DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4692#0033
24 THE COASTS OF vEOLIA, IONIA, AND CARIA.
village,—a miserable hack, with a country saddle of wood and a rope bridle,—accompanied by a guide from the
village. We were about an hour crossing the marshy plain of Ephesus. We then bore to the south,
beyond tbe building called the Prison of St. Paul, and passed over a range of low hills covered with brushwood.
At about two miles' distance from the plain I observed, in a valley near the sea, some Hellenic foundations near
the spot marked as those of Ortygia on the Admiralty Chart. As evening was approaching, we had not time to
visit them, but I resolved to do so on the first opportunity. After crossing the hills, we descended to the
seashore, passing the site of Phygela, where there is little remaining beyond some Cyclopean walls. Near this
place are the remains of an aqueduct carried along the side of the mountains on the left, and in about an
hour's time we passed under the arches of it where it crossed the road. This aqueduct probably supplied
Phygela with water from the hills. At sunset we reached Scala Nuova, a small maritime town built upon a hill
jutting into the sea. Here I found the missing man and baggage. We obtained lodgings in the house of a
respectable Greek, a stonemason by trade. He mentioned, that not long before the time of our visit he had
been employed in taking stones from Pricne, for the purpose of building a factory at Sokia, our next station.
It is thus that the remains of public buildings are fast disappearing throughout the country.
We started at noon for Sokia, which was five hours' journey distant. After two hours' ride from Scala Nuova,
we again came to the seashore, near the plain of Changli, where, according to Pococke, was the ancient place of
assembly called Panionium. Before us we saw the fine range of Mycalc, behind which, in the valley of the Mseander,
was situated Priene. Here we turned to the left, and crossed some of the lower mountains of the range by a rough
road, reaching Sokia—a small but flourishing town—at dusk. I had letters to Mr. Clarke, an Englishman who
established a manufactory for liquorice here about twelve years ago. His example has been imitated by a
Mr. Eorbes, who has a rival establishment in the town. To these manufactories the prosperity of the place is
owing. Mr. Clarke and his amiable wife received me in the most hospitable manner. Nor did his kindness
cease here; for he furnished me with letters to a Greek seraff residing at Kclibesh, who laid claim to be
proprietor of the land upon which Priene stood.
The next morning we went over the manufactory, an interesting monument of the national spirit of
enterprise exhibited by Mr. Clarke. I met here also a Scotch gentleman whom we had encountered on
board the French steamer at Syra. He had sailed from Aberdeen to Patras, and made his way from that
place to Syra, without understanding a word of Greek. Erom Sokia there is a fine view of the plain of
the Masandcr, which is there about eight miles wide, and as level as a bowling-green. It is bounded on the
north by the rugged range of Mycale, and on the south by the range of Mount Latmus. Erom an eminence
it is possible to see as far as the sea in one direction and as far as Aidin Guzcl-Hissar on the other.
The next day we rode to Kclibesh, a Greek village built on the side of the mountain, about a mile
from the ruins of Priene. It is three hours' ride from Sokia. Our road skirted the plain, and was occasionally
unpleasantly marshy. To reach Kelibesh we had a steep ascent of several hundred yards to surmount. The
streets of the town are very steep. We found the seraff absent; but his housekeeper installed us comfortably
in the best room in the house, and lighted a mangal for us, as the wind was bitterly cold.
I had time to pay a short visit to the ruins of Priene the same evening : they arc situated on a declivity at
the base of a precipitous rock, upon which stood the Acropolis: the walls of it arc still to be traced from below.
The walls of the town are entire throughout their whole circuit. Within them are many shapeless heaps of
ruins. Upon a platform of rock, bounded by a terrace wall about 25 feet above the general level, is the
heap of the ruins of the Temple of Minerva Polias. The walls of its peribolus can be traced on two sides ;
on the other sides the terrace forms a sufficient boundary. At the entrace there had been a propylaaa,
with engaged pilasters on each side. The capitals of this, much damaged, were lying around. I found
that the heap of the temple had been but little disturbed; drums of columns, capitals, and architrave-stones
stood one upon the other almost as they had fallen. They were of Parian marble, and the workmanship
was evidently of the finest character, though the parts exposed to the weather were much worn. I found
near it several fragments of a fine draped marble statue, which had evidently been lately broken up. There
had been other smaller buildings within the peribolus. Below the platform, upon which the temple stood,
were the remains of an agora, the plan of which could be easily traced; and on the side of the mountain
were many tombs. I found on the ground a coin in good preservation—/E 3, head of Pallas casqucd; Mev.
an inscription with a crown formed of the detours of the Mseandcr.
I subsequently procured other coins, all with the same head, and having on the reverse the following
inscriptions :—nPIH AAKX2N— nPIH AYZAn — nOAl — nPIHNH riOAAOA; and others of the same
description.
The seraff returned the next day, and said he would offer no opposition, if it were thought desirable to
excavate on his land. He gave me a letter to a friend at Ieronda (Branchidoo).
After a second visit to the ruins of Priene, we started across the plain, making for a large mass of
building,—the Theatre of Miletus,—which, from its isolated position, is distinctly visible for many miles on all
sides. The plain is partly cultivated; but is for the most part marshy. My horse was quite knocked up with a
gallop, and before we reached the Mseander, I was obliged to dismount and lead him. The poor quality of
the food given to the horses here—chopped straw—accounts for their want of strength for unusual exertion.
They will go at a walk for many days together, but soon fail if they are urged to an unaccustomed pace.
village,—a miserable hack, with a country saddle of wood and a rope bridle,—accompanied by a guide from the
village. We were about an hour crossing the marshy plain of Ephesus. We then bore to the south,
beyond tbe building called the Prison of St. Paul, and passed over a range of low hills covered with brushwood.
At about two miles' distance from the plain I observed, in a valley near the sea, some Hellenic foundations near
the spot marked as those of Ortygia on the Admiralty Chart. As evening was approaching, we had not time to
visit them, but I resolved to do so on the first opportunity. After crossing the hills, we descended to the
seashore, passing the site of Phygela, where there is little remaining beyond some Cyclopean walls. Near this
place are the remains of an aqueduct carried along the side of the mountains on the left, and in about an
hour's time we passed under the arches of it where it crossed the road. This aqueduct probably supplied
Phygela with water from the hills. At sunset we reached Scala Nuova, a small maritime town built upon a hill
jutting into the sea. Here I found the missing man and baggage. We obtained lodgings in the house of a
respectable Greek, a stonemason by trade. He mentioned, that not long before the time of our visit he had
been employed in taking stones from Pricne, for the purpose of building a factory at Sokia, our next station.
It is thus that the remains of public buildings are fast disappearing throughout the country.
We started at noon for Sokia, which was five hours' journey distant. After two hours' ride from Scala Nuova,
we again came to the seashore, near the plain of Changli, where, according to Pococke, was the ancient place of
assembly called Panionium. Before us we saw the fine range of Mycalc, behind which, in the valley of the Mseander,
was situated Priene. Here we turned to the left, and crossed some of the lower mountains of the range by a rough
road, reaching Sokia—a small but flourishing town—at dusk. I had letters to Mr. Clarke, an Englishman who
established a manufactory for liquorice here about twelve years ago. His example has been imitated by a
Mr. Eorbes, who has a rival establishment in the town. To these manufactories the prosperity of the place is
owing. Mr. Clarke and his amiable wife received me in the most hospitable manner. Nor did his kindness
cease here; for he furnished me with letters to a Greek seraff residing at Kclibesh, who laid claim to be
proprietor of the land upon which Priene stood.
The next morning we went over the manufactory, an interesting monument of the national spirit of
enterprise exhibited by Mr. Clarke. I met here also a Scotch gentleman whom we had encountered on
board the French steamer at Syra. He had sailed from Aberdeen to Patras, and made his way from that
place to Syra, without understanding a word of Greek. Erom Sokia there is a fine view of the plain of
the Masandcr, which is there about eight miles wide, and as level as a bowling-green. It is bounded on the
north by the rugged range of Mycale, and on the south by the range of Mount Latmus. Erom an eminence
it is possible to see as far as the sea in one direction and as far as Aidin Guzcl-Hissar on the other.
The next day we rode to Kclibesh, a Greek village built on the side of the mountain, about a mile
from the ruins of Priene. It is three hours' ride from Sokia. Our road skirted the plain, and was occasionally
unpleasantly marshy. To reach Kelibesh we had a steep ascent of several hundred yards to surmount. The
streets of the town are very steep. We found the seraff absent; but his housekeeper installed us comfortably
in the best room in the house, and lighted a mangal for us, as the wind was bitterly cold.
I had time to pay a short visit to the ruins of Priene the same evening : they arc situated on a declivity at
the base of a precipitous rock, upon which stood the Acropolis: the walls of it arc still to be traced from below.
The walls of the town are entire throughout their whole circuit. Within them are many shapeless heaps of
ruins. Upon a platform of rock, bounded by a terrace wall about 25 feet above the general level, is the
heap of the ruins of the Temple of Minerva Polias. The walls of its peribolus can be traced on two sides ;
on the other sides the terrace forms a sufficient boundary. At the entrace there had been a propylaaa,
with engaged pilasters on each side. The capitals of this, much damaged, were lying around. I found
that the heap of the temple had been but little disturbed; drums of columns, capitals, and architrave-stones
stood one upon the other almost as they had fallen. They were of Parian marble, and the workmanship
was evidently of the finest character, though the parts exposed to the weather were much worn. I found
near it several fragments of a fine draped marble statue, which had evidently been lately broken up. There
had been other smaller buildings within the peribolus. Below the platform, upon which the temple stood,
were the remains of an agora, the plan of which could be easily traced; and on the side of the mountain
were many tombs. I found on the ground a coin in good preservation—/E 3, head of Pallas casqucd; Mev.
an inscription with a crown formed of the detours of the Mseandcr.
I subsequently procured other coins, all with the same head, and having on the reverse the following
inscriptions :—nPIH AAKX2N— nPIH AYZAn — nOAl — nPIHNH riOAAOA; and others of the same
description.
The seraff returned the next day, and said he would offer no opposition, if it were thought desirable to
excavate on his land. He gave me a letter to a friend at Ieronda (Branchidoo).
After a second visit to the ruins of Priene, we started across the plain, making for a large mass of
building,—the Theatre of Miletus,—which, from its isolated position, is distinctly visible for many miles on all
sides. The plain is partly cultivated; but is for the most part marshy. My horse was quite knocked up with a
gallop, and before we reached the Mseander, I was obliged to dismount and lead him. The poor quality of
the food given to the horses here—chopped straw—accounts for their want of strength for unusual exertion.
They will go at a walk for many days together, but soon fail if they are urged to an unaccustomed pace.