DOI article:
Waldstein, Charles: [Excavations and discoveries at Eretria, 1891-1895]
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.8681#0089
EXCAVATIONS IN THE THEATRE OF ERETRIA.
77
The foundations of the stage-building that Ludwig Ross had traced
in 1833 disappeared after the settlement of the Psariani in 1836. Here
and there single stones appeared above the ground, but the position
of no walls could be located with certainty. The fact, however, that
the ground level on the site of the stage-building was between three
and four metres above that of the orchestra, supplied a hopeful sign
that, at least in some parts, walls of importance would be found.
When the campaign closed on March 18, we had worked 27f days,
with an average of 19 men, including two cart-drivers. For removing
the earth we relied especially on carts and wheelbarrows, as baskets
proved less suitable for our purpose.
The eastern wall was cleared first, and it was a great disappoint-
ment to find that the foundation was the only course remaining ; but
it was reassuring soon to discover that at least the front wall went
deep. When the work had reached this point it was found practi-
cable to divide the men into two bodies. One party removed the
earth from the front of the orchestra, and as far back as the middle
of the stage-building. The other set cleared the southern half of the
stage-building. In this way, the two parties keeping nearly the same
pace, the entire structure ,\7as laid bare, proceeding from east to west.
The exact correspondence between the two sides was striking, when,
after weeks of labor and study, the second half was found minutely
to reproduce the first, and we could hence estimate with certainty the
location of the different walls (see plan of theatre, plate iv).
On February 14, while cutting a broad trench along the double front
wall (G0 and HH), which we shall call the scencv frons, the workmen
came upon an opening (Q) in the wall about two metres wide. On
following this up, it proved to have a vaulted roof in good preservation.
Soon the workmen on the other side, more than fourteen metres away,
struck an opening into the ground. Here the keystone and a few of
the upper voussoirs were gone. Grave-searchers, with whom this
region abounds, imagining that there was a grave below, had broken
through the vault. The clearing of this large passage, which was
entirely filled with earth and 2.95 m. deep, occupied a great deal of
time. Owing to the limited space, only two men could be employed,
and, from the construction, it had to be cleared almost entirely from
the north end. At length, on the afternoon of March 12, the way
was open from one end to the other. The earth, from the position
of the strata, had evidently sifted in from the two ends. Heaps of
77
The foundations of the stage-building that Ludwig Ross had traced
in 1833 disappeared after the settlement of the Psariani in 1836. Here
and there single stones appeared above the ground, but the position
of no walls could be located with certainty. The fact, however, that
the ground level on the site of the stage-building was between three
and four metres above that of the orchestra, supplied a hopeful sign
that, at least in some parts, walls of importance would be found.
When the campaign closed on March 18, we had worked 27f days,
with an average of 19 men, including two cart-drivers. For removing
the earth we relied especially on carts and wheelbarrows, as baskets
proved less suitable for our purpose.
The eastern wall was cleared first, and it was a great disappoint-
ment to find that the foundation was the only course remaining ; but
it was reassuring soon to discover that at least the front wall went
deep. When the work had reached this point it was found practi-
cable to divide the men into two bodies. One party removed the
earth from the front of the orchestra, and as far back as the middle
of the stage-building. The other set cleared the southern half of the
stage-building. In this way, the two parties keeping nearly the same
pace, the entire structure ,\7as laid bare, proceeding from east to west.
The exact correspondence between the two sides was striking, when,
after weeks of labor and study, the second half was found minutely
to reproduce the first, and we could hence estimate with certainty the
location of the different walls (see plan of theatre, plate iv).
On February 14, while cutting a broad trench along the double front
wall (G0 and HH), which we shall call the scencv frons, the workmen
came upon an opening (Q) in the wall about two metres wide. On
following this up, it proved to have a vaulted roof in good preservation.
Soon the workmen on the other side, more than fourteen metres away,
struck an opening into the ground. Here the keystone and a few of
the upper voussoirs were gone. Grave-searchers, with whom this
region abounds, imagining that there was a grave below, had broken
through the vault. The clearing of this large passage, which was
entirely filled with earth and 2.95 m. deep, occupied a great deal of
time. Owing to the limited space, only two men could be employed,
and, from the construction, it had to be cleared almost entirely from
the north end. At length, on the afternoon of March 12, the way
was open from one end to the other. The earth, from the position
of the strata, had evidently sifted in from the two ends. Heaps of