DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4692#0023
14 THE (OASTS OF .EOUA, IONIA, AND CARIA.
at the ancient mole of Teos. The foundations of the city walls are visible near this point. The whole site
is covered with cornfields and gardens. We soon came upon the ruins of an Ionic temple, which proved to be
that of Bacchus, and also upon some remains of a theatre. The ruins of the city occupied an isthmus about
two miles and a half broad, connecting a rocky peninsula of no great extent with the mainland. The
ground upon which the city stood is not perfectly level, but slopes towards the east. The city walls can
be traced for the greater part of their extent. They are between three and four miles in circuit, built of
large blocks of isodomous masonry put together without cement. The position of the gates could not be
ascertained. There were three or four mounds of ruins upon the site. The first we reached was in the middle
of a cornfield. It was much overgrown with brushwood, and the stones collected from the field had been
thrown upon the architectural members, so that but few of them were to be seen. The foundations of the
cella of the temple were visible. The interior dimensions were 31/15 feet by 19*85 feet. The wall was
3-8 feet thick. The positions of the columns were not to be ascertained without excavation. The order
had been Corinthian, of Greek character. Several fragments of the architrave stones were found, but no
frieze. The architrave had an ovolo moulding on the top, and the edge of each fascia was ornamented with
an enriched bead. In an adjoining field were some of the lower drums of coupled columns, marking
apparently the site of an agora. Of the theatre the vomitories only remained; the seats had all been
removed, and the remains of the proscenium were found in an adjoining field.
Outside the town walls, near the ruins just described, which were situated to the south-east, there were
the remains of a small Iloman temple, which had been prostyle and tetrastyle. The columns were monolithic,
and the frieze convex. The cornice, frieze, and architrave were in one block of stone. These several facts
show that it was late and poor in style, so that the entire demolition of its ruins, which was effected
between the time of my first and second visit to Sighajik—within a period of six months—was fortunately not
so much to be regretted as would have been the case had it been a fine monument of Greek art. North of
this ruin there extended a large tract of marshy ground, on which could be traced the Via Sacra by the lines
formed by the lids and other portions of sarcophagi. None of these tombs remained entire.
In the middle of the marsh, near the bank of a small stream that runs into the harbour, were the ruins
of a square building, apparently a mausoleum. The core of the building was about forty feet square. Some
pieces of a rich frieze of the Corinthian order were found, but no traces of either columns or pilasters were
seen. The tomb stood within a pcribolus formed by pilasters of grey marble, with engaged columns at the
sides. Fifteen of these were standing in the marsh to the height of four or five feet. The core of the
building was of rag; the casing had been of white marble. The scroll ornaments of the frieze had been
delicately carved; but the too manifest use of the drill showed that it was of late date. North of the walls
of the town were remains of other tombs.
I repeatedly visited the ruins of the Temple of Bacchus for the purpose of making sketches for a report
to the Dilettanti Society. I found that the bases of two columns and portions of the pavement were visible
at one corner of the heap ; and as the mouldings of these were of fine character, there was good promise of
important results if excavations were made here. The temple had been built of a bluish marble obtained
from a quarry about three miles from the site. We visited the quarry, and found in its vicinity several
immense blocks of similar marble cut into curious ledges. Mr. Hamilton gives a representation of one of
them.1 Upon them were various rude inscriptions, such as " Loco III."
Sighajik is a dirty town of about 3,000 inhabitants. The walls are built of blocks of marble from Teos,
amongst which may be seen here and there mouldings and other architectural members. It has one mosque,
and a bath from which an inscription was taken away by Lord Duffcrin, after a show of opposition on the
part of the townspeople, especially of the female part of the community. Almost every inhabitant possesses
a field or garden in the vicinity of the town; so that, on the wThole, the people are in a thriving condition.
As many of them are Turks who were expelled from the Morea, they commonly speak Greek, and associate
with the ghaiour to a greater extent than is generally the case in the Turkish provinces. One day we rode
to Sevri-IIissar, a large town four miles from Sighajik. I saw there many fragments of inscriptions, capitals,
and sculpture built into the walls of the houses. All these must have been brought from Teos, as there
was no other ancient city in the neighbourhood. We returned to Smyrna by land on October 1st.
1 See Hamilton, Researches in Asia Minor, vol. ii. i>. 19.
at the ancient mole of Teos. The foundations of the city walls are visible near this point. The whole site
is covered with cornfields and gardens. We soon came upon the ruins of an Ionic temple, which proved to be
that of Bacchus, and also upon some remains of a theatre. The ruins of the city occupied an isthmus about
two miles and a half broad, connecting a rocky peninsula of no great extent with the mainland. The
ground upon which the city stood is not perfectly level, but slopes towards the east. The city walls can
be traced for the greater part of their extent. They are between three and four miles in circuit, built of
large blocks of isodomous masonry put together without cement. The position of the gates could not be
ascertained. There were three or four mounds of ruins upon the site. The first we reached was in the middle
of a cornfield. It was much overgrown with brushwood, and the stones collected from the field had been
thrown upon the architectural members, so that but few of them were to be seen. The foundations of the
cella of the temple were visible. The interior dimensions were 31/15 feet by 19*85 feet. The wall was
3-8 feet thick. The positions of the columns were not to be ascertained without excavation. The order
had been Corinthian, of Greek character. Several fragments of the architrave stones were found, but no
frieze. The architrave had an ovolo moulding on the top, and the edge of each fascia was ornamented with
an enriched bead. In an adjoining field were some of the lower drums of coupled columns, marking
apparently the site of an agora. Of the theatre the vomitories only remained; the seats had all been
removed, and the remains of the proscenium were found in an adjoining field.
Outside the town walls, near the ruins just described, which were situated to the south-east, there were
the remains of a small Iloman temple, which had been prostyle and tetrastyle. The columns were monolithic,
and the frieze convex. The cornice, frieze, and architrave were in one block of stone. These several facts
show that it was late and poor in style, so that the entire demolition of its ruins, which was effected
between the time of my first and second visit to Sighajik—within a period of six months—was fortunately not
so much to be regretted as would have been the case had it been a fine monument of Greek art. North of
this ruin there extended a large tract of marshy ground, on which could be traced the Via Sacra by the lines
formed by the lids and other portions of sarcophagi. None of these tombs remained entire.
In the middle of the marsh, near the bank of a small stream that runs into the harbour, were the ruins
of a square building, apparently a mausoleum. The core of the building was about forty feet square. Some
pieces of a rich frieze of the Corinthian order were found, but no traces of either columns or pilasters were
seen. The tomb stood within a pcribolus formed by pilasters of grey marble, with engaged columns at the
sides. Fifteen of these were standing in the marsh to the height of four or five feet. The core of the
building was of rag; the casing had been of white marble. The scroll ornaments of the frieze had been
delicately carved; but the too manifest use of the drill showed that it was of late date. North of the walls
of the town were remains of other tombs.
I repeatedly visited the ruins of the Temple of Bacchus for the purpose of making sketches for a report
to the Dilettanti Society. I found that the bases of two columns and portions of the pavement were visible
at one corner of the heap ; and as the mouldings of these were of fine character, there was good promise of
important results if excavations were made here. The temple had been built of a bluish marble obtained
from a quarry about three miles from the site. We visited the quarry, and found in its vicinity several
immense blocks of similar marble cut into curious ledges. Mr. Hamilton gives a representation of one of
them.1 Upon them were various rude inscriptions, such as " Loco III."
Sighajik is a dirty town of about 3,000 inhabitants. The walls are built of blocks of marble from Teos,
amongst which may be seen here and there mouldings and other architectural members. It has one mosque,
and a bath from which an inscription was taken away by Lord Duffcrin, after a show of opposition on the
part of the townspeople, especially of the female part of the community. Almost every inhabitant possesses
a field or garden in the vicinity of the town; so that, on the wThole, the people are in a thriving condition.
As many of them are Turks who were expelled from the Morea, they commonly speak Greek, and associate
with the ghaiour to a greater extent than is generally the case in the Turkish provinces. One day we rode
to Sevri-IIissar, a large town four miles from Sighajik. I saw there many fragments of inscriptions, capitals,
and sculpture built into the walls of the houses. All these must have been brought from Teos, as there
was no other ancient city in the neighbourhood. We returned to Smyrna by land on October 1st.
1 See Hamilton, Researches in Asia Minor, vol. ii. i>. 19.