DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.656#0011
INTRODUCTION.
The Sculptured Metopes described in the following pages ami accompanying
Plates, belonged to two temples of the ancient city of Selinus in Sicily,
among the ruins of which they bail remained concealed for a space probably
of more (ban two thousand two hundred years, when (hey were fortunately
discovered in March 1823.
The very early style and high antiquity of these Metopes, throw an ad-
ditional light on the history of the rise and progress of sculpture, and their
subjects offer interesting representations of some of the fables of antiquity.
For these reasons we feel it incumbent on us to make them known, and we
are encouraged in so doing by the hope that their publication may afford
sonic degree of interest to the scholar, the antiquary, and the artist. In the
execution of our task, the sculptures will form the principal object, but we
shall preface our explanation of them with a concise relation of the particu-
lars of the discovery; and, for their better illustration, we propose to take a
general view of the history of Selinus, and to give an architectural descrip-
tion of the ruins of the temples.
It was after a gratifying tour of the island, and several months satisfac-
torily passed among the antiquities of Syracuse and Agrigentuni, that, towards
the close of 1822, we arrived at Selinus, prepared to find in its ruins objects
highly interesting, and much matter lor new and professional research. These
expectations were more than realized, for on our first examination of the
ruins we found them deserving more attention than we had anticipated ; we
therefore determined to devote to their investigation whatever time and pains
should be necessary to elucidate them thoroughly. Many circumstances
however appeared at first to frustrate our intentions; the very confused state
ol' (be ruins, the great accumulation of earth and cultivated soil surrounding
them, the difficulty of moving the enormous blocks which concealed many
The Sculptured Metopes described in the following pages ami accompanying
Plates, belonged to two temples of the ancient city of Selinus in Sicily,
among the ruins of which they bail remained concealed for a space probably
of more (ban two thousand two hundred years, when (hey were fortunately
discovered in March 1823.
The very early style and high antiquity of these Metopes, throw an ad-
ditional light on the history of the rise and progress of sculpture, and their
subjects offer interesting representations of some of the fables of antiquity.
For these reasons we feel it incumbent on us to make them known, and we
are encouraged in so doing by the hope that their publication may afford
sonic degree of interest to the scholar, the antiquary, and the artist. In the
execution of our task, the sculptures will form the principal object, but we
shall preface our explanation of them with a concise relation of the particu-
lars of the discovery; and, for their better illustration, we propose to take a
general view of the history of Selinus, and to give an architectural descrip-
tion of the ruins of the temples.
It was after a gratifying tour of the island, and several months satisfac-
torily passed among the antiquities of Syracuse and Agrigentuni, that, towards
the close of 1822, we arrived at Selinus, prepared to find in its ruins objects
highly interesting, and much matter lor new and professional research. These
expectations were more than realized, for on our first examination of the
ruins we found them deserving more attention than we had anticipated ; we
therefore determined to devote to their investigation whatever time and pains
should be necessary to elucidate them thoroughly. Many circumstances
however appeared at first to frustrate our intentions; the very confused state
ol' (be ruins, the great accumulation of earth and cultivated soil surrounding
them, the difficulty of moving the enormous blocks which concealed many