DOI Artikel:
Waldstein, Charles; Meader, Clarence L.: [Excavations at Sparta, 1893]
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.8681#0225
EXCAVATIONS AT SPARTA.
213
discovered by excavating there. This entire area has been
built and rebuilt in later Roman and Byzantine times, so that
its original form is entirely lost.
The excavations have thus established the fact that we
have here to deal not with a building in the proper sense of
the word, but with a large circular stereobate or perhaps
two such adjacent to each other, assuming the possibility
that the second short wall is the remains of a second stereo-
bate. This being the case, it becomes necessary to enquire
as to the possible object of such a foundation; i. e., as to
the form of the structure that rested upon it.
Owing to the elevation and the exposed position of the
surface of the supporting terrace the greater part of the
structure or structures upon it has been destroyed. The
scanty remains that now exist are indicated upon the plans.
Fig. 1 shows their position upon the terrace ; Fig. 3 shows
more exactly the relative positions of the stones to one
another ; Fig. 4 shows on a larger scale the exact size and
relative positions of the most important of these remains ;
and Fig. 4-IV. shows a cross-section of the stone numbered
4 on Figures 1 and 3. The walls 7i, r, and r' are late and
do no.t concern us. We have therefore to take account
only of those blocks which are marked a, a and 7c upon
Fig. 1.
As already stated, all the blocks marked a and a' are of
very soft white poros. They number twenty-two and are all
in situ. Each approximates toward the rectangular form,
but usually varies a little from it. The vertical faces of
most of them are left rough, but the top faces without ex-
ception are carefully smoothed and horizontal. In most
cases the native rock has been cut away to fit the blocks and
form a solid bed for them. The extant blocks are all ar-
ranged nearly in concentric circles about the point c', which
lies very close to the centre c of the arc of the retaining-wall.
The surface of the rock, as we have already seen, is levelled
for a space about the centre for the reception of the basis I.
From this level, however, it gradually rises toward the north
and east, so that the upper faces of the poros blocks in each
circle are higher than those of the blocks in the next circle
within. The absence of necessary instruments rendered the
213
discovered by excavating there. This entire area has been
built and rebuilt in later Roman and Byzantine times, so that
its original form is entirely lost.
The excavations have thus established the fact that we
have here to deal not with a building in the proper sense of
the word, but with a large circular stereobate or perhaps
two such adjacent to each other, assuming the possibility
that the second short wall is the remains of a second stereo-
bate. This being the case, it becomes necessary to enquire
as to the possible object of such a foundation; i. e., as to
the form of the structure that rested upon it.
Owing to the elevation and the exposed position of the
surface of the supporting terrace the greater part of the
structure or structures upon it has been destroyed. The
scanty remains that now exist are indicated upon the plans.
Fig. 1 shows their position upon the terrace ; Fig. 3 shows
more exactly the relative positions of the stones to one
another ; Fig. 4 shows on a larger scale the exact size and
relative positions of the most important of these remains ;
and Fig. 4-IV. shows a cross-section of the stone numbered
4 on Figures 1 and 3. The walls 7i, r, and r' are late and
do no.t concern us. We have therefore to take account
only of those blocks which are marked a, a and 7c upon
Fig. 1.
As already stated, all the blocks marked a and a' are of
very soft white poros. They number twenty-two and are all
in situ. Each approximates toward the rectangular form,
but usually varies a little from it. The vertical faces of
most of them are left rough, but the top faces without ex-
ception are carefully smoothed and horizontal. In most
cases the native rock has been cut away to fit the blocks and
form a solid bed for them. The extant blocks are all ar-
ranged nearly in concentric circles about the point c', which
lies very close to the centre c of the arc of the retaining-wall.
The surface of the rock, as we have already seen, is levelled
for a space about the centre for the reception of the basis I.
From this level, however, it gradually rises toward the north
and east, so that the upper faces of the poros blocks in each
circle are higher than those of the blocks in the next circle
within. The absence of necessary instruments rendered the