DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4945#0064
The Primitive Structures.
53
been part of a small marine delta and, in the main, flat. The original natural
surface is represented by fine saturated river-sand which we found every-
where underlying the earliest foundations. When this was exposed at the
lowest level, a five-foot bar could be driven into it to the head at all points
without touching anything hard. The surface of the sand-bed lies about — 5 • 10
(reckoned from the datum) and — 2-oo from the highest level of the Croesus
pavement. Among the foundations actually found by us bedded on the original
sand, the chief are those of the earliest Central Basis. On this account, and for
V
Fig. 13. The Central Basis from the W,, half excavated. In the central foreground, green schist wall of A with
projecting foundation. On the right are seen in section the B and C thickenings ; ditto on the left; at the back,
the rough inner face of the B thickening on the E. side, and some of the slab filling.
other reasons to be mentioned hereafter, we may safely regard this structure,
at any rate, as belonging to the first shrine founded on the site. Other possible
relics of structures of the same period will be considered presently.
The Central Basis, it will be recalled, is the rectangular structure situated
at the intersection of the longitudinal and lateral axes of the Croesus platform,
upper stones of which, on three sides only (N., E. and S.), were exposed by
Wood and regarded as foundations of the Great Altar of the Croesus Temple.
The exploration of this structure towards the end of our first season, resulted, as
53
been part of a small marine delta and, in the main, flat. The original natural
surface is represented by fine saturated river-sand which we found every-
where underlying the earliest foundations. When this was exposed at the
lowest level, a five-foot bar could be driven into it to the head at all points
without touching anything hard. The surface of the sand-bed lies about — 5 • 10
(reckoned from the datum) and — 2-oo from the highest level of the Croesus
pavement. Among the foundations actually found by us bedded on the original
sand, the chief are those of the earliest Central Basis. On this account, and for
V
Fig. 13. The Central Basis from the W,, half excavated. In the central foreground, green schist wall of A with
projecting foundation. On the right are seen in section the B and C thickenings ; ditto on the left; at the back,
the rough inner face of the B thickening on the E. side, and some of the slab filling.
other reasons to be mentioned hereafter, we may safely regard this structure,
at any rate, as belonging to the first shrine founded on the site. Other possible
relics of structures of the same period will be considered presently.
The Central Basis, it will be recalled, is the rectangular structure situated
at the intersection of the longitudinal and lateral axes of the Croesus platform,
upper stones of which, on three sides only (N., E. and S.), were exposed by
Wood and regarded as foundations of the Great Altar of the Croesus Temple.
The exploration of this structure towards the end of our first season, resulted, as