DOI Artikel:
Earle, Mortimer Lamson: [Papers supplementary to Vol. V]
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.8681#0015
EXCAVATIONS IN
THE THEATRE AT 8ICY0N.
3
choked with a deposit of dark-red earth ; this tunnel continues
the vnovojxoi to an unknown distance into the rocks beyond
E." The deposit of earth washed into the vnovopios did not
equal the full height of the tunnel, so that a small opening
was visible at the end of the main vnovopos before the work-
men began digging. Removal of the earth to the distance
of about one metre in the tunnel, and probing of the small un-
filled space with a long crowbar, did not enable us to reach the
end, nor could anything be well made out with torches in so
narrow an opening. The workman chiefly occupied here as-
sured me that lie saw "rats as large as cats" {novrima jueydXa
'adv ydraii) in this hole. So far as can be conjectured, for
further excavation here was out of the question at the time,
this continuation of the vnovop-oi debouches in one of the old
subterranean waterways of the plateau. From the point
above mentioned, between E and D to B (on the plan) the
contents of the v7t6vojj.o?, from the depth of about 1.25 m.
to that of about 1.90 m., were found to be dark-red soil,
such as covered the orchestra and other portions of the
theatre before excavations were undertaken; from the
depth of about 1.90 m. to that of about 2.30 m. was found
a deposit of similar soil interspersed with bits of native rock,
earthenware, and cement (?). Below this the white clay
begins to appear. From the point between E and D to and
just beyond B the vnovofxoi was carefully covered with
slabs of soft native conglomerate, which had been quarried
apparently in cutting out portions of the stage-structure.
This covering had been laid originally with a whitish cement,
as was evident from that found under the edges of the slabs
raised between E and D. As we advanced toward the orches-
tra, Ave found the native rock becoming much more friable,
passing almost imperceptibly into the native white clay at
the place marked in the plan as "excavated below the level
of orchestra." The deceptive apj)earance of this crumbling
rock, which cracks both horizontally and vertically and in
small blocks, misled me into speaking of it in my previous
report as "what seemed to be a pavement of rough mosaic-
work."
3 The mouth of the tunnel is not square. There is a rough arching of the roof-
THE THEATRE AT 8ICY0N.
3
choked with a deposit of dark-red earth ; this tunnel continues
the vnovojxoi to an unknown distance into the rocks beyond
E." The deposit of earth washed into the vnovopios did not
equal the full height of the tunnel, so that a small opening
was visible at the end of the main vnovopos before the work-
men began digging. Removal of the earth to the distance
of about one metre in the tunnel, and probing of the small un-
filled space with a long crowbar, did not enable us to reach the
end, nor could anything be well made out with torches in so
narrow an opening. The workman chiefly occupied here as-
sured me that lie saw "rats as large as cats" {novrima jueydXa
'adv ydraii) in this hole. So far as can be conjectured, for
further excavation here was out of the question at the time,
this continuation of the vnovop-oi debouches in one of the old
subterranean waterways of the plateau. From the point
above mentioned, between E and D to B (on the plan) the
contents of the v7t6vojj.o?, from the depth of about 1.25 m.
to that of about 1.90 m., were found to be dark-red soil,
such as covered the orchestra and other portions of the
theatre before excavations were undertaken; from the
depth of about 1.90 m. to that of about 2.30 m. was found
a deposit of similar soil interspersed with bits of native rock,
earthenware, and cement (?). Below this the white clay
begins to appear. From the point between E and D to and
just beyond B the vnovofxoi was carefully covered with
slabs of soft native conglomerate, which had been quarried
apparently in cutting out portions of the stage-structure.
This covering had been laid originally with a whitish cement,
as was evident from that found under the edges of the slabs
raised between E and D. As we advanced toward the orches-
tra, Ave found the native rock becoming much more friable,
passing almost imperceptibly into the native white clay at
the place marked in the plan as "excavated below the level
of orchestra." The deceptive apj)earance of this crumbling
rock, which cracks both horizontally and vertically and in
small blocks, misled me into speaking of it in my previous
report as "what seemed to be a pavement of rough mosaic-
work."
3 The mouth of the tunnel is not square. There is a rough arching of the roof-