DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4099#0433
RUINS OF LYKOSOURA 395
account given by Pausanias, and its walls manifest signs of the re-
motest antiquity. The acropolis stood upon a fine precipice of
an oblong form, the extremities facing nearly north and south.
The western side is inaccessible, and the other side, which faces
the plain of Megalopolis, is supported by a double terrace wall
composed of rough blocks like the walls of Tiryns. The gateway
is visible, and faces the south, but its only remains consist of the
foundations and some hewn blocks lying on the spot. Within the
acropolis are two ruined churches and several frusta of unfluted
columns of a dark-coloured marble, with some architraves, and a
Doric capital. The largest diameter of the columns is only one foot
ten inches. A few hundred yards to the south-east of the acropolis
is an eminence covered with bushes, which may be well supposed to
conceal some interesting remains. Several blocks of plain columns
and a ruined church are the only visible objects. To the north of
this is another small elevation, where some fragments of plain columns
and some fluted columnar pilasters and triglyphs evince the remains
of a Doric temple. The whole is fallen to the ground, and amongst
the ruins of the cclla is a mass of white marble, which was probably
a statue, but it is too much shattered for any form to be perceived.
Between this and the acropolis are the remains of a bath or
cistern, about forty feet in length and ten in breadth, composed
of square blocks, and well preserved. A few feet above it, is a
small spring, which originally flowed through the bath, by two
apertures which still remain. Several large blocks lie scattered
in the vicinity, which was evidently one of the most ornamented
parts of the city. To the east of the acropolis are the remains of
another Doric building, consisting of fragments of columns and
pilasters nearly buried. The principal part of the town occupied
an undulating plain to the east of the acropolis: but it is difficult
to form any certain conclusions with respect to its size, as none of
the walls, except those of the acropolis, have been preserved. But
it appears to have extended over a circuit of about two miles.
The distance from this place to the ruins of Megalopolis is two
3 e 2
account given by Pausanias, and its walls manifest signs of the re-
motest antiquity. The acropolis stood upon a fine precipice of
an oblong form, the extremities facing nearly north and south.
The western side is inaccessible, and the other side, which faces
the plain of Megalopolis, is supported by a double terrace wall
composed of rough blocks like the walls of Tiryns. The gateway
is visible, and faces the south, but its only remains consist of the
foundations and some hewn blocks lying on the spot. Within the
acropolis are two ruined churches and several frusta of unfluted
columns of a dark-coloured marble, with some architraves, and a
Doric capital. The largest diameter of the columns is only one foot
ten inches. A few hundred yards to the south-east of the acropolis
is an eminence covered with bushes, which may be well supposed to
conceal some interesting remains. Several blocks of plain columns
and a ruined church are the only visible objects. To the north of
this is another small elevation, where some fragments of plain columns
and some fluted columnar pilasters and triglyphs evince the remains
of a Doric temple. The whole is fallen to the ground, and amongst
the ruins of the cclla is a mass of white marble, which was probably
a statue, but it is too much shattered for any form to be perceived.
Between this and the acropolis are the remains of a bath or
cistern, about forty feet in length and ten in breadth, composed
of square blocks, and well preserved. A few feet above it, is a
small spring, which originally flowed through the bath, by two
apertures which still remain. Several large blocks lie scattered
in the vicinity, which was evidently one of the most ornamented
parts of the city. To the east of the acropolis are the remains of
another Doric building, consisting of fragments of columns and
pilasters nearly buried. The principal part of the town occupied
an undulating plain to the east of the acropolis: but it is difficult
to form any certain conclusions with respect to its size, as none of
the walls, except those of the acropolis, have been preserved. But
it appears to have extended over a circuit of about two miles.
The distance from this place to the ruins of Megalopolis is two
3 e 2