DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.47233#0024
8
NARRATIVE OF EXCAVATION.
[CHAP. II.
A more
extensive
clearance.
Premature
publication.
(C) Minor
Excavations
South of the
River.
Triglyph altar.
Smaller altar.
Experimental
excavations.
was the diameter of the orchestra and to what extent the seats were preserved. Here we were
successful beyond our hopes ; for not only did we find several tiers of seats well preserved, but,
following them down, we . struck the backs of two of the seats of honour (θρόνοι) which formed
the front row in the auditorium. Furthermore, the easternmost of these seats was found to bear
a dedicatory inscription (Chap. VII. No. I. (1). (a)), dating, to judge by the form of the letters,
from the fourth century B.c.
Almost simultaneously with the last-named discovery, excavation in front of the
stylobate of the Portico brought to light two of the steps which connected it with the orchestra.
Yet another point of interest was the wall of stuccoed conglomerate,2 which, when completely
cleared, proved to be the North wall of a building peculiar to Megalopolis and designated by the
name of ('property-room’). Some of the inscribed tiles (Chap. VII. No. XXVIII. (1)),
by means of which the building was afterwards identified, had already been discovered just
outside this wall.
By this time it had become evident that the Megalopolitan Theatre afforded ample
material for investigation ; so, adding to our staff of workmen, we proceeded to a more extensive
clearance of the ground. I need hardly follow the steps of this excavation in detail; so I will
merely say that, by the end of the first season, (1) a large clearance had been made, extending
from the back of the Portico stylobate to the front of the ‘ Vitruvian ’ proscenium ; (2) the
wall immediately behind the Portico, and the other walls of the Thersilion, had been uncovered,
but (with the exception of the West wall, along which we had dug a deep gutter to drain the
Theatre) had not been cleared to their foundations; (3) a large trench of horse-shoe shape
had been dug, revealing, in their full extent, the edge of the lowest row of ordinary seats,
the gangway, the seats of honour, the gutter (όχετοΤ), and the kerb which bounds the
orchestra; (4) a trench had been made through the centre of the orchestra, at right angles
to the proscenium, designed to find the θυμ<=Χη if this were extant; (5) the North and West
walls of the Σκανοθηκα had been completely cleared; (6) a number of bases in the Thersilion
had been laid bare; and (7) experimental trenches had been dug in various parts of the
auditorium, mostly without result.
Such was, in brief, the position of affairs in the Theatre and Thersilion at the end of the
first season’s work ; when, owing to the great interest which the Theatre had already aroused,
a provisional plan and explanation were published in the Journal of Hellenic Studies.3
Facts which subsequent excavation has brought to light have made us regret this premature,
and in many respects erroneous, publication.
(<7). Minor Excavations South of the River.
North-west of the Theatre, and a short distance from the North-west corner of the
Thersilion, we unearthed, during our first season, a very curious structure, which can hardly be
explained as anything but an altar. It is marked ‘ 128 ’ in the Map (Pl. I.), and a plan and elevation
of it are given in Chap. III. (Fig. 44), where it has been sufficiently described by Mr. Schultz. Its
most remarkable feature is the series of metopes and triglyphs with which the entire surface
of its sides and ends is decorated.
The smaller altar (Pl. I. ‘ 120 ’), which we found during the same season, was very similar
in structure to the other. Its foundations, and part of its sides, remain; the latter bear no
signs of decoration. The filling which we found in it was of earth, cobbles, pottery, and
broken stone.
The larger of the two altars may possibly be that of Ares, if, as we suppose, the
Stadium was on the West, and not on the East, side of the Theatre. For the discussion of
this and similar questions I must, however, refer to the separate chapter (Chap. VI.) on the
topography of the site.
A long trench dug West of the larger altar, and at right angles to it, in the hope
of discovering a temple there, produced no results.
Other experimental excavations were made at the points marked ‘ 109,’ ‘ 111,’ ‘ 112,’ ‘ 113,’
2 For an account of the materials used at Megalopolis, v. Chap. III. (init.).
3 Vol. xi. pp. 294 sqq.
NARRATIVE OF EXCAVATION.
[CHAP. II.
A more
extensive
clearance.
Premature
publication.
(C) Minor
Excavations
South of the
River.
Triglyph altar.
Smaller altar.
Experimental
excavations.
was the diameter of the orchestra and to what extent the seats were preserved. Here we were
successful beyond our hopes ; for not only did we find several tiers of seats well preserved, but,
following them down, we . struck the backs of two of the seats of honour (θρόνοι) which formed
the front row in the auditorium. Furthermore, the easternmost of these seats was found to bear
a dedicatory inscription (Chap. VII. No. I. (1). (a)), dating, to judge by the form of the letters,
from the fourth century B.c.
Almost simultaneously with the last-named discovery, excavation in front of the
stylobate of the Portico brought to light two of the steps which connected it with the orchestra.
Yet another point of interest was the wall of stuccoed conglomerate,2 which, when completely
cleared, proved to be the North wall of a building peculiar to Megalopolis and designated by the
name of ('property-room’). Some of the inscribed tiles (Chap. VII. No. XXVIII. (1)),
by means of which the building was afterwards identified, had already been discovered just
outside this wall.
By this time it had become evident that the Megalopolitan Theatre afforded ample
material for investigation ; so, adding to our staff of workmen, we proceeded to a more extensive
clearance of the ground. I need hardly follow the steps of this excavation in detail; so I will
merely say that, by the end of the first season, (1) a large clearance had been made, extending
from the back of the Portico stylobate to the front of the ‘ Vitruvian ’ proscenium ; (2) the
wall immediately behind the Portico, and the other walls of the Thersilion, had been uncovered,
but (with the exception of the West wall, along which we had dug a deep gutter to drain the
Theatre) had not been cleared to their foundations; (3) a large trench of horse-shoe shape
had been dug, revealing, in their full extent, the edge of the lowest row of ordinary seats,
the gangway, the seats of honour, the gutter (όχετοΤ), and the kerb which bounds the
orchestra; (4) a trench had been made through the centre of the orchestra, at right angles
to the proscenium, designed to find the θυμ<=Χη if this were extant; (5) the North and West
walls of the Σκανοθηκα had been completely cleared; (6) a number of bases in the Thersilion
had been laid bare; and (7) experimental trenches had been dug in various parts of the
auditorium, mostly without result.
Such was, in brief, the position of affairs in the Theatre and Thersilion at the end of the
first season’s work ; when, owing to the great interest which the Theatre had already aroused,
a provisional plan and explanation were published in the Journal of Hellenic Studies.3
Facts which subsequent excavation has brought to light have made us regret this premature,
and in many respects erroneous, publication.
(<7). Minor Excavations South of the River.
North-west of the Theatre, and a short distance from the North-west corner of the
Thersilion, we unearthed, during our first season, a very curious structure, which can hardly be
explained as anything but an altar. It is marked ‘ 128 ’ in the Map (Pl. I.), and a plan and elevation
of it are given in Chap. III. (Fig. 44), where it has been sufficiently described by Mr. Schultz. Its
most remarkable feature is the series of metopes and triglyphs with which the entire surface
of its sides and ends is decorated.
The smaller altar (Pl. I. ‘ 120 ’), which we found during the same season, was very similar
in structure to the other. Its foundations, and part of its sides, remain; the latter bear no
signs of decoration. The filling which we found in it was of earth, cobbles, pottery, and
broken stone.
The larger of the two altars may possibly be that of Ares, if, as we suppose, the
Stadium was on the West, and not on the East, side of the Theatre. For the discussion of
this and similar questions I must, however, refer to the separate chapter (Chap. VI.) on the
topography of the site.
A long trench dug West of the larger altar, and at right angles to it, in the hope
of discovering a temple there, produced no results.
Other experimental excavations were made at the points marked ‘ 109,’ ‘ 111,’ ‘ 112,’ ‘ 113,’
2 For an account of the materials used at Megalopolis, v. Chap. III. (init.).
3 Vol. xi. pp. 294 sqq.