DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.959#0209
1872.] A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. 147
temple—can only be explained by the fact that the Turks
who came here in search of monumental pillars despised
this sculpture because it represented living creatures, the
imitation of which is strictly forbidden in the Koran.
Beneath the ruins of this temple I hope to discover
the remains of that little temple which Alexander the
Great found here. I do not, however, think it likely that
I shall discoArer in its depths the old Trojan temple in
which Hecuba caused the priestess Theano to lay her
costly robes on the knees of Athena.* To judge from the
debris of the ashes of animal sacrifices, which is as
hard as stone, and which gives me such exceedingly
great trouble along an extent of 82 feet at the eastern
end of my large platform, the area of the very ancient
temple cannot possibly be identical with the one built
by Lysimachus; it must certainly be somewhat more to
the west, and must commence somewhere near its western
end.
After my report of the 23rd of last month, I began to
loosen the lower earthen wall, which is as hard as stone, by
means of those immense iron levers which I have already
described. However, I was unfortunate; for, after having
worked for three hours with 40 men and with the huge
levers and windlasses in loosening an earthen wall 16 feet
high, 16 broad and 10 thick, which had been already pre-
pared by shafts and mines, only just succeeded after the
strongest chains had given way several times, when the
adjoining earth-wall fell of its own accord, and buried
Georgios Photidas and a workman who were engaged in the
Iliad, VI. 302-304 :—
'H 8' &pa ic4ir\ov eKovffa @€av& KaXAtvaprfiS
&TjKev 'A6ijvai7is C7rl yovvaatv i}vK6fjLOto,
EuxojUeV^ 8' jjpaTO Albs Kovpy fncyd\oio.
" But fair Theano took the robe and placed
On Pallas' knees, and to the heavenly maid,
Daughter of Jove, she thus addressed her prayer."
L 2
temple—can only be explained by the fact that the Turks
who came here in search of monumental pillars despised
this sculpture because it represented living creatures, the
imitation of which is strictly forbidden in the Koran.
Beneath the ruins of this temple I hope to discover
the remains of that little temple which Alexander the
Great found here. I do not, however, think it likely that
I shall discoArer in its depths the old Trojan temple in
which Hecuba caused the priestess Theano to lay her
costly robes on the knees of Athena.* To judge from the
debris of the ashes of animal sacrifices, which is as
hard as stone, and which gives me such exceedingly
great trouble along an extent of 82 feet at the eastern
end of my large platform, the area of the very ancient
temple cannot possibly be identical with the one built
by Lysimachus; it must certainly be somewhat more to
the west, and must commence somewhere near its western
end.
After my report of the 23rd of last month, I began to
loosen the lower earthen wall, which is as hard as stone, by
means of those immense iron levers which I have already
described. However, I was unfortunate; for, after having
worked for three hours with 40 men and with the huge
levers and windlasses in loosening an earthen wall 16 feet
high, 16 broad and 10 thick, which had been already pre-
pared by shafts and mines, only just succeeded after the
strongest chains had given way several times, when the
adjoining earth-wall fell of its own accord, and buried
Georgios Photidas and a workman who were engaged in the
Iliad, VI. 302-304 :—
'H 8' &pa ic4ir\ov eKovffa @€av& KaXAtvaprfiS
&TjKev 'A6ijvai7is C7rl yovvaatv i}vK6fjLOto,
EuxojUeV^ 8' jjpaTO Albs Kovpy fncyd\oio.
" But fair Theano took the robe and placed
On Pallas' knees, and to the heavenly maid,
Daughter of Jove, she thus addressed her prayer."
L 2