DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.47233#0041
CHAP. III.]
ARCHITECTURAL DESCRIPTION AND ANALYSIS.
25
wall between the antae projecting into the hall at each encl of the portico. There have been
six blocks dividing the space between the antae into seven bays and five of these blocks still
exist. These on account of their roughness and general appearance seem to point to a much
later repair or alteration and do not much concern us here.5 6 What seem to be also part of Later door cills.
this or some other later repair or alteration are two cill stones, one lying on each of the original
cills of the two side doors in this back wall. The one
to the east is complete (Fig. 8), and shows, by its
groovings on either side for the jamb linings, that
it belonged to a door with a width of about 5 feet.
The nature of these sinkings indicates perhaps bronze
or wood linings, rather than marble. The holes for
the hinges can also be seen. The other cill stone
has been similar, but only a fragment remains. The
complete east cill is roughly supported on two fragments
of roofing tiles which, in their turn, rest on the original
cill, the surface of the later cill being about 11 inches above the earlier one; and in order
to get up to the higher level an extra rough block was placed in front of each cill on the
side towards hall and acted as an additional step. We also find this later additional rough
step in front of the central doorway (see Pl. XI.). These later cills seem to have belonged to
some other building originally and to have been brought and put here at the time of a later
repair as mentioned above.
Fig. 8.—Later Cill.
We now come to examine the nature of the foundations of the stylobate of the
Portico. These consist of several courses of dressed tufa (poros) blocks. The excavation has not
been carried to the bottom of this foundation wall all round, but, where pits were dug, the wall
was found to be three courses deep. The blocks of the top course are about 5 feet 6 inches
long by 2 feet wide by 1 foot thick and are similar to those which have been used generally
for the foundation piers of the pillars in the hall. They are joined together with
cramps. It is very probable that these stones may have belonged to an older building, as there
are indications which seem to point to their having been put to a previous use. One instance
Foundations of
stylobate.
Tufa wall.
Stones probably
re-used here.
may be cited where the ends of the two stones adjoining have sinkings
cut in them as shown in Fig. 9. These sinkings are somewhat similar
to those often found cut at the ends of blocks to allow of their being
lifted by a rope, but in this instance they do not look deep enough to be
suitable for this purpose. There are also the other blocks of this same
material which have indications of a previous use, namely those, already referred to, which
form the cross foundation walls inside the west doorway of the Thersilion.
This foundation wall is of an average width of 5 feet 6 inches. On the top of it we find
a layer of limestone slabs; there are two rows of slabs in the width of the wall, the front
slabs being narrower than the back ones. These slabs form the slightly projecting course, usually
level with the ground, on which the steps of the stylobate rest. We shall see further
on that there is cause for thinking that the ground level was lower in this case.
Nothing above this level is now in position, but the restoration of the two steps of
the stylobate—for our original stylobate here consisted of two steps—is comparatively easy,
as so many pieces remain scattered about which are not suitable for any other position.6
The course comprising the lower step consisted, like the foundation course under it, of two
rows of slabs in the width of the wall, but in this case the wider slabs were in front and the
Fig. 9.
Limestone found-
ation course.
Restoration
of steps.
Lower step.
narrower ones behind. The upper step was made up of single slabs of ecpial breadth—with some
exceptions at either end which will be noticed later on—and on every alternate slab a column
rested, the others forming the spaces between. Of this top step very few pieces have been
found and it is necessary for us to examine these very carefully in detail, but it would
be well, in the first instance, to look at the stylobate as it stands at present.
Upper step.
5 These later blocks and steps are marked b on Plates
VI. and VII.
6 Some of these pieces have been put together, by the
excavators—relatively in their original position—and I
have shown them on the plans (Plates VI., VII., and Pl. XI.,
Nos. 4 and 5) in the place which they now occupy, which
cannot be far removed from that where they originally
stood.
H
ARCHITECTURAL DESCRIPTION AND ANALYSIS.
25
wall between the antae projecting into the hall at each encl of the portico. There have been
six blocks dividing the space between the antae into seven bays and five of these blocks still
exist. These on account of their roughness and general appearance seem to point to a much
later repair or alteration and do not much concern us here.5 6 What seem to be also part of Later door cills.
this or some other later repair or alteration are two cill stones, one lying on each of the original
cills of the two side doors in this back wall. The one
to the east is complete (Fig. 8), and shows, by its
groovings on either side for the jamb linings, that
it belonged to a door with a width of about 5 feet.
The nature of these sinkings indicates perhaps bronze
or wood linings, rather than marble. The holes for
the hinges can also be seen. The other cill stone
has been similar, but only a fragment remains. The
complete east cill is roughly supported on two fragments
of roofing tiles which, in their turn, rest on the original
cill, the surface of the later cill being about 11 inches above the earlier one; and in order
to get up to the higher level an extra rough block was placed in front of each cill on the
side towards hall and acted as an additional step. We also find this later additional rough
step in front of the central doorway (see Pl. XI.). These later cills seem to have belonged to
some other building originally and to have been brought and put here at the time of a later
repair as mentioned above.
Fig. 8.—Later Cill.
We now come to examine the nature of the foundations of the stylobate of the
Portico. These consist of several courses of dressed tufa (poros) blocks. The excavation has not
been carried to the bottom of this foundation wall all round, but, where pits were dug, the wall
was found to be three courses deep. The blocks of the top course are about 5 feet 6 inches
long by 2 feet wide by 1 foot thick and are similar to those which have been used generally
for the foundation piers of the pillars in the hall. They are joined together with
cramps. It is very probable that these stones may have belonged to an older building, as there
are indications which seem to point to their having been put to a previous use. One instance
Foundations of
stylobate.
Tufa wall.
Stones probably
re-used here.
may be cited where the ends of the two stones adjoining have sinkings
cut in them as shown in Fig. 9. These sinkings are somewhat similar
to those often found cut at the ends of blocks to allow of their being
lifted by a rope, but in this instance they do not look deep enough to be
suitable for this purpose. There are also the other blocks of this same
material which have indications of a previous use, namely those, already referred to, which
form the cross foundation walls inside the west doorway of the Thersilion.
This foundation wall is of an average width of 5 feet 6 inches. On the top of it we find
a layer of limestone slabs; there are two rows of slabs in the width of the wall, the front
slabs being narrower than the back ones. These slabs form the slightly projecting course, usually
level with the ground, on which the steps of the stylobate rest. We shall see further
on that there is cause for thinking that the ground level was lower in this case.
Nothing above this level is now in position, but the restoration of the two steps of
the stylobate—for our original stylobate here consisted of two steps—is comparatively easy,
as so many pieces remain scattered about which are not suitable for any other position.6
The course comprising the lower step consisted, like the foundation course under it, of two
rows of slabs in the width of the wall, but in this case the wider slabs were in front and the
Fig. 9.
Limestone found-
ation course.
Restoration
of steps.
Lower step.
narrower ones behind. The upper step was made up of single slabs of ecpial breadth—with some
exceptions at either end which will be noticed later on—and on every alternate slab a column
rested, the others forming the spaces between. Of this top step very few pieces have been
found and it is necessary for us to examine these very carefully in detail, but it would
be well, in the first instance, to look at the stylobate as it stands at present.
Upper step.
5 These later blocks and steps are marked b on Plates
VI. and VII.
6 Some of these pieces have been put together, by the
excavators—relatively in their original position—and I
have shown them on the plans (Plates VI., VII., and Pl. XI.,
Nos. 4 and 5) in the place which they now occupy, which
cannot be far removed from that where they originally
stood.
H