will ulti mately decide whether Evans deserves his niche as one of the immortals of archaeology. After the first impact of Palmer's charges some sup port gathered around the the ory that if Evans was wrong he was honestly wrong. Now Palmer is about to publish a book, "The Find Plaes of the Knossos Tablets" (Oxford University Press) which is bound to inflame the controversy. "In this book I produce evi dence to show that thp dis crepancies between Evans published statements and his more serious than I expected at first," Palmer told United Press Internationa!. "His whole system is. In I fact, suspect." Sets Off Debat Palmer set off the world wide debate after seven years of study of Evans' reports from his excavations at Knos- own records are deeper and sos in Crete which he regard- 12 1- if THRONE OF MINOS When Sir Arthur Evans died at the age of 90 in 1941 he bore one of the most honored names in archae ology. Scientists throughout the world de pended on his dramatic discoveries on the island of Crete for dating events in Europe before recorded history. This UPI picture shows the Thome ol Minos at Knossos on Crete. (UPI) cd as the most ancient center of civilired life in Greece. The Evans findings had been virtually unchallenged for 60 years. Evans drew a picture of a Crete more advanced than the Greek mainland, an island empire ruled by a Cretan king, the legandary Minos. He suggested that Cretan civiliza- 1400 B.C. when the palace was attacked and occupied by squatters. Some 200 years latef-about 1200 B.C. according to his time-scale-the Greek main land civilization came Into its own. Flourished ! Saira Tin-, But Palmer believes the evidence is clear that the Hon reached its end about Cretan and Greek cultures flourished at the same 4ime. Contrary to the disaster which Evans alleged overtook Crete it was for at least Uvo centuries thereafter an impor tant center of exports and produced its greatest works of art at a time when Evans would have it that its civiliza tion had been overthrown. Palmer contends. "This disrupts all present thinking about the orifiin and development of Greek civiliza tion and hence our own," he i Evans" assistant in Crete, Dun said "The whole dating of the ca1 jjacKenzie. who, accord- prehistory of Europe hinges on Knossos. Heavy Conierattacki Despite heavy counterat tacks from Evans' defenders. Palmer holds his ground that the archaeologist "misrepre sented many facts of vital sig nificance and published ac counts of his findinss which cannot be reconciled with the log book of his own excava tions." This log book was kept by ing to Palmer, protested some of his leader conclusions, though not public!;'. Among those who have come to Evans' defense was Prof. D, F, 11. Gray ot Ox ford who stressed that writ ten tablets found in Crete by Evans were not deciuiared until 1 1 years after his dtaih. Thus he never knew that whst he believed to be an unknown Cretan isnguage-the so-called Presentation of Awards in Contest Slated Monday Awards will be presented winners in the "Highway Safety and Courtesy" poster contest Monday afternoon In the Medtord High school gym nasium with Roland G, Beach, rep:csenting Talisman lodge. Knights of Pythias, making the presentations. The posters have been on display in the high school gymnasium and, following the awarding of the prizes, will be given to Capt. Clyde Ficht ner of the Medford police for use in the safety program o instruction and driver edu cation in schools of this area. Contestants in the Medford area are students of Miss Kathy Fonken, art instructor at Medford High school. Knights of Pythias an nounced the winners in state high school contests last wek. Wins Fourth Plan Linda Mullin, daughter of Mr. ana Mrs. Ted Mullen, Tal ent, a student at Phoenix High school, won fourth place in the 18th anual publlespeak ing contest held in Portland. She had qualified for partici pation by winning first place in the Jackson - Josephine county contest in Medford. Miss Mullin is a student of Mrs. Margaret Hadley, speech nstrucior in the Phoenix High school, Larry Seavis, son of Mr. and Mi's. Vern Reavis, 211 Summit ave., Medford, won first place in the state poster contest sponsored by the Knights of Pythias lodges. Subscribers Ts Tcpert Improper ?r sen delivery et the Matl Tnbafie in Medford, phone 772-fiHl; Ash land csn si 416 Brirtee si, or phone YrekK. choree Victory 2-281i before S:4S rm. diy and Q 30 m, Sandav. If TCgir delivery sfTfve shorUy sfier yotl cult please notify effice, thui eliminating apectal messenger serviea. internationally. Reavis had won first place in the Jack son county "Highway Safety and Courtesy" poster contest before entering at the stale level. "Watch the Road" was the title of his entry. Second place went to Arne Harrang, 1S24 Jasper st Med ford: and third to Fred Beyer, student at Hedrick Junion High school. Merchandise Award Judy Badley, ninth grade. Rogue River High school, won a merchandise award for best poster in black and white. The judges awarding the ribbons were Captain Ficht ncr, George L. Lucas, Med ford city police department. and Gordon Johnson, whs is majoring in criminology at the University of Oregon, Merchants contributing to the prizes were Elk City Mar ket, Littreit Parts, General Bearing company, Wliham Parts and Equipment, and Sam Jennings company. "Linear B" - was, in fact, sa early form of Greek. Ha Could Net H- Knows gested In a published papet that Evans fysiem be entire ly abandoned, "The etiestian said Jalm- Kor could he have known cr, "Is whether Evans report that the tablets indicated Crete was thriving at a time when he thought it was in ruins, "The importance of hb dis coveries cannot be df let ted," Gray said, "by changing the interpretation of part of the evidence, Palmer commented thai Prof, Doro Levi, head of the Italian School of Archaeology in Attvens, had recently sug- cd his findings fully and curately. My book will stovtf that his own records contra diet what he said puhllcJy," - HOSPITAL BEOS fsr RENT t A to 2 Rental 111J M. tn.t 779-1474 jjjjijS 'WPt 1 EMINQTO s.osr ,. . - wi -. m i ' u un-tr-f-'. ' mi .ft' NEW 25 REMINGTON SHAVEt For Beards of Every Age Want man - sita hv without pssii, scrips or bum? fkk up 1953 Remington 35 t h a v r and stop shjvtngl Start rollinf whiskars w,y . . . fttt, sieis, cieen! 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