III.
THE GEOLOGY OF ASSOS.
By J. S. DILLER.
THE topographical isolation of the hill at Assos is apparent
from many points of view in the southern part of the Troad,
and its natural advantages as the site of an ancient fortified city
were very great. Its form may be described, in a general way, as a
truncated cone, the base of which at the eastern and western sides
is drawn out into comparatively unimportant ridges. Upon the south-
ern side it descends very abruptly by several terraces and high cliffs
to the sea. To the northward the slope is more gentle to the river,
which is only 1.5 kilometre from the coast. The river at this
point has an elevation of 100 metres above the sea-level. The
Acropolis of Assos is the highest point south of the Touzla (Satni-
oeis) river between, Coslou-dagh 7 kilometres to the eastward, and
the great plateau about the same distance in the opposite direction.
According to the measurements of the present expedition it rises
234 metres above the sea. The low truncated conical form and
the bold cliffs upon the seaward slope are best seen from the west,
the point from which the view (Plate 6) was taken.
Although the rocks in the vicinity of Assos are of great variety,
yet, with the exception of a conglomerate composed chiefly of marl
and fragments of limestone, they are all trachytes. They are,
however, not all of the same age, nor were they extruded in the
same manner. According to differences in age the various modifi-
cations may be grouped under three principal trachytes, which in
general appearance are quite distinct from one another. For con-
venience of description these trachytes will be named, beginning
with the oldest, the first, second, and third respectively. Besides
the tertiary conglomerate and the three trachytes already men-
tioned, there is also a volcanic conglomerate having a very irregular
distribution, and composed of trachytic fragments. In respect to
THE GEOLOGY OF ASSOS.
By J. S. DILLER.
THE topographical isolation of the hill at Assos is apparent
from many points of view in the southern part of the Troad,
and its natural advantages as the site of an ancient fortified city
were very great. Its form may be described, in a general way, as a
truncated cone, the base of which at the eastern and western sides
is drawn out into comparatively unimportant ridges. Upon the south-
ern side it descends very abruptly by several terraces and high cliffs
to the sea. To the northward the slope is more gentle to the river,
which is only 1.5 kilometre from the coast. The river at this
point has an elevation of 100 metres above the sea-level. The
Acropolis of Assos is the highest point south of the Touzla (Satni-
oeis) river between, Coslou-dagh 7 kilometres to the eastward, and
the great plateau about the same distance in the opposite direction.
According to the measurements of the present expedition it rises
234 metres above the sea. The low truncated conical form and
the bold cliffs upon the seaward slope are best seen from the west,
the point from which the view (Plate 6) was taken.
Although the rocks in the vicinity of Assos are of great variety,
yet, with the exception of a conglomerate composed chiefly of marl
and fragments of limestone, they are all trachytes. They are,
however, not all of the same age, nor were they extruded in the
same manner. According to differences in age the various modifi-
cations may be grouped under three principal trachytes, which in
general appearance are quite distinct from one another. For con-
venience of description these trachytes will be named, beginning
with the oldest, the first, second, and third respectively. Besides
the tertiary conglomerate and the three trachytes already men-
tioned, there is also a volcanic conglomerate having a very irregular
distribution, and composed of trachytic fragments. In respect to