Queries.
THE METEORIC STONE OF THE THRACIAN CHERSONESUS.
In the Quarterly Review just published, the reviewer, in the course of an interesting article on "Meteors, Aerolites, and Shooting Stars," makes a suggestion which, if admitted into "N. & Q.," may
meet the eye of some English resident or traveller in the East, who will give to it the attention it deserves.
A great degree of interest is attached to the recorded fall of aerolites in times past, and the most remarkable and authentic record of antiquity on this subject is that of the massive stone which fell in the 78th Olympiad (about the time of the birth of Socrates), at Ægospotamos (the goat's river), on the Hellespont,—the place soon afterwards the scene of that naval victory of Lysander, in the last year of the Peloponnesian war, which subjected Athens and Greece for a time to the Spartan power. The fall of this stone, says the reviewer, is expressly mentioned by Aristotle; by the author of the Parian Chronicle; by Diogenes of Apollonia; and most fully by Plutarch and Pliny, both of whom distinctly state it to be shown in their time—the sixth century after its fall. Pliny's description is well marked. "Qui lapis etiam nunc ostenditur, magnitudine vehis, colore adusto;" and he adds the fact that a burning comet (meteor) accompanied its descent. Plutarch explicitly states that it was still held in much veneration by the inhabitants of the Chersonesus. He also speaks of its vast size. If the mass remained visible, and of such magnitude as described, down to Pliny's time, it is far from impossible (remarks the reviewer) that it may even now be re-discovered, with the aid, perchance, of some stray tradition attached to the place, surviving, as often happens, the lapse of ages, the changes of human dominion, and even the change of race itself, upon the spot. The locality, indeed, is not further indicated than by the statement of its fall at Ægospotamos; but the invariable manner in which it is thus described defines tolerably well the district to be examined. We learn (he adds) from the old geographers, that there was a town called Ægospotami on the Thracian side of the Hellespont, and we may infer a stream from which its name was derived. The description of the naval fight, and the situation relatively to Lampsacus (the modern Lamsaki), further define the locality within certain limits. The reviewer then adds some practical suggestions of importance. The traveller devoting himself to this research should make his head-quarters at various places near the spot in question. He should render himself previously familiar with the aspect of meteoric stones, as now seen in European cabinets, and should study the character of rocks and fragmentary masses in the vicinity, to appreciate the differences of aspect. A small part only of the mass may now appear above the surface, and may even be wholly concealed by alluvial deposits, in which case the research would, of course, be in vain, unless happily aided by local tradition, which at the outset should be sedulously sought for. The research, if successful, would be of interest enough, both for history and science, to perpetuate a man's name. In the hope that some of the correspondents of "N. & Q.," now sojourning in, or likely to visit the locality, may be tempted to undertake it, I send you these suggestions, extracted from an article of no small scientific interest and value; and I will conclude with the Query, whether the "sacred black stone," which is mentioned by Colonel Williams (the British Commissioner for the settlement of the Turkish boundary question) to be regarded by the Seids inhabiting Despool as their palladium, has any legend of meteoric origin connected with its history?
Wm. Sidney Gibson.
Newcastle on Tyne.