DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.800#0024
10
ANCIENT ATHENS.
westernmost door gives admittance, is somewhat smaller than that just
described. It has a slanting roof, and at its right hand corner is a
doorway leading into a circular apartment of singular construction. It
is a rotunda, or tholus, about fifteen feet in diameter, with an elliptical
vault, forming a sort of chimney with an opening on the upper surface
of the rock, where its round and narrow shaft is half closed by a pro-
jecting ledge. At the western end of the facade of this singular dwell-
ing, the rock projects at right angles to it about thirteen feet, and with
the aid of carpentry, seems to have formed a sort of hall, or ante-room ;
for on the side wall made by the rock, as well as on the facade, are
numerous square holes, evidently intended to receive the joists of
planking. The original destination of this place it is impossible to
determine; at present it serves as a stable for cattle.
The streets of this rock-town are of three kinds : main thorough-
fares, or highways, smaller streets practicable for horses and cars, and
lanes for foot passengers. The high roads led through a gate of the
city, and there were only two of them in this quarter. One of these
ran between the Pnyx and Museium hills, through a gate near the
present little church of Agios Demetrius, which M. Burnouf, correctly
we think, identifies with Pylae Melitides (p. 79). "We are not, however,
so certain as to the road having been the KoiXrj 'OSo?; but these are
points which there will be occasion to discuss further on when we come
to speak of the walls and regions of the city. In later times the road in
question led to the port towns, and it is often used at this day by pedes-
trians. It probably served to convey merchandise from the ports, and it
was a safe road for that purpose, as it ran between the Phaleric and the
Long Wall. It is striated, or roughened with hammer and chisel, in order
to secure the footing of beasts of burthen; the ruts of wheels are still
visible on it, and at its side runs a large kennel. The only other road
having the appearance of a highway is one on the crest of the north-
western hill. It seems also to have led to the ports, but it was evidently
not so much frequented as the other ; it has no kennel, and it is impos-
sible to say through what gate it led.
The smaller striated streets, with marks of ruts, served for internal
ANCIENT ATHENS.
westernmost door gives admittance, is somewhat smaller than that just
described. It has a slanting roof, and at its right hand corner is a
doorway leading into a circular apartment of singular construction. It
is a rotunda, or tholus, about fifteen feet in diameter, with an elliptical
vault, forming a sort of chimney with an opening on the upper surface
of the rock, where its round and narrow shaft is half closed by a pro-
jecting ledge. At the western end of the facade of this singular dwell-
ing, the rock projects at right angles to it about thirteen feet, and with
the aid of carpentry, seems to have formed a sort of hall, or ante-room ;
for on the side wall made by the rock, as well as on the facade, are
numerous square holes, evidently intended to receive the joists of
planking. The original destination of this place it is impossible to
determine; at present it serves as a stable for cattle.
The streets of this rock-town are of three kinds : main thorough-
fares, or highways, smaller streets practicable for horses and cars, and
lanes for foot passengers. The high roads led through a gate of the
city, and there were only two of them in this quarter. One of these
ran between the Pnyx and Museium hills, through a gate near the
present little church of Agios Demetrius, which M. Burnouf, correctly
we think, identifies with Pylae Melitides (p. 79). "We are not, however,
so certain as to the road having been the KoiXrj 'OSo?; but these are
points which there will be occasion to discuss further on when we come
to speak of the walls and regions of the city. In later times the road in
question led to the port towns, and it is often used at this day by pedes-
trians. It probably served to convey merchandise from the ports, and it
was a safe road for that purpose, as it ran between the Phaleric and the
Long Wall. It is striated, or roughened with hammer and chisel, in order
to secure the footing of beasts of burthen; the ruts of wheels are still
visible on it, and at its side runs a large kennel. The only other road
having the appearance of a highway is one on the crest of the north-
western hill. It seems also to have led to the ports, but it was evidently
not so much frequented as the other ; it has no kennel, and it is impos-
sible to say through what gate it led.
The smaller striated streets, with marks of ruts, served for internal