DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4692#0017
8 THE COASTS OF ^EOLTA, IOXTA, AND CARIA.
Persian general, Taclios by name, who revolted against Artaxerxes, and retired to an island adjoining
the coast of iEolia.
The next morning, as the wind was favourable, we set sail at daybreak, and rounding the cape on the
northern side of the Gulf of Smyrna, entered the Gulf of Sandcrlik, formerly called that of Elaea. In the
afternoon we put into a small bay, on which stands a tcldftlih, or large farm, called Ali Agha. The village
and adjoining land are the property of M. Baltazzi, a rich Smyrna merchant. As I was furnished with a
letter of introduction to the steward who managed the estate, we were hospitably received, and invited
to take up our quarters on shore for the night. The steward was a Greek, who had accompanied
M. Baltazzi during an excursion in Europe, and he was consequently a man of greater information than
most of those in his position. After the dinner and the invariable coffee and pipes, we paid a visit to some
of the steward's relations, who resided in the village.
In the morning I went to see some fragments of a small Ionic building that formerly stood in the
plain between the village and the landing-place. These fragments consisted of a capital 1*20 feet in diameter
below the astragal, the base of a pilaster with enriched mouldings, and some other smaller mouldings, all
of elegant character. They had been dug up on the site of a Greek church, which doubtless had replaced
a small Ionic shrine of great beauty. Ali Agha is marked on Kicpert's map as the site of Myrina; but
there arc no vestiges of foundations to justify his conclusion that this was the site of the town.
As the site of Cyme was not above an hour's ride from the village, I procured a horse and guide, and
rode thither. Passing over hilly ground to the south, I came to a second small bay. The city seems to
have occupied two low hills facing the sea, about three-quarters of a mile in extent. Broken fragments of
marble and pottery, which afford an indubitable clue to the sites of towns, covered the ground. There
were no wralls to be seen above ground, nor were there any inscriptions to be found. A Doric capital and
a few mouldings were the only remains to show that a large city formerly stood here.
We embarked on the afternoon of the same day, and having passed a headland a few miles from Ali
Agha, we put into a sandy cove beyond it.
Here were portions of Byzantine buildings near the shore, and also a pedestal bearing an inscription,
which, however, afforded no evidence as to the name of the town that evidently had occupied the site. A
poor farm-house, occupied by a negro and a Turk, both suffering from the effects of fever, was the only
habitation near. Prom them I obtained several coins picked up on the spot, and from the letters on them
there seems to be no doubt that this was the real site of Myrina, as they were almost all of that town;
being /E 4, Head of an Amazon; rev. A vase between M and Y. Indications of the former existence of
a town here were to be seen in the broken pottery, as on the site of Cyme. The fragments of pottery
covered the entire surface of a low hill at the head of the cove.
One of my objects in visiting this gulf was the discovery of the site of the Temple of Apollo Gryna)us,
the exact position of which had never been ascertained. Strabo informs us that it stood upon a small
peninsula,—almost an island. While skirting the shore at the head of a second bay, we hailed a shepherd
boy, the only human being to be seen, and inquired if there were eslci bina, old walls, in the neighbourhood.
He was at first afraid, and about to run away; he feared probably for his flock, as, within the memory of
many, Greek pirates from the islands were in the habit of making descents upon the coast and carrying off
the flocks and crops of the inhabitants. However, upon being reassured, he pointed out what appeared to
be a low island with many trees and much brushwood on it.
We rowed to the spot, and upon landing found traces of a Byzantine enclosure, probably a fortress.
Two architrave stones formed the gate piers; they were, however, of coarse rough stone, and could not have
formed parts of the temple, which we know was built of white marble. However, upon carefully searching
the ground beyond the fortress, I came upon the flute of a Doric column of white marble, which, from its
dimensions, must have belonged to a building of great size, and near it a fragment of similar marble, with
a Greek scroll of fine style sculptured on it. Prom the fact of the small peninsula corresponding so exactly
with Pliny's description, and from the circumstance of fragments of white marble (a material used only in
the principal temples) belonging to a large building being found here, I am inclined to believe that this was
the site of the Temple of Apollo Grynseus.
Excavations on the spot would no doubt lead to interesting discoveries.
We left Grynium after a visit of an hour or two, and with a favouring breeze reached the scala of
Kasikeui (ancient Elaea), situated at the head of the gulf, by nightfall, The land here is low and marshy,
but rises gradually at a distance of two or three miles from the shore, forming a mountainous range of no
great height.
As there was no accommodation to be obtained on shore, we slept on board, and early the next day
proceeded on horseback in search of the statue. We found it lying in a vineyard about two miles from the
scala. It was that of a colossal male figure with largely-developed muscles, probably of Hercules. The
head, arms, and legs had disappeared, nor could we find any trace of them. They had been joined to the
body by cramps, as was frequently the case in Greek colossal statues of the best period. The smooth joints
and cramp-holes remained. The chest was injured by the marks of balls, which showed that it had at one
time formed a target for the Turks. After some delay, the owner of the vineyard made his appearance, and,
Persian general, Taclios by name, who revolted against Artaxerxes, and retired to an island adjoining
the coast of iEolia.
The next morning, as the wind was favourable, we set sail at daybreak, and rounding the cape on the
northern side of the Gulf of Smyrna, entered the Gulf of Sandcrlik, formerly called that of Elaea. In the
afternoon we put into a small bay, on which stands a tcldftlih, or large farm, called Ali Agha. The village
and adjoining land are the property of M. Baltazzi, a rich Smyrna merchant. As I was furnished with a
letter of introduction to the steward who managed the estate, we were hospitably received, and invited
to take up our quarters on shore for the night. The steward was a Greek, who had accompanied
M. Baltazzi during an excursion in Europe, and he was consequently a man of greater information than
most of those in his position. After the dinner and the invariable coffee and pipes, we paid a visit to some
of the steward's relations, who resided in the village.
In the morning I went to see some fragments of a small Ionic building that formerly stood in the
plain between the village and the landing-place. These fragments consisted of a capital 1*20 feet in diameter
below the astragal, the base of a pilaster with enriched mouldings, and some other smaller mouldings, all
of elegant character. They had been dug up on the site of a Greek church, which doubtless had replaced
a small Ionic shrine of great beauty. Ali Agha is marked on Kicpert's map as the site of Myrina; but
there arc no vestiges of foundations to justify his conclusion that this was the site of the town.
As the site of Cyme was not above an hour's ride from the village, I procured a horse and guide, and
rode thither. Passing over hilly ground to the south, I came to a second small bay. The city seems to
have occupied two low hills facing the sea, about three-quarters of a mile in extent. Broken fragments of
marble and pottery, which afford an indubitable clue to the sites of towns, covered the ground. There
were no wralls to be seen above ground, nor were there any inscriptions to be found. A Doric capital and
a few mouldings were the only remains to show that a large city formerly stood here.
We embarked on the afternoon of the same day, and having passed a headland a few miles from Ali
Agha, we put into a sandy cove beyond it.
Here were portions of Byzantine buildings near the shore, and also a pedestal bearing an inscription,
which, however, afforded no evidence as to the name of the town that evidently had occupied the site. A
poor farm-house, occupied by a negro and a Turk, both suffering from the effects of fever, was the only
habitation near. Prom them I obtained several coins picked up on the spot, and from the letters on them
there seems to be no doubt that this was the real site of Myrina, as they were almost all of that town;
being /E 4, Head of an Amazon; rev. A vase between M and Y. Indications of the former existence of
a town here were to be seen in the broken pottery, as on the site of Cyme. The fragments of pottery
covered the entire surface of a low hill at the head of the cove.
One of my objects in visiting this gulf was the discovery of the site of the Temple of Apollo Gryna)us,
the exact position of which had never been ascertained. Strabo informs us that it stood upon a small
peninsula,—almost an island. While skirting the shore at the head of a second bay, we hailed a shepherd
boy, the only human being to be seen, and inquired if there were eslci bina, old walls, in the neighbourhood.
He was at first afraid, and about to run away; he feared probably for his flock, as, within the memory of
many, Greek pirates from the islands were in the habit of making descents upon the coast and carrying off
the flocks and crops of the inhabitants. However, upon being reassured, he pointed out what appeared to
be a low island with many trees and much brushwood on it.
We rowed to the spot, and upon landing found traces of a Byzantine enclosure, probably a fortress.
Two architrave stones formed the gate piers; they were, however, of coarse rough stone, and could not have
formed parts of the temple, which we know was built of white marble. However, upon carefully searching
the ground beyond the fortress, I came upon the flute of a Doric column of white marble, which, from its
dimensions, must have belonged to a building of great size, and near it a fragment of similar marble, with
a Greek scroll of fine style sculptured on it. Prom the fact of the small peninsula corresponding so exactly
with Pliny's description, and from the circumstance of fragments of white marble (a material used only in
the principal temples) belonging to a large building being found here, I am inclined to believe that this was
the site of the Temple of Apollo Grynseus.
Excavations on the spot would no doubt lead to interesting discoveries.
We left Grynium after a visit of an hour or two, and with a favouring breeze reached the scala of
Kasikeui (ancient Elaea), situated at the head of the gulf, by nightfall, The land here is low and marshy,
but rises gradually at a distance of two or three miles from the shore, forming a mountainous range of no
great height.
As there was no accommodation to be obtained on shore, we slept on board, and early the next day
proceeded on horseback in search of the statue. We found it lying in a vineyard about two miles from the
scala. It was that of a colossal male figure with largely-developed muscles, probably of Hercules. The
head, arms, and legs had disappeared, nor could we find any trace of them. They had been joined to the
body by cramps, as was frequently the case in Greek colossal statues of the best period. The smooth joints
and cramp-holes remained. The chest was injured by the marks of balls, which showed that it had at one
time formed a target for the Turks. After some delay, the owner of the vineyard made his appearance, and,