Smith, Arthur H. [Hrsg.]; British Museum <London> / Department of Greek and Roman Antiquities [Hrsg.]: Catalogue of sculpture in the Department of Greek and Roman Antiquities (Band 1) (London, 1892)

THE ERECHTHEION.

231

406.1. Cover from panel of lacunar of the Theseion.—Elgin
Coll.

Height, 10^ inches; breadth, 10J, inches. Synopsis, No. 365 (2-43);
Stuart, III., ch. I., pi. 8, fig. 2.

2. Similar to last.

Height, \0\ inches; breadth, inches. Synopsis, No. 367 (254-);
Stuart, III., ch. I., pi. 8, fig. 2.

THE ERECHTHEION.

The Erechtheion is an Ionic temple of a peculiar form,
which stands near the north side of the Acropolis of
Athens. It embodies in a structure of the end of the
fifth century the shrines about which the Athenian re-
ligion had centred from time immemorial, and to this fact
the anomalous character of the plan must be ascribed.

The building consisted of a central cella divided into
three portions, and having a portico of six columns at the
east end; a porch of six columns at the north-west
corner ; and a porch of Caryatids at the south-west. It
was built of Pentelic marble, with the exception of the
frieze, which had a ground of dark Eleusinian marble.

The temple is known to have been incomplete in
409 B.C. At this time a minute survey of the building
was made, by order of the Assembly, and the result was
recorded in an inscription which is now in the British
Museum. ((7. I. G. 160; Newton & Hicks, Greek Inser-
tions in Brit. Mm., xxxv.).

The east half of the building was devoted to Athene
Polias, whose archaic statue was placed in it.

The remainder of the building was associated with the
cults of Poseidon, Erechtheus, Tandrosos, and others.
The arrangement has been a subject of much controversy.
The passage at the west of the cella probably contained
altars of Poseidon (with Erechtheus), of Boutes, and of