Papers of the American School of Classical Studies at Athens (5.1886-1890)

DISCOVERIES AT PLATAIA.

265

little is left of them to determine this definitely. At one place in the
upper cross-wall two of these platforms occur, one on each side of a
tower, while at another place one is found between two towers.

Returning to H, we continue toward the north along the western
outer wall. The stretch HI, distinctly traceable, but not projecting
much above ground, is of the second period; it is similar to the wall
of the third period, that of the upper cross-wall, but is not so care-
fully built. It disappears at /, and the wall begins again at K, where
there are traces of a square tower. A wall running cast from this point
was traced for some 50 m. The main Mall, of the same masonry as
HI, continues to the point M, where it makes a sharp angle, turns to
the northwest, and thence to N is traceable mostly by rock-cutting.
From H to near M, it runs along the edge of the plateau, the ground
sloping down gently toward the plain. At M is a tower, and the wall
from this point on to Noverhangs a steep and rocky cliff, from 3 to 8
m. high. Inside the tower to the north of M, there run for a few
metres the remains of an apparently polygonal wall, probably of the
first period, as in the extreme southern part, but perhaps earlier still.
Below the wall SIN, perched on the rocks, are half a dozen sarcophagi,
hewn in one piece out of the common, coarse gray marble, and sepa-
rate from the rock on which they rest. The dimensions of the most
northerly one are as follows : length (exterior) 2.40 m., width 1.20,
height 1.25, thickness of sides, 0.20. These sarcophagi are surrounded
at top and bottom by a simple moulding. The interior is sloping
at the bottom. The monolithic cover of the sarcophagus measured
lies further down the slope; it has the shape of a long, obtuse wedge.
To the south of the sarcophagi lie some graves of less importance,
hewn in the rock, in the shape of rectangular pits ; all these are
empty. Of two of the sarcophagi only halves remain, and all the
covers with the one exception have disappeared. At a distance of 98 m.
from N, there are traces of a path leading down through the wall and
between the sarcophagi—very faint however. At ^Ythis wall disap-
pears, though blocks are still scattered about the slope in large num-
bers, and many are built into field-walls below.

At O, begins the lower cross-wall, almost the latest of all. It is
built entirely, as stated above, of blocks taken from other structures.
The remains of seven towers, measuring 6.20 m. in length by 5.50 in
width, are visible in its southern or outer side, joined to and forming
part of the main wall, as in the upper cross-wall. The third tower