DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.9840#0330
276
SARCOPHAGUS OF AltBIOS.
[chap.
found, left no doubt that they must have formed a
sarcophagus9.
On going down close to the shore, I see the spot
where the fragments were found: the excavators have
left several fragments of marble, and the massive orna-
mented covering of the sarcophagus. On some of the
fragments now lying here are parts of a horse—his
quarter and tail, foreleg and shoulder; a young female
head and many smaller pieces. No traces are any longer
discernible of the walls of a city, or of any ancient build-
ings ; but I am assured by inhabitants of the village
of Haghio Vasili, that they can remember the times
when there still existed several remains of ancient walls :
they were chiefly used in building the church.
We learn from Stephanus of Byzantium, that there
was a Mount Arbios in Crete, where Zeus Arbios was
honoured, and that the inhabitant of the Mountain was
called an Arbian10.
I suppose the site of the Arbios-Zeus-worship to
have been on the rocks which we have just passed; and
that, in ancient times, the " Arbian'" may have dwelt
in and cultivated this little plain.
On going westward from the plain of Arvi, we fol-
low the shore for about half an hour. Great masses of
imbedded shells are seen in the rocks, to the height of
near fifty feet above the sea-level. There are some very
large masses of gypsum or selenite seen here. After
leaving the sea, we are twenty-five minutes in traversing
an uncultivated plain, and then begin to ascend, and
leaving the Kastel-Keraton of the Venetians on our left,
arrive at Vianos about two hours after leaving Arvi.
The name of the village Vianos, written in modern
Greek Bianos11, reminds us that there was formerly a
place called Biennos in Crete. We learn from the Coast-
9 See Vol. ii. Chapter xxi.
10 Stephanus Byzantinus, "Ap(3is—earn nai iv K,oijt;; "Apf}ws opo?.
fifia Ti/iaTai "Appios Zeus. 'Apfiios ovv o natoucwv to o/oos.
11 'H BtaUo:
SARCOPHAGUS OF AltBIOS.
[chap.
found, left no doubt that they must have formed a
sarcophagus9.
On going down close to the shore, I see the spot
where the fragments were found: the excavators have
left several fragments of marble, and the massive orna-
mented covering of the sarcophagus. On some of the
fragments now lying here are parts of a horse—his
quarter and tail, foreleg and shoulder; a young female
head and many smaller pieces. No traces are any longer
discernible of the walls of a city, or of any ancient build-
ings ; but I am assured by inhabitants of the village
of Haghio Vasili, that they can remember the times
when there still existed several remains of ancient walls :
they were chiefly used in building the church.
We learn from Stephanus of Byzantium, that there
was a Mount Arbios in Crete, where Zeus Arbios was
honoured, and that the inhabitant of the Mountain was
called an Arbian10.
I suppose the site of the Arbios-Zeus-worship to
have been on the rocks which we have just passed; and
that, in ancient times, the " Arbian'" may have dwelt
in and cultivated this little plain.
On going westward from the plain of Arvi, we fol-
low the shore for about half an hour. Great masses of
imbedded shells are seen in the rocks, to the height of
near fifty feet above the sea-level. There are some very
large masses of gypsum or selenite seen here. After
leaving the sea, we are twenty-five minutes in traversing
an uncultivated plain, and then begin to ascend, and
leaving the Kastel-Keraton of the Venetians on our left,
arrive at Vianos about two hours after leaving Arvi.
The name of the village Vianos, written in modern
Greek Bianos11, reminds us that there was formerly a
place called Biennos in Crete. We learn from the Coast-
9 See Vol. ii. Chapter xxi.
10 Stephanus Byzantinus, "Ap(3is—earn nai iv K,oijt;; "Apf}ws opo?.
fifia Ti/iaTai "Appios Zeus. 'Apfiios ovv o natoucwv to o/oos.
11 'H BtaUo: