DOI article:
Waldstein, Charles: [Excavations and discoveries at Eretria, 1891-1895]
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.8681#0121
A TOPOGRAPHICAL STUDY OF ERETRIA.
109
point where the peninsula joins the mainland, thus including the whole
of the east side of the large harbor within the ancient fortifications.
But, making a sharp turn to the west at F, it runs in a direction less
than a right angle with its previous course for a hundred metres.
At H, it turns with an obtuse angle toward the sea again, and it's course
is easily followed for some 120 metres further. At I, it is entirely
lost in the well cultivated fields l)"ing on this side of the village.
These apparently eccentric turnings involve the surrender of all idea
of fortifying the entire water front of the large harbor as it now exists.
Beyond 7, though making various turnings, the wall does not finally
reach the present line of the shore till it comes to N. From N to 0,
a distance of 80 metres, the line skirts the beach. At 0, it turns
directly inland; so that the line K—O is the only frontage the wall
now has upon the harbor. This appeared a curious state of things,
and for a long time no satisfactory solution of the puzzle could be
found. To be sure, the line from the round tower at F toward the
inland end of the peninsula, led across ground which was decidedly
marshy at the time the survey was made, so much so, indeed, as to
preclude a careful examination of all the intervening ground. The
turns at F and it also brought the line around the small pond lying
outside the wall in this direction. But the engineering-skill which
had run the whole eastern wall through the great swamp, and included
one pond within the fortifications, would certainly not have been
stopped by the lesser obstacle between F and the sea. Then, too, in
the line H—I the ground is perfectly firm the whole way to the shore.
The angles at .Fand If are quite distinct; the line of wall F-G—H-I
is unquestioned, being among the best preserved portions of the entire
circuit of the lower city. It was only when we revisited the site in
May, after the summer heats had dried up the swamp to some extent,
that what seems the true explanation was discovered. In the immedi-
ate neighborhood of the line F-G—H, all traces of a former wall have
disappeared. But, moving out from G directly toward the sea, a wall
was discovered, concealed by bushes, sometimes indistinct, sometimes
as well preserved as any portion of the eastern wall, in all sufficient to
show that it must have extended from near G and enclosed the eastern
side of this small pond. The wall ends abruptly, as shown on the map.
The pond is half enclosed, on the east by this last discovered wall, and
by the line H-I on the west. Between the pond and the present shore-
109
point where the peninsula joins the mainland, thus including the whole
of the east side of the large harbor within the ancient fortifications.
But, making a sharp turn to the west at F, it runs in a direction less
than a right angle with its previous course for a hundred metres.
At H, it turns with an obtuse angle toward the sea again, and it's course
is easily followed for some 120 metres further. At I, it is entirely
lost in the well cultivated fields l)"ing on this side of the village.
These apparently eccentric turnings involve the surrender of all idea
of fortifying the entire water front of the large harbor as it now exists.
Beyond 7, though making various turnings, the wall does not finally
reach the present line of the shore till it comes to N. From N to 0,
a distance of 80 metres, the line skirts the beach. At 0, it turns
directly inland; so that the line K—O is the only frontage the wall
now has upon the harbor. This appeared a curious state of things,
and for a long time no satisfactory solution of the puzzle could be
found. To be sure, the line from the round tower at F toward the
inland end of the peninsula, led across ground which was decidedly
marshy at the time the survey was made, so much so, indeed, as to
preclude a careful examination of all the intervening ground. The
turns at F and it also brought the line around the small pond lying
outside the wall in this direction. But the engineering-skill which
had run the whole eastern wall through the great swamp, and included
one pond within the fortifications, would certainly not have been
stopped by the lesser obstacle between F and the sea. Then, too, in
the line H—I the ground is perfectly firm the whole way to the shore.
The angles at .Fand If are quite distinct; the line of wall F-G—H-I
is unquestioned, being among the best preserved portions of the entire
circuit of the lower city. It was only when we revisited the site in
May, after the summer heats had dried up the swamp to some extent,
that what seems the true explanation was discovered. In the immedi-
ate neighborhood of the line F-G—H, all traces of a former wall have
disappeared. But, moving out from G directly toward the sea, a wall
was discovered, concealed by bushes, sometimes indistinct, sometimes
as well preserved as any portion of the eastern wall, in all sufficient to
show that it must have extended from near G and enclosed the eastern
side of this small pond. The wall ends abruptly, as shown on the map.
The pond is half enclosed, on the east by this last discovered wall, and
by the line H-I on the west. Between the pond and the present shore-