Society of Dilettanti [Hrsg.]: Antiquities of Ionia (Band 4) (London, 1881)

31

FRAGMENTS OF SCULPTURE AND ARCHITECTURE

DISCOVERED IN THE TEMENOS OF ATHENE POLIAS AT PRIENE, AND NOW IN THE BRITISH

MUSEUM.

16,

Female draped torso, the head to the base of the neck,
both arms from above the elbow, the left foot and
ancle, and nearly all the right foot wanting. The body
is clad in a talaric chiton with sleeves, over which is a
thicker chiton Avithout sleeves, fastened on each shoulder ;
the waist is encircled with a flat girdle, perforated with
holes at intervals for the reception of some metallic orna-
ment. The figure, which lias the slim proportions of a
young girl, rests on the left leg, the right being slightly
bent. The drapery is treated with a severe simplicity,
which would make the statue suitable for forming part of
an architectural design. The head and both arms have
been attached by a joint a little above the elbow. The
sculpture is probably of the same age as the temple, and
executed in the same school as the sculpture of the Mauso-
leum. The surface of the marble is discoloured, as if from
the action of fire. When found, this torso was broken into
five fragments. Height, 4ft. 3in.

Left foot of colossal female figure, cut off by a joint about
half way between the instep and the end of the toes. The
marble is pierced between the great toe and the next toe,
as if for the insertion of some metallic object. The base
of the great and next toes and of the right side of the
foot are cut away near the joint, showing that the heel of

this foot was raised. The upper part and left side of the
foot arc roughly tooled, and on this rough margin is a
perforation opposite the sjjaco between the great and
next toe. This rough margin is probably wrought for the
reception of a bronze sandal. (Breadth 1ft. 2^in., length
lft.) With this left foot were found the folloAving
fragments.

Fragment of a colossal left hand, broken off at the Avrist,
the fingers and upper joint of the thumb Avanting; this is
made up of many pieces. Breadth lft. 5|in., length lft.
Sin.

A colossal left upper arm, made up of 93 fragments,
Avhich have been put together since the marbles from
Priene have been presented to the British Museum. Length
4ft. tjin., thickness lft. 7in.

All these fragments are more or less discoloured by the
action of fire. There can hardly be a doubt that these and
several other fragments sent from Priene to the British
Museum belong to the colossal statue of Athene Polias,
described by Pausanias, and of which the remains of the
pedestal Avere found in position inside the cella of the
temple. See ante, p. 25. It is probable from the scale of
the fragments that the figure of Athene Avas about 20 feet
high. The bronze Avings belonged probably to a figure of
Victory about 3 feet high, Avhich may have stood on the
hand of the Athene.

Capital of an Ionic pilaster, from the temenos of Athene
Polias: on the face a floral ornament (anthemion) rests
on a stem, from AArhich issues on each side a tendril.
On each return a similar pattern Avith shorter tendrils:
at the base a roAv of rosettes. This pattern extends
over less than one-half of the return face on each
side. The remainder of these return faces is sunk
beloAV the ground of the ornamented part. The Avhole
is of very inferior Avorkmanship to the rest of the
architectural details and probably of a more modern age.
On the sunk part of the right return is the folloAving
inscription:—

Ol (f>v\eT<xL UavS\_iovL8o?
'AttoWwvlS^v [tov SeiVo?
dperrjs eveKev [r^s eis
clvto[_v<;.
" The tribesmen of the tribe of Pandionis (dedicate this
statue ? in honour of) Apollonides, on account of his ser-
vices to the tribe.''

This pilaster has a joint at the back. Height lft. 2|in.,
breadth 2ft. 5in.

C. T. N.