Fellows, Charles: Travels and researches in Asia Minor, more particularly in the province of Lycia (London, 1852)

358

CHAPTER XXI.

EUINS OP MYEA.—TOMBS.—COLOUEED BAS-EELIEFS.—RUINS.—PASSAGE
OP MOUNTAIN TO PHINEKA.----ANCIENT ISIUM ?—1IMYEA.— SCULP-
TURES AND INSCRIPTION.—ANCIENT BRIDGE.—GAGM3.—EXCURSION
BY THE PEOMONTAEITJM SACEUM TO OLYMPUS.—A DESERTED VIL-
LAGE.—VALLEY OP THE AEYCANDUS.—TOMBS.—EUINS.—DISCOVEEY
OP AEYCANDA.—ITS EUINS.

April 28th.—Myra was among the most important of the
Lyeian cities, and its ruins appear to be little injured by
age. The city must have extended far over the plains, in
front of the rock, which has now the theatre at its foot, and
a multitude of beautiful tombs cut in its cliff; I say this,
judging from the very reasonable arguments advanced by
Mr. Cockerell, that the size of a theatre is a good indication
of the population of a city. The theatre at Myra is among
the largest and the best built in Asia Minor: much of its fine
corridor and corniced proscenium remains ; the upper seats
have disappeared, but the present crop of wheat occupies
little more than the area; probably about six feet of earth
may have accumulated upon its surface. As an argument
against the former great size of the city, I should bring the
proportionate small number of tombs now existing in the
rocks, although, as at Telmessus, many of the inhabitants
may have been entombed in sarcophagi on the plain which
have perhaps disappeared; certainly the tombs that remain

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