DOI article:
Sterrett, John R. Sitlington: The Wolfe expedition to Asia Minor
DOI Page / Citation link: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.8680#0058
46
THE WOLFE EXPEDITION
June 9. Polat, via Tamashaliik, to Yer Koprii, 8 h. 55 m. A
disastrous day, both for the writer personally, and for the topograph-
ical work.
The villagers of Polat told me that Dulgerler was only four hours
distant, so I sent my men and luggage direct to Dulgerler, myself
making a great detour to Tamashaliik. On arriving at the latter
place, I was informed that Dulgerler was a good day's inarch off. I
make this statement to excuse myself for not having examined more
closely the ruins at Tamashaliik. In truth, I was so hurried that I
had to pass through the villages between Tamashaliik and Dulgerler
without searching them closely for inscriptions, and without taking
the bearings with the prismatic compass, a fact which, of course,
destroyed to some extent the continuity of my route survey.
Tamashaliik,1 the Yaila of Polat, is on the very summit of the
Khadem range of mountains, where one would never think of look-
ing for an ancient town, and yet the rains show that one existed here.
Among the ruins may be mentioned a theatre, the ruins perhaps of
two temples of Zeus Astrenos (or of one temple and a Boule cham-
ber ; the point cannot be definitely settled without considerable
excavation), a number of large mausolea, and an ancient cemetery
with ornamental stelae, sarcophagi, lions, etc.
The theatre is not in the mountain-side, as was most usual in
Greece, but is built up of well-hewn stones, and is situated on the
very pinnacle of the mountain, whence the spectators had a view
over a vast sea of mountains. It is very small; the diameter of
the orchestra measures 5.20 m.; the diameter at the top of the bot-
tom row of seats is 5.50 m. ; the height of the seats is 0.42 nr.
Nine rows of seats still remain. The proscenium and the back of
the theatre have been destroyed by the villagers of Polat, digging for
money which they thought was buried beneath.
The length of the temple of Zeus inside is 18.55 m- '> but owmg
to superincumbent debris the width cannot be determined. Imme-
diately adjoining the temple of Zeus, on the west, are the ruins of a
much larger building, whose dimensions and character cannot be
determined without excavations.
The inscriptions found here show that at least one temple was
Davis: Life in Asiatic Turkey, p. 404.
THE WOLFE EXPEDITION
June 9. Polat, via Tamashaliik, to Yer Koprii, 8 h. 55 m. A
disastrous day, both for the writer personally, and for the topograph-
ical work.
The villagers of Polat told me that Dulgerler was only four hours
distant, so I sent my men and luggage direct to Dulgerler, myself
making a great detour to Tamashaliik. On arriving at the latter
place, I was informed that Dulgerler was a good day's inarch off. I
make this statement to excuse myself for not having examined more
closely the ruins at Tamashaliik. In truth, I was so hurried that I
had to pass through the villages between Tamashaliik and Dulgerler
without searching them closely for inscriptions, and without taking
the bearings with the prismatic compass, a fact which, of course,
destroyed to some extent the continuity of my route survey.
Tamashaliik,1 the Yaila of Polat, is on the very summit of the
Khadem range of mountains, where one would never think of look-
ing for an ancient town, and yet the rains show that one existed here.
Among the ruins may be mentioned a theatre, the ruins perhaps of
two temples of Zeus Astrenos (or of one temple and a Boule cham-
ber ; the point cannot be definitely settled without considerable
excavation), a number of large mausolea, and an ancient cemetery
with ornamental stelae, sarcophagi, lions, etc.
The theatre is not in the mountain-side, as was most usual in
Greece, but is built up of well-hewn stones, and is situated on the
very pinnacle of the mountain, whence the spectators had a view
over a vast sea of mountains. It is very small; the diameter of
the orchestra measures 5.20 m.; the diameter at the top of the bot-
tom row of seats is 5.50 m. ; the height of the seats is 0.42 nr.
Nine rows of seats still remain. The proscenium and the back of
the theatre have been destroyed by the villagers of Polat, digging for
money which they thought was buried beneath.
The length of the temple of Zeus inside is 18.55 m- '> but owmg
to superincumbent debris the width cannot be determined. Imme-
diately adjoining the temple of Zeus, on the west, are the ruins of a
much larger building, whose dimensions and character cannot be
determined without excavations.
The inscriptions found here show that at least one temple was
Davis: Life in Asiatic Turkey, p. 404.