DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4692#0027
18 . THE COASTS OF /NoIJA, IONJA, AND CAIilA
another hour's journey came to a steep descent, from which we looked over an extensive plateau bordering the
Gulf of Adrymittium. Near the sea, about two miles from us, rose a precipitous isolated rock, upon which
stood the Acropolis of Assos. At its base lay the village of Beahrahm: the walls of Assos were
distinctly visible joining the rock of the Acropolis and running down towards the sea. The plateau was
about four hundred feet above the level of the sea, and was bounded on the north by low hills covered with
trees, on the south by precipices on the seashore. It was chiefly grass land, affording pasturage to numerous
flocks of goats. The island of Mytilene appeared to bo quite close, though the strait is four or five miles
broad at this point. We could, with the aid of a glass, distinguish villages and detached houses scattered
over the sides of the mountains which form the northern part of the island. At the foot of this mountain
was situated the town of Molivo, which we were destined before long to visit much against our will. The
weather was cloudy, so the deep shadow thrown upon the opposite mountains and the rocks of Assos, which
are of a dark reddish tint, together with the leaden-coloured sea, combined to give the landscape a gloomy
aspect, which is indelibly impressed upon my memory.
ASSOS.
The city of Assos is situated on the northern shore of the Gulf of Adrymittium, about twenty miles
from Cape Lectum, called by the Turks Baba. The whole of this coast is high land, ranging to a height of
five or six hundred feet, and descending abruptly to the seashore. In the neighbourhood of Assos it is
precipitous. The city was built upon a rocky ledge on the seaside, on a level with the high land, and
intervening between the edge of the precipice and a higher rocky hill, upon the summit of which stood
, the Acropolis.
The effect of the ruins, whether seen from the sea or land side, is very remarkable; for the walls
being of the dark red ferruginous stone of which the cliffs consist, have a sombre and gloomy character.
Approaching it by land from Cape Baba, the first view is obtained when descending a hill at above an
hour's distance from the town. The jagged line of the walls of the city and the towers of the Acropolis,
indented against a clear sky, have an effect of sublimity seldom elsewhere seen.
Assos affords more than any other place in Asia Minor the type of an ancient Greek city, as it
has never been built upon, except partially in Byzantine times, and therefore it has preserved many of its
original features. Its walls and their gates are almost entire; its Sacred Way, with tombs on either side,
can be traced for a considerable distance.
The Acropolis, with traces of its temple, the theatre, the agora, and numerous other public buildings,
remain to attest its former grandeur. The architecture and sculpture of its temple show it to have been
one of the earliest of any regular order existing in Asia Minor.
A street of tombs commences at a distance of several hundred yards from the city walls on the west side,
and leads in almost straight line to the principal gateway. On either side at intervals are immense soi*i of
red stone of the neighbourhood. It was from this stone that all tombs of this description and form derived
their name, for it was said to have had the property of consuming bodies, 'with the exception of the teeth, in the
period of forty days: hence the name sarcophagus. Some of the sori are of very large dimensions; one of
them measured 12 feet long by 5 feet high. It had a pedimental cover with acroteria not carved, a projecting
cornice with dentils, and it stood upon two or three steps. Most of the covers had been removed for the purpose
of pillaging the tombs; but in this case the cover seemed to have been too heavy for the searcher, who effected
an entrance by breaking a small hole in the side.
The walls of the city can be traced for almost their entire circuit; they are in excellent preservation,
of good Greek work, not having been altered in later times. They are built of large blocks of red stone
laid without mortar or cramps, the joints filleted, the rest of the stone left rough and bossy. On account
of the rapid fall of the ground, the walls have in places slipped down. They are partly Cyclopean and
partly isodomous, about 10 feet 6 inches thick, and built hollow, with bond-stones at intervals. The
principal gateway is flanked by two square towers: this was the usual mode of protecting the entrance
amongst the Greeks. Sometimes the flanking towers were circular, sometimes square, as at Assos. In Asia
Minor there are few fortified towns with walls coeval with those of Assos, but in Greece there are some
remains of ancient cities of early date. At Phigaleia the gates are all placed in re-entering angles flanked
by towers.
The gateway is of large dimensions; the imposts are constructed with two upright stones with a bond-
stone between them; the lintel is formed by two large stones placed side by side, relieved by an arch on
another hour's journey came to a steep descent, from which we looked over an extensive plateau bordering the
Gulf of Adrymittium. Near the sea, about two miles from us, rose a precipitous isolated rock, upon which
stood the Acropolis of Assos. At its base lay the village of Beahrahm: the walls of Assos were
distinctly visible joining the rock of the Acropolis and running down towards the sea. The plateau was
about four hundred feet above the level of the sea, and was bounded on the north by low hills covered with
trees, on the south by precipices on the seashore. It was chiefly grass land, affording pasturage to numerous
flocks of goats. The island of Mytilene appeared to bo quite close, though the strait is four or five miles
broad at this point. We could, with the aid of a glass, distinguish villages and detached houses scattered
over the sides of the mountains which form the northern part of the island. At the foot of this mountain
was situated the town of Molivo, which we were destined before long to visit much against our will. The
weather was cloudy, so the deep shadow thrown upon the opposite mountains and the rocks of Assos, which
are of a dark reddish tint, together with the leaden-coloured sea, combined to give the landscape a gloomy
aspect, which is indelibly impressed upon my memory.
ASSOS.
The city of Assos is situated on the northern shore of the Gulf of Adrymittium, about twenty miles
from Cape Lectum, called by the Turks Baba. The whole of this coast is high land, ranging to a height of
five or six hundred feet, and descending abruptly to the seashore. In the neighbourhood of Assos it is
precipitous. The city was built upon a rocky ledge on the seaside, on a level with the high land, and
intervening between the edge of the precipice and a higher rocky hill, upon the summit of which stood
, the Acropolis.
The effect of the ruins, whether seen from the sea or land side, is very remarkable; for the walls
being of the dark red ferruginous stone of which the cliffs consist, have a sombre and gloomy character.
Approaching it by land from Cape Baba, the first view is obtained when descending a hill at above an
hour's distance from the town. The jagged line of the walls of the city and the towers of the Acropolis,
indented against a clear sky, have an effect of sublimity seldom elsewhere seen.
Assos affords more than any other place in Asia Minor the type of an ancient Greek city, as it
has never been built upon, except partially in Byzantine times, and therefore it has preserved many of its
original features. Its walls and their gates are almost entire; its Sacred Way, with tombs on either side,
can be traced for a considerable distance.
The Acropolis, with traces of its temple, the theatre, the agora, and numerous other public buildings,
remain to attest its former grandeur. The architecture and sculpture of its temple show it to have been
one of the earliest of any regular order existing in Asia Minor.
A street of tombs commences at a distance of several hundred yards from the city walls on the west side,
and leads in almost straight line to the principal gateway. On either side at intervals are immense soi*i of
red stone of the neighbourhood. It was from this stone that all tombs of this description and form derived
their name, for it was said to have had the property of consuming bodies, 'with the exception of the teeth, in the
period of forty days: hence the name sarcophagus. Some of the sori are of very large dimensions; one of
them measured 12 feet long by 5 feet high. It had a pedimental cover with acroteria not carved, a projecting
cornice with dentils, and it stood upon two or three steps. Most of the covers had been removed for the purpose
of pillaging the tombs; but in this case the cover seemed to have been too heavy for the searcher, who effected
an entrance by breaking a small hole in the side.
The walls of the city can be traced for almost their entire circuit; they are in excellent preservation,
of good Greek work, not having been altered in later times. They are built of large blocks of red stone
laid without mortar or cramps, the joints filleted, the rest of the stone left rough and bossy. On account
of the rapid fall of the ground, the walls have in places slipped down. They are partly Cyclopean and
partly isodomous, about 10 feet 6 inches thick, and built hollow, with bond-stones at intervals. The
principal gateway is flanked by two square towers: this was the usual mode of protecting the entrance
amongst the Greeks. Sometimes the flanking towers were circular, sometimes square, as at Assos. In Asia
Minor there are few fortified towns with walls coeval with those of Assos, but in Greece there are some
remains of ancient cities of early date. At Phigaleia the gates are all placed in re-entering angles flanked
by towers.
The gateway is of large dimensions; the imposts are constructed with two upright stones with a bond-
stone between them; the lintel is formed by two large stones placed side by side, relieved by an arch on