DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4377#0217
EXPEDITION TO BRANCHED^. 547
where other archaic statues and inscriptions would
probably he found intermixed with Byzantine
foundations, if the whole site were dug oyer.
Such an undertaking would be well worthy of the
attention of some future archaeological expedition.
In the course of my stay at Geronta, I obtained
several interesting inscriptions of a later period,
one of which (Plate XCV. No. 60) makes mention
of an ivory door of great value, brought from
Alexandria to Brancliidse in the time of Ptolemy
the Eighth. These inscriptions Avill be noticed in the
Appendix.
It remains that I should offer some remarks on
the probable date of the statues which I found on
the Sacred Way, and on their character as works
of art.
With reference to the age of these sculptures, we
may begin by assuming that they are certainly
not more recent than the close of the Persian war.
This is to be inferred from all that we know in
regard to the destruction of the Temple of Apollo
by the Persians. This sacrilege is attributed by
Herodotus' to Darius Hystaspes; Strabo, on the
other hand/ states that Xerxes burnt and plun-
dered the Temple, and that he transported to
Susiana the Sacred Gens which formed the priest-
hood of the Temple, and which claimed descent
from Branchus. According to Pausanias,k Xerxes
also transported to Ecbatana the colossal bronze
statue of Apollo by Kanachos, which was long
1 vi. 19. i xiii. p. G34 k viii. 46, 2 ; compare i. 1G, 3.
where other archaic statues and inscriptions would
probably he found intermixed with Byzantine
foundations, if the whole site were dug oyer.
Such an undertaking would be well worthy of the
attention of some future archaeological expedition.
In the course of my stay at Geronta, I obtained
several interesting inscriptions of a later period,
one of which (Plate XCV. No. 60) makes mention
of an ivory door of great value, brought from
Alexandria to Brancliidse in the time of Ptolemy
the Eighth. These inscriptions Avill be noticed in the
Appendix.
It remains that I should offer some remarks on
the probable date of the statues which I found on
the Sacred Way, and on their character as works
of art.
With reference to the age of these sculptures, we
may begin by assuming that they are certainly
not more recent than the close of the Persian war.
This is to be inferred from all that we know in
regard to the destruction of the Temple of Apollo
by the Persians. This sacrilege is attributed by
Herodotus' to Darius Hystaspes; Strabo, on the
other hand/ states that Xerxes burnt and plun-
dered the Temple, and that he transported to
Susiana the Sacred Gens which formed the priest-
hood of the Temple, and which claimed descent
from Branchus. According to Pausanias,k Xerxes
also transported to Ecbatana the colossal bronze
statue of Apollo by Kanachos, which was long
1 vi. 19. i xiii. p. G34 k viii. 46, 2 ; compare i. 1G, 3.