DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4327#0047
38
TEOS.
ME. PULLAN'S EEPOET ON EXCAVATIONS AT TEOS.
Upon hearing that the Society of Dilettanti had granted
funds for the exploration of the Temple of Bacchus at
Teos, I commenced making preparations for departure
from Smyrna. Spiro, the dragoman recommended by
Mr. Consul Blunt—who had accompanied me when I
made the preliminary survey of the coast—agreed to
attend me on this occasion also. The Smyrna and Aidin
Railway Company supplied me with tools, and the timber
required for the erection of a storehouse was purchased
in the town.
The timber and tackle filled a small caique, which I
dispatched in Spiro's charge with instructions to sail round
the Cape of Karabumou at the mouth of the Gulf of
Smyrna to the Bay of Sighajik, the town near which lay
the ruins of Teos. The caique sailed on March 13, 1862.
I left Smyrna on April 3, proceeding by land round
the shores of the gulf; I reached Sighajik on the following
day. Owing to contrary winds, the caique with tents had
not arrived, so I applied to my old acquaintance the
yuzbashi for a house. Here we remained until the 7th,
when the boats arrived, and the tents were pitched before
nightfall.
The ruins of the city of Teos stand on a peninsula which
slopes gently towards the S.E. The heap of marbles which
marked the site of the Temple of Bacchus lay in the centre
of the city, the boundary walls of which could be dis-
tinctly traced almost throughout their entire circuit. The
site of the temple was covered with bushes and stood in
the centre of a cornfield.
Having made the necessary arrangements with the pro-
prietor of the field we commenced operations by cutting
down the brushwood. This was accomplished by the 9th.
Then excavations were commenced at the N.W. corner,
where a portion of the pavement was visible, one plinth
being then in situ. On carrying a trench parallel to the
steps, the pavement of the peristyle was found in position
to a distance of 45 feet. The plinths which stood on this
pavement had been removed. (See the plan, Plate xxii.)
By April 14 we had reached the N.E. angle, where we
found that the peristyle and steps had been all carried
away. This being the most accessible quarter these stones
had, doubtless, been removed for building purposes. Sub-
sequently we found that this was the case on the whole of
the E. front.
On the 19th the men were set to work on the S. side to
cut a trench beyond the line of the stej)s for the purpose of
removing any portions of the frieze that might have fallen
there. Several slabs were found representing a Dionysiac
procession, but executed in a late and rude style of art.
On the N. side some courses of the cella wall were found
in situ, and also a considerable portion of the pavement of
the peristyle. On the S. side on the contrary the steps
had been removed, and the lower courses only remained.
The mouldings of the bases found on this side were inferior
in execution to those on the N., pointing to a rebuilding of
this portion of the edifice at a later period.
On the 22nd we dug pits at the N. and W. sides in order
to discover whether the pavement of the peribolos was in
existence. At a depth of three feet the workmen came to
a layer of broken tiles and pottery, and at a depth of
oft. 6in. to courses of flint which may have formed a
foundation for a better sort of pavement. During the
excavation we found a corner stone of the pediment.
About this time the governor of the principal town in the
district, Sevri Hissar, sent a bekji or watchman to see that
I did not remove any treasure. The bekji informed me
that fourteen years before a party of English sailors dug
on the site of the Temple till they came to a gate, beyond
which they could see vessels of gold, but that when they
had reached this interesting point they were driven away
by magical spirits.
By May 10 the pavement and the foundations of the
antae were laid bare, and by the 23rd the earth from the
interior of the cella was all removed, and it was found that
about two-thirds of the pavement of the cella remained.
The foundation course, which formed the bed of the upper
pavement, was visible throughout the remaining area.
The whole surface of the pavement was strewn with
fragments of earthenware tiles without any admixture of
marble mouldings. From this it is to bo inferred that
the roof had been of wood covered with tiles. The
walls of the posticum had been lined with slabs of white
marble.
On June 11 an English brig came into the harbour of
Sighajik to load with valonea. This was a most unusual
occurrence, and it afforded an opportunity for sending to
England a slab of the frieze found on the site of the temple
of Bacchus.1
On the 12th, after considerable opposition from the
Turkish authorities, I got the slab on board. On the 15th
the medjlis or town council of Sevri Hissar rode to our
encampment and threatened to disembark the slab by
main force. They also wrote to the Pasha of Smyrna to
complain. His reply however was to the effect that I had
not violated the terms of the firman, and for the future I
was left unmolested.
After this I set thirty men to work at the E. end of the
temple. Here it was found that all the steps had been
taken away, but the pavement of the area in front of the
temple was discovered; it had been bounded by a low
wall, or more probably by seats, one of which was found
in situ.
A portion of the architrave of the portico was hero
brought to light, with an inscription upon it, one word of
which, ATTOKPATHP, was distinctly visible. This con-
firmed my opinion that the temple had been rebuilt in
Roman times.
From the 24th of June to the 7th of July the men were
employed on the peribolos. At a distance of 43 ft. on the
S. side traces of a Roman Doric colonnade were found,
returning to the W. at about 66 ft. from the steps of the
temple. The distance from centre to centre of the
1 See PI. xxv. This slab was presented by the Society of Dilettanti to
the liritish Museum.
TEOS.
ME. PULLAN'S EEPOET ON EXCAVATIONS AT TEOS.
Upon hearing that the Society of Dilettanti had granted
funds for the exploration of the Temple of Bacchus at
Teos, I commenced making preparations for departure
from Smyrna. Spiro, the dragoman recommended by
Mr. Consul Blunt—who had accompanied me when I
made the preliminary survey of the coast—agreed to
attend me on this occasion also. The Smyrna and Aidin
Railway Company supplied me with tools, and the timber
required for the erection of a storehouse was purchased
in the town.
The timber and tackle filled a small caique, which I
dispatched in Spiro's charge with instructions to sail round
the Cape of Karabumou at the mouth of the Gulf of
Smyrna to the Bay of Sighajik, the town near which lay
the ruins of Teos. The caique sailed on March 13, 1862.
I left Smyrna on April 3, proceeding by land round
the shores of the gulf; I reached Sighajik on the following
day. Owing to contrary winds, the caique with tents had
not arrived, so I applied to my old acquaintance the
yuzbashi for a house. Here we remained until the 7th,
when the boats arrived, and the tents were pitched before
nightfall.
The ruins of the city of Teos stand on a peninsula which
slopes gently towards the S.E. The heap of marbles which
marked the site of the Temple of Bacchus lay in the centre
of the city, the boundary walls of which could be dis-
tinctly traced almost throughout their entire circuit. The
site of the temple was covered with bushes and stood in
the centre of a cornfield.
Having made the necessary arrangements with the pro-
prietor of the field we commenced operations by cutting
down the brushwood. This was accomplished by the 9th.
Then excavations were commenced at the N.W. corner,
where a portion of the pavement was visible, one plinth
being then in situ. On carrying a trench parallel to the
steps, the pavement of the peristyle was found in position
to a distance of 45 feet. The plinths which stood on this
pavement had been removed. (See the plan, Plate xxii.)
By April 14 we had reached the N.E. angle, where we
found that the peristyle and steps had been all carried
away. This being the most accessible quarter these stones
had, doubtless, been removed for building purposes. Sub-
sequently we found that this was the case on the whole of
the E. front.
On the 19th the men were set to work on the S. side to
cut a trench beyond the line of the stej)s for the purpose of
removing any portions of the frieze that might have fallen
there. Several slabs were found representing a Dionysiac
procession, but executed in a late and rude style of art.
On the N. side some courses of the cella wall were found
in situ, and also a considerable portion of the pavement of
the peristyle. On the S. side on the contrary the steps
had been removed, and the lower courses only remained.
The mouldings of the bases found on this side were inferior
in execution to those on the N., pointing to a rebuilding of
this portion of the edifice at a later period.
On the 22nd we dug pits at the N. and W. sides in order
to discover whether the pavement of the peribolos was in
existence. At a depth of three feet the workmen came to
a layer of broken tiles and pottery, and at a depth of
oft. 6in. to courses of flint which may have formed a
foundation for a better sort of pavement. During the
excavation we found a corner stone of the pediment.
About this time the governor of the principal town in the
district, Sevri Hissar, sent a bekji or watchman to see that
I did not remove any treasure. The bekji informed me
that fourteen years before a party of English sailors dug
on the site of the Temple till they came to a gate, beyond
which they could see vessels of gold, but that when they
had reached this interesting point they were driven away
by magical spirits.
By May 10 the pavement and the foundations of the
antae were laid bare, and by the 23rd the earth from the
interior of the cella was all removed, and it was found that
about two-thirds of the pavement of the cella remained.
The foundation course, which formed the bed of the upper
pavement, was visible throughout the remaining area.
The whole surface of the pavement was strewn with
fragments of earthenware tiles without any admixture of
marble mouldings. From this it is to bo inferred that
the roof had been of wood covered with tiles. The
walls of the posticum had been lined with slabs of white
marble.
On June 11 an English brig came into the harbour of
Sighajik to load with valonea. This was a most unusual
occurrence, and it afforded an opportunity for sending to
England a slab of the frieze found on the site of the temple
of Bacchus.1
On the 12th, after considerable opposition from the
Turkish authorities, I got the slab on board. On the 15th
the medjlis or town council of Sevri Hissar rode to our
encampment and threatened to disembark the slab by
main force. They also wrote to the Pasha of Smyrna to
complain. His reply however was to the effect that I had
not violated the terms of the firman, and for the future I
was left unmolested.
After this I set thirty men to work at the E. end of the
temple. Here it was found that all the steps had been
taken away, but the pavement of the area in front of the
temple was discovered; it had been bounded by a low
wall, or more probably by seats, one of which was found
in situ.
A portion of the architrave of the portico was hero
brought to light, with an inscription upon it, one word of
which, ATTOKPATHP, was distinctly visible. This con-
firmed my opinion that the temple had been rebuilt in
Roman times.
From the 24th of June to the 7th of July the men were
employed on the peribolos. At a distance of 43 ft. on the
S. side traces of a Roman Doric colonnade were found,
returning to the W. at about 66 ft. from the steps of the
temple. The distance from centre to centre of the
1 See PI. xxv. This slab was presented by the Society of Dilettanti to
the liritish Museum.