DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.47233#0061
CHAP. III.]
ARCHITECTURAL DESCRIPTION AND ANALYSIS.
45
general thickness was resorted to. Of course in the case of the Skanotheka it would presumably
have been very inconvenient to have had external buttresses at all on its south side, and
this also formed an additional reason for making the wall thicker; and the same reason would
have applied to the upper wall, if, as we shall endeavour to show, the space between the two
walls was used as a way of access to the theatre.
It seems not at all improbable that there was an access to the theatre on this west side as
well as on the east, at what we have supposed may have been the level of the lower
diazoma. This access would have started from the higher level of the ground at the west end
of the Skanotheka and, passing along the inside of the top of the outer wall which was possibly
finished with a parapet, it must have entered the theatre at the east end of the inner wall.
The third course of the inner wall is of limestone and projects slightly so as to form
a basecourse, which would have been seen, over the two lower courses which are of
conglomerate and purely foundations. The bottom of the projecting course gives us the
probable level of the terrace between the two Avails, a level which almost exactly tallies
with that of the cill in the east Avail. This terrace was probably level and there must have
been either a sloping way or a flight of steps up to it at its Avest end, in the space between
the end Avail of the Skanotheka and the cross wall projecting outwards at the west end of
our inner retaining wall. An access to the main diazoma on the west side was probably
obtained round the back of the west spur of the auditorium, above the level of the top of
this inner retaining wall.
Access to Theatre
on west side.
Nature and
position of this
access.
Terrace between
front and back
walls.
Access to main
diazoma.
(F).
The Parodos and the Skanotheka.
In this theatre there is only one regular parodos, as at Taormina, and it occupies the
space in front of that part of the east retaining wall, extending from the pedestal next the
orchestra to the first cross Avail outwards 71 feet east of it.
It is quite possible that there may have been gates of some description about this
position, as at Epidaurus, etc., but, so far, nothing has come to light.24 If gates existed it is
likely that there would have been a wall or fence of some description connecting the
south-east corner of the Thersilion with the gate pier nearest to it. It is difficult to fix
accurately the relative levels of the ground outside at this point, but it must have been at
least 3 feet 6 inches or 4 feet higher than the orchestra. This would give a slope downwards
to the Orchestra of from 1 in 15 to 1 in 13.25
Parados and'
Skanotheka.
(Plates V., VII.,
VIII., IX., and
X·)
Parodos.
On one side only.
Question of gates.
Slope of Parodos.
On the Avest side of the theatre, in the place which Avould naturally have been
occupied by the other parodos, we find a deep space enclosed by Avails on three sides and
open on the side towards the orchestra. Inscribed roof tiles,20 found on this spot during the
excavations, have enabled it to be identified as the ‘ Skanotheka,’ the storage place for the
scenery, the ‘ scene dock ’ of a modern theatre. This arrangement appears to be contemporary Avith
the building of the theatre, as the whole scheme of planning of the west retaining walls
seems to be based on the necessity for providing such a space, and it would have been almost
impossible to have satisfactorily arranged it afterwards in its present form. The north and
Avest Avails are of similar construction to the south wall—the front west retaining wall of
the theatre—and they are all bonded into one another, the lines of the courses corresponding.
The west wall is a retaining wall formed, when the space Avas cut out of hill-side, to support
the higher ground behind. The north wall has a row of buttresses, alternately of single and
double width, spaced at regular intervals all along the outside, and was an external Avail. How
these buttresses were finished at the top outside need not concern us here, as we have no
evidence on which to restore them ; neither need Ave enter into the period and probable use
of the very rough late wall along the outside of this and joined to it at each end.
Skanotheka.
Position of this.
Identification.
Contemporary.
Walls.
West wall.
North wall.
24 To fully investigate this it will be necessary to dig
from 6 to 8 feet deeper than has yet been done.
2o A piece of foundation wall, which has been discovered
this spring, east of and parallel with the wall of the later
proscenium, and which will be alluded to in a further note,
slopes upwards into the parodos with a rise approximately
of 1 — 10. This goes to show that the inclination was
steeper than I have assumed. There was therefore, probably,
a level piece inside the gates, if such existed, before the
downward slope commenced or else the ground was
higher outside than I have reckoned on.
26 These tiles, judging from their shape, seem to have
been the ordinary small tiles used to cover the joints of
the broad flat tiles of the roofing.
N
ARCHITECTURAL DESCRIPTION AND ANALYSIS.
45
general thickness was resorted to. Of course in the case of the Skanotheka it would presumably
have been very inconvenient to have had external buttresses at all on its south side, and
this also formed an additional reason for making the wall thicker; and the same reason would
have applied to the upper wall, if, as we shall endeavour to show, the space between the two
walls was used as a way of access to the theatre.
It seems not at all improbable that there was an access to the theatre on this west side as
well as on the east, at what we have supposed may have been the level of the lower
diazoma. This access would have started from the higher level of the ground at the west end
of the Skanotheka and, passing along the inside of the top of the outer wall which was possibly
finished with a parapet, it must have entered the theatre at the east end of the inner wall.
The third course of the inner wall is of limestone and projects slightly so as to form
a basecourse, which would have been seen, over the two lower courses which are of
conglomerate and purely foundations. The bottom of the projecting course gives us the
probable level of the terrace between the two Avails, a level which almost exactly tallies
with that of the cill in the east Avail. This terrace was probably level and there must have
been either a sloping way or a flight of steps up to it at its Avest end, in the space between
the end Avail of the Skanotheka and the cross wall projecting outwards at the west end of
our inner retaining wall. An access to the main diazoma on the west side was probably
obtained round the back of the west spur of the auditorium, above the level of the top of
this inner retaining wall.
Access to Theatre
on west side.
Nature and
position of this
access.
Terrace between
front and back
walls.
Access to main
diazoma.
(F).
The Parodos and the Skanotheka.
In this theatre there is only one regular parodos, as at Taormina, and it occupies the
space in front of that part of the east retaining wall, extending from the pedestal next the
orchestra to the first cross Avail outwards 71 feet east of it.
It is quite possible that there may have been gates of some description about this
position, as at Epidaurus, etc., but, so far, nothing has come to light.24 If gates existed it is
likely that there would have been a wall or fence of some description connecting the
south-east corner of the Thersilion with the gate pier nearest to it. It is difficult to fix
accurately the relative levels of the ground outside at this point, but it must have been at
least 3 feet 6 inches or 4 feet higher than the orchestra. This would give a slope downwards
to the Orchestra of from 1 in 15 to 1 in 13.25
Parados and'
Skanotheka.
(Plates V., VII.,
VIII., IX., and
X·)
Parodos.
On one side only.
Question of gates.
Slope of Parodos.
On the Avest side of the theatre, in the place which Avould naturally have been
occupied by the other parodos, we find a deep space enclosed by Avails on three sides and
open on the side towards the orchestra. Inscribed roof tiles,20 found on this spot during the
excavations, have enabled it to be identified as the ‘ Skanotheka,’ the storage place for the
scenery, the ‘ scene dock ’ of a modern theatre. This arrangement appears to be contemporary Avith
the building of the theatre, as the whole scheme of planning of the west retaining walls
seems to be based on the necessity for providing such a space, and it would have been almost
impossible to have satisfactorily arranged it afterwards in its present form. The north and
Avest Avails are of similar construction to the south wall—the front west retaining wall of
the theatre—and they are all bonded into one another, the lines of the courses corresponding.
The west wall is a retaining wall formed, when the space Avas cut out of hill-side, to support
the higher ground behind. The north wall has a row of buttresses, alternately of single and
double width, spaced at regular intervals all along the outside, and was an external Avail. How
these buttresses were finished at the top outside need not concern us here, as we have no
evidence on which to restore them ; neither need Ave enter into the period and probable use
of the very rough late wall along the outside of this and joined to it at each end.
Skanotheka.
Position of this.
Identification.
Contemporary.
Walls.
West wall.
North wall.
24 To fully investigate this it will be necessary to dig
from 6 to 8 feet deeper than has yet been done.
2o A piece of foundation wall, which has been discovered
this spring, east of and parallel with the wall of the later
proscenium, and which will be alluded to in a further note,
slopes upwards into the parodos with a rise approximately
of 1 — 10. This goes to show that the inclination was
steeper than I have assumed. There was therefore, probably,
a level piece inside the gates, if such existed, before the
downward slope commenced or else the ground was
higher outside than I have reckoned on.
26 These tiles, judging from their shape, seem to have
been the ordinary small tiles used to cover the joints of
the broad flat tiles of the roofing.
N