DOI article:
Waldstein, Charles; Washington, Henry Stephens; Hunt, W. Irving: Discoveries at Plataia in 1890
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.8678#0281
DISCOVERIES Al PLATAIA.
263
and between S and T, the natural rock has been cut away so as to leave
a smooth vertical fall.
In order to take up and describe seriatim the various parts of the
city-walls, we will begin at the point A, the southwest corner, and pro-
ceed toward the north. This point is the highest and most southerly
of the plateau, and from it may be had a fine view of the whole site
and the plain of the Oeroe and Asopos rivers stretching away to the
north toward Thebes, which is entirely hidden by a low range of hills
separating the valleys of the two rivers. Behind us, and to the right
and left, runs the ridge of Mt. Kithairon; to the northwest can be
seen Mts. Helikon and Parnassos, and to the northeast the mountains
of Euboia. A ravine, about 50 m. wide and about 5 m. deep, sepa-
rates the plateau from the lowest point of the slojJe of Kithairon.
This ravine was much deeper in former times, a great deal of earth
having been Mashed down from the mountain, especially since the
destruction to a great extent of the forest growth. It is wide and
deep enough, however, to prevent any earth from being washed down
from the mountain onto the plateau, and we may safely say that this
part of the plateau has been steadily losing earth since it became un-
inhabited, and consequently for centuries diminishing in height.
There is little left of the wall above ground (merely one course of
blocks, inside and out), but enough by which to determine the period,
presumably the earliest. A tower, square in plan, 5.50 m. on each
side, stood at the angle, and from this point the wall runs down the
slope, toward the north, very well defined till it turns to the west near
Church No. VII, and thence runs irregularly in a general northwesterly
direction till it meets the upper cross-wall. All along this stretch, a
single course above ground in a few places constitutes the best-pre-
served remains, the whole being of the first period. The wall has
been traced, for the most part, by the rock-surfaces smoothed for the
reception of the masonry. Along a great part of this stretch, notably
from C to G, the wall runs along the edge of a rough and jagged rocky
cliff, nearly vertical, but now only a few metres high. Below the
point D, on the outside, there is a rectangular sarcophagus-like cavity
cut in the rock.1 The point of junction of this outer and older wall
with the upper cross-wall cannot be clearly made out, but is probably
not far from
1 The two branches of the road from Kekla to Kriekouki cut this section of the
Wall, as shown on the map.
263
and between S and T, the natural rock has been cut away so as to leave
a smooth vertical fall.
In order to take up and describe seriatim the various parts of the
city-walls, we will begin at the point A, the southwest corner, and pro-
ceed toward the north. This point is the highest and most southerly
of the plateau, and from it may be had a fine view of the whole site
and the plain of the Oeroe and Asopos rivers stretching away to the
north toward Thebes, which is entirely hidden by a low range of hills
separating the valleys of the two rivers. Behind us, and to the right
and left, runs the ridge of Mt. Kithairon; to the northwest can be
seen Mts. Helikon and Parnassos, and to the northeast the mountains
of Euboia. A ravine, about 50 m. wide and about 5 m. deep, sepa-
rates the plateau from the lowest point of the slojJe of Kithairon.
This ravine was much deeper in former times, a great deal of earth
having been Mashed down from the mountain, especially since the
destruction to a great extent of the forest growth. It is wide and
deep enough, however, to prevent any earth from being washed down
from the mountain onto the plateau, and we may safely say that this
part of the plateau has been steadily losing earth since it became un-
inhabited, and consequently for centuries diminishing in height.
There is little left of the wall above ground (merely one course of
blocks, inside and out), but enough by which to determine the period,
presumably the earliest. A tower, square in plan, 5.50 m. on each
side, stood at the angle, and from this point the wall runs down the
slope, toward the north, very well defined till it turns to the west near
Church No. VII, and thence runs irregularly in a general northwesterly
direction till it meets the upper cross-wall. All along this stretch, a
single course above ground in a few places constitutes the best-pre-
served remains, the whole being of the first period. The wall has
been traced, for the most part, by the rock-surfaces smoothed for the
reception of the masonry. Along a great part of this stretch, notably
from C to G, the wall runs along the edge of a rough and jagged rocky
cliff, nearly vertical, but now only a few metres high. Below the
point D, on the outside, there is a rectangular sarcophagus-like cavity
cut in the rock.1 The point of junction of this outer and older wall
with the upper cross-wall cannot be clearly made out, but is probably
not far from
1 The two branches of the road from Kekla to Kriekouki cut this section of the
Wall, as shown on the map.