DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4692#0034
PRIENE, BRANCHID/p; AND HERACLEIA. 25
We crossed the Mseander in a curious three-cornered ferry-boat, and arrived at mid-day at the hovels which
stand upon the ruins of Miletus. The malaria from the plain renders this place so unhealthy that there are
but few inhabitants. The Aga gave us a mid-day meal, and upon learning the state of my horse, offered to
sell me a stout one of Turkoman breed for £40. This is an unusually high price for horses in this country.
If you travel for several days consecutively, it is always the best plan to hire horses as you go on, for no
single horse could stand more than a few days' journeys; and in the winter time, when you cannot make
use of a tent, the stages depend upon the distances of the villages from one another, which, in this thinly-
populated country, are sometimes very great.
There are no ruins at Miletus worth mention, but those of the theatre, which have been frequently
described and illustrated. I saw two figures of recumbent lions, which had stood upon tombs like that of the
Lion Tomb at Cnidus: one of these is described by Mr. Newton in the Parliamentary Papers. He saw it when
he visited Miletus from Branchidse. I obtained here a silver coin of Miletus, AR 3, a wreathed head of Apollo;
Rev. Lion walking to left, regarding a Star behind,—and copper coins with similar devices.
After leaving Miletus, we crossed some low hills and passed through a small village inhabited by Greeks,
but, owing to the ignorance of our guide, did not reach Ieronda till midnight. As no one was stirring, we
roused the head-man of the village, who, after much grumbling, accompanied us to the house of the person
to whom I had a letter. The village is built round the ruins of the temple, and of materials derived from it.
Prom amidst the houses rise three Ionic columns to a height of 68 feet. Two of these are fluted, and have
the architrave-stone entire; the other is unfiuted, and stands at the distance of 100 feet to the south of the
others; thus marking the enormous width of the temple. Heaps of immense blocks of marble, in two lines,
extended to a distance of nearly 300 feet, marking the positions of the walls of the cclla. The ruins are the
most imposing of their kind to be seen, and give a better idea—even in their present state—of the grandeur
of Greek architecture than any other existing ruins, even than those of the Temple of Jupiter Olympius at
Athens. The dimensions of the blocks average 6 feet by 3 feet by 2 feet. Their great wcigbt has prevented
their removal to any distance; and although the houses of the village and a church have been constructed from
fragments of these blocks, the greater part of them remain where they fell; so that their removal would throw
much light upon the construction of the temple and the peculiarities of Greek architecture. A windmill has
been built upon the highest heap, which stands over the opisthodomos. The inner area of the temple is free,
occupied only by a few Avild fig-trees. In it lies a block with a sculptured genius on it, with outspread wings.
(See Plate 9.) It is difficult to conjecture from the form and dimensions of this block, to what part of the
temple it originally belonged. It would appear, however, to have formed part of the decoration of the upper
part of the doorway. Several capitals of the pilasters of the interior remain on the north side. The style
of the sculptures on them is of very beautiful design, and well executed. The capitals measure 5 feet 6 inches
at their point of junction with the shaft. The sculptures represent griffins with foliage.
The village of Ieronda is situated about two miles from the Straits of Samos, on the west, and about three
from the Gulf of Mendelet, on the south. The ground slopes down to the sea each way. On the west shore
was the port of Panormus, and from it the Via Sacra led up to the temple. On each side of the road were
statues of seated figures and lions. Eleven of these remained until 1859, when they were removed by Mr.
Newton. They are now placed in the British Museum. I followed the road for some distance, but found no
traces of any other sculptures. A peasant offered to sell me the head of a statue in an archaic style,
probably that of one of these figures; but, as I had no means of transporting it, I was unwillingly compelled
to decline purchasing it. ,
The inhabitants informed me that Ieronda was very unhealthy in the autumn, as malaria from the valley
of the Mseander caused much fever.
Prom Branchidae we proceeded round the Gulf of Mendelet, over a rugged country. The rock everywhere
appears through the soil, which is barren and almost incapable of cultivation. On our right was the sea ■
on our left an upland country, covered with brushwood; beyond which could be seen the summit of Mount
Grium. The rain fell in torrents the whole day, and we were heartily glad to reach the shelter afforded by a
miserable caf6 at Ak Boukoi for the night, where we obtained a corner to sleep in, though our repose was
broken by the uproar caused by a number of drunken Greek sailors. On the following day we started in the
midst of the rain for Iassus. The road was worse than that which we had followed on the preceding day, as
it was more mountainous. In the afternoon we reached the miserable hamlet of Assyn, where, after some
delay, we obtained a mud hut to ourselves for the night.
The next day I visited the ruins of Iassus, which are situated on a small peninsula. The city walls are
entire; but there are no extensive remains of any large building, though the whole space within the walls
is strewn with fragments of building-stone. The theatre, which is on the top of a hill, is the most perfect
building remaining, and is a specimen of good Greek art. This town presents one of the best preserved plans
of a Greek city. (See Plate 41.)
On the mainland are many tombs of an early period; but all have been opened.
The scene around the city is one of utter desolation. On every side there are low stony hills, Avith bushes
growing between the rocks; but no sign of cultivation nor of habitations is to be seen, as the hamlet of Assyn
is concealed by a turn in the road. As the rainy season had set in with great violence, I determined to turn
ii
We crossed the Mseander in a curious three-cornered ferry-boat, and arrived at mid-day at the hovels which
stand upon the ruins of Miletus. The malaria from the plain renders this place so unhealthy that there are
but few inhabitants. The Aga gave us a mid-day meal, and upon learning the state of my horse, offered to
sell me a stout one of Turkoman breed for £40. This is an unusually high price for horses in this country.
If you travel for several days consecutively, it is always the best plan to hire horses as you go on, for no
single horse could stand more than a few days' journeys; and in the winter time, when you cannot make
use of a tent, the stages depend upon the distances of the villages from one another, which, in this thinly-
populated country, are sometimes very great.
There are no ruins at Miletus worth mention, but those of the theatre, which have been frequently
described and illustrated. I saw two figures of recumbent lions, which had stood upon tombs like that of the
Lion Tomb at Cnidus: one of these is described by Mr. Newton in the Parliamentary Papers. He saw it when
he visited Miletus from Branchidse. I obtained here a silver coin of Miletus, AR 3, a wreathed head of Apollo;
Rev. Lion walking to left, regarding a Star behind,—and copper coins with similar devices.
After leaving Miletus, we crossed some low hills and passed through a small village inhabited by Greeks,
but, owing to the ignorance of our guide, did not reach Ieronda till midnight. As no one was stirring, we
roused the head-man of the village, who, after much grumbling, accompanied us to the house of the person
to whom I had a letter. The village is built round the ruins of the temple, and of materials derived from it.
Prom amidst the houses rise three Ionic columns to a height of 68 feet. Two of these are fluted, and have
the architrave-stone entire; the other is unfiuted, and stands at the distance of 100 feet to the south of the
others; thus marking the enormous width of the temple. Heaps of immense blocks of marble, in two lines,
extended to a distance of nearly 300 feet, marking the positions of the walls of the cclla. The ruins are the
most imposing of their kind to be seen, and give a better idea—even in their present state—of the grandeur
of Greek architecture than any other existing ruins, even than those of the Temple of Jupiter Olympius at
Athens. The dimensions of the blocks average 6 feet by 3 feet by 2 feet. Their great wcigbt has prevented
their removal to any distance; and although the houses of the village and a church have been constructed from
fragments of these blocks, the greater part of them remain where they fell; so that their removal would throw
much light upon the construction of the temple and the peculiarities of Greek architecture. A windmill has
been built upon the highest heap, which stands over the opisthodomos. The inner area of the temple is free,
occupied only by a few Avild fig-trees. In it lies a block with a sculptured genius on it, with outspread wings.
(See Plate 9.) It is difficult to conjecture from the form and dimensions of this block, to what part of the
temple it originally belonged. It would appear, however, to have formed part of the decoration of the upper
part of the doorway. Several capitals of the pilasters of the interior remain on the north side. The style
of the sculptures on them is of very beautiful design, and well executed. The capitals measure 5 feet 6 inches
at their point of junction with the shaft. The sculptures represent griffins with foliage.
The village of Ieronda is situated about two miles from the Straits of Samos, on the west, and about three
from the Gulf of Mendelet, on the south. The ground slopes down to the sea each way. On the west shore
was the port of Panormus, and from it the Via Sacra led up to the temple. On each side of the road were
statues of seated figures and lions. Eleven of these remained until 1859, when they were removed by Mr.
Newton. They are now placed in the British Museum. I followed the road for some distance, but found no
traces of any other sculptures. A peasant offered to sell me the head of a statue in an archaic style,
probably that of one of these figures; but, as I had no means of transporting it, I was unwillingly compelled
to decline purchasing it. ,
The inhabitants informed me that Ieronda was very unhealthy in the autumn, as malaria from the valley
of the Mseander caused much fever.
Prom Branchidae we proceeded round the Gulf of Mendelet, over a rugged country. The rock everywhere
appears through the soil, which is barren and almost incapable of cultivation. On our right was the sea ■
on our left an upland country, covered with brushwood; beyond which could be seen the summit of Mount
Grium. The rain fell in torrents the whole day, and we were heartily glad to reach the shelter afforded by a
miserable caf6 at Ak Boukoi for the night, where we obtained a corner to sleep in, though our repose was
broken by the uproar caused by a number of drunken Greek sailors. On the following day we started in the
midst of the rain for Iassus. The road was worse than that which we had followed on the preceding day, as
it was more mountainous. In the afternoon we reached the miserable hamlet of Assyn, where, after some
delay, we obtained a mud hut to ourselves for the night.
The next day I visited the ruins of Iassus, which are situated on a small peninsula. The city walls are
entire; but there are no extensive remains of any large building, though the whole space within the walls
is strewn with fragments of building-stone. The theatre, which is on the top of a hill, is the most perfect
building remaining, and is a specimen of good Greek art. This town presents one of the best preserved plans
of a Greek city. (See Plate 41.)
On the mainland are many tombs of an early period; but all have been opened.
The scene around the city is one of utter desolation. On every side there are low stony hills, Avith bushes
growing between the rocks; but no sign of cultivation nor of habitations is to be seen, as the hamlet of Assyn
is concealed by a turn in the road. As the rainy season had set in with great violence, I determined to turn
ii