DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4945#0082
The Primitive Structures. 71
(c) The whole central block of structures was enclosed by the B
builders within an oblong rectangle, whose proportions were those of a
typical Hellenic cella. This may have been a regular roofed Temple
building, or merely an inner Temenos. Its walls were removed by the
C restorers, and a much larger enclosure was laid out round the same centre,
which took the form of a temple in antis, probably entered from the west,
and of the proportions proper to a Hellenic cella. From remains of a
foundation discovered inside this rectangle, it ajapears possible that there
was an inner colonnade, running between the outer walls and the central
platform, which may have supported a complete roofing, or defined the
limits of an inner hypaetJiron containing a central covered naos. The
greater breadth of the western wall of the outer enclosure (nearly -6o in
excess of the other walls) would be explained if it had to carry the weight
of a facade of columns disposed between antae, or served for the support of
the lengthwise beams, laid upon the inner colonnade. No trace was found
of external colonnades, but our inability to search thoroughly beneath
the massive foundations of the Croesus cella walls to north and south,
without blowing them up with dynamite, renders this negative evidence
inconclusive.
It is probable that the Primitive temples stood within a considerable
Precinct, which not only would have been paved with limestone slabs, but
possibly contained an altar or other isolated structures. Remains of some
such structures have been described as existent some distance east of the
main enclosure (pp. 56, 57) ; and another possible trace of a structure of the
same period was observed by us when we came to investigate the western
limits of the Croesus platform. This is the exception alluded to at the
beginning of this chapter (p. 52). It consisted of an isolated patch of four
yellow limestone blocks, evidently in their original position, distant 21 -6o from
the outer face of the westernmost cross-wall of the C temple (square D. 14 on
plan, Atlas I.). This patch measured 2^25 in length by from roo to 'So in
breadth ; and the blocks were ' 28 in depth. They were bedded and jointed
like C blocks elsewhere, similar to these in material and grouted with the
same white clay mortar. The eastward face of the fragment was smoothly
finished with a slight batter. The surface of the fragment lay at a level of
— 4* 20, and its bed at — 4^48—levels which correspond roughly with those of
C structures elsewhere. It was not a relic of mere pavement, because on the
surface was to be seen an incised line ruled 'oi 1 from the eastern edge, evidently
as a guide for the imposition of an upper course, set slightly back. Underlying
(c) The whole central block of structures was enclosed by the B
builders within an oblong rectangle, whose proportions were those of a
typical Hellenic cella. This may have been a regular roofed Temple
building, or merely an inner Temenos. Its walls were removed by the
C restorers, and a much larger enclosure was laid out round the same centre,
which took the form of a temple in antis, probably entered from the west,
and of the proportions proper to a Hellenic cella. From remains of a
foundation discovered inside this rectangle, it ajapears possible that there
was an inner colonnade, running between the outer walls and the central
platform, which may have supported a complete roofing, or defined the
limits of an inner hypaetJiron containing a central covered naos. The
greater breadth of the western wall of the outer enclosure (nearly -6o in
excess of the other walls) would be explained if it had to carry the weight
of a facade of columns disposed between antae, or served for the support of
the lengthwise beams, laid upon the inner colonnade. No trace was found
of external colonnades, but our inability to search thoroughly beneath
the massive foundations of the Croesus cella walls to north and south,
without blowing them up with dynamite, renders this negative evidence
inconclusive.
It is probable that the Primitive temples stood within a considerable
Precinct, which not only would have been paved with limestone slabs, but
possibly contained an altar or other isolated structures. Remains of some
such structures have been described as existent some distance east of the
main enclosure (pp. 56, 57) ; and another possible trace of a structure of the
same period was observed by us when we came to investigate the western
limits of the Croesus platform. This is the exception alluded to at the
beginning of this chapter (p. 52). It consisted of an isolated patch of four
yellow limestone blocks, evidently in their original position, distant 21 -6o from
the outer face of the westernmost cross-wall of the C temple (square D. 14 on
plan, Atlas I.). This patch measured 2^25 in length by from roo to 'So in
breadth ; and the blocks were ' 28 in depth. They were bedded and jointed
like C blocks elsewhere, similar to these in material and grouted with the
same white clay mortar. The eastward face of the fragment was smoothly
finished with a slight batter. The surface of the fragment lay at a level of
— 4* 20, and its bed at — 4^48—levels which correspond roughly with those of
C structures elsewhere. It was not a relic of mere pavement, because on the
surface was to be seen an incised line ruled 'oi 1 from the eastern edge, evidently
as a guide for the imposition of an upper course, set slightly back. Underlying