DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4945#0081
70 The Archaic Artemisia of Ephesus.
elevations were evidently undertaken to obviate the increasing dampness
of the site.
(b) The two central platforms were united into one in the first
restoration (B) by a girdle wall, which was made solid with both so as to
thicken and strengthen their outer skins. The low space between the two,
which had contained their respective step-ways of approach, was now filled
up, at any rate to the new pavement level (— 4" 45), and possibly became flush
with the surface of the west platform, upon whose new western thickening
we found slabs, apparently pavement, lying at this same level. The west
platform, under these circumstances, would have ceased to stand up above
the floor, and was, in fact, obliterated. The east platform, however, still
stood nearly 1 "oo above the new floor, since the pavement at its northern end,
found by us in position, lay at — 3*52. It is possible that, to replace the
obliterated west platform or altar, a new one was built east of the Basis
(see p. 56 above).
In the Second Restoration (C) the Basis was not heightened, but once
more enlarged and strengthened all round by a girdle wall, and this was
prolonged on the north and south to thicken the western parts of the girdle
wall of B, and also to enclose a new space to west, the enclosing walls being
made of more massive dimensions when no longer abutting on B walls. This
last feature is important, for it goes far to confirm the conjecture which
naturally suggests itself in explanation of these successive thickenings of
the outer skins of the Basis and west platform, viz., that they were carried
out in order to obtain stronger support for some such superstructure as a
naos or baldachino, covering, during periods B and C, both the Basis and
the area immediately west -of it, and perhaps (if note be taken of the
strengthening of the west face of the Basis in period C) divided into two
parts, or consisting of a portico and an eastern adyton. This may equally
well have had solid walls or been a canopy supported on pillars. In
any case the erection of some covering superstructure alone will explain
reasonably the successive modifications which the central area of the
shrine experienced. Possibly there was a small naos, standing over the
original Basis, which was ruined by the settlement of the eastern part of
its pedestal (see p. 59). The B builders restored it of larger dimensions ;
and the C builders again amplified it, erecting a structure of which pro-
bably we found remains in the fine limestone ashlar still standing on the
east foundations of the C Basis, but reused and added to by the; builders
of the Croesus temple (/<>).
elevations were evidently undertaken to obviate the increasing dampness
of the site.
(b) The two central platforms were united into one in the first
restoration (B) by a girdle wall, which was made solid with both so as to
thicken and strengthen their outer skins. The low space between the two,
which had contained their respective step-ways of approach, was now filled
up, at any rate to the new pavement level (— 4" 45), and possibly became flush
with the surface of the west platform, upon whose new western thickening
we found slabs, apparently pavement, lying at this same level. The west
platform, under these circumstances, would have ceased to stand up above
the floor, and was, in fact, obliterated. The east platform, however, still
stood nearly 1 "oo above the new floor, since the pavement at its northern end,
found by us in position, lay at — 3*52. It is possible that, to replace the
obliterated west platform or altar, a new one was built east of the Basis
(see p. 56 above).
In the Second Restoration (C) the Basis was not heightened, but once
more enlarged and strengthened all round by a girdle wall, and this was
prolonged on the north and south to thicken the western parts of the girdle
wall of B, and also to enclose a new space to west, the enclosing walls being
made of more massive dimensions when no longer abutting on B walls. This
last feature is important, for it goes far to confirm the conjecture which
naturally suggests itself in explanation of these successive thickenings of
the outer skins of the Basis and west platform, viz., that they were carried
out in order to obtain stronger support for some such superstructure as a
naos or baldachino, covering, during periods B and C, both the Basis and
the area immediately west -of it, and perhaps (if note be taken of the
strengthening of the west face of the Basis in period C) divided into two
parts, or consisting of a portico and an eastern adyton. This may equally
well have had solid walls or been a canopy supported on pillars. In
any case the erection of some covering superstructure alone will explain
reasonably the successive modifications which the central area of the
shrine experienced. Possibly there was a small naos, standing over the
original Basis, which was ruined by the settlement of the eastern part of
its pedestal (see p. 59). The B builders restored it of larger dimensions ;
and the C builders again amplified it, erecting a structure of which pro-
bably we found remains in the fine limestone ashlar still standing on the
east foundations of the C Basis, but reused and added to by the; builders
of the Croesus temple (/<>).