DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.2532#0140
118
ARCHITECTURE OF THE ARGIVE HERAEUM
tural remains, although few, are fortunately sufficient to justify a complete restoration
of it (cf. Plate XIV.).
The great revolution in the whole history of the Heraeum is marked hy the burning of
the Old Temple in 423 b. c. and the erection of this new temple on the second platform.
And it is well to recall that, about forty years earlier in the century, the Mycenaeans were
finally overcome by the inhabitants of the city of Argos, who thenceforth maintained their
absolute predominance on the plain. We expect, therefore, the new binldings to bear
the impress of Argive artists; and as the Argive School of Art was in the fifth century
rivaled only by that of Athens, we need not be surprised to find the architectural details
equaling in beauty and refinement those of the Parthenon.
The first task of the Argive architect Eupolemus and his colleagues was to level the
second platform upon which an ancient altar probably stood. The platform consists
^i
■ ELEVATION.'
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i i T i i T '■ i
ii i ' i
i I I PLAN • I ;
' X.-JC.T I £. Q7- j( JZ-o7-]L JL-Q7. J, Z-Q7- J. £-07 J. -Z-Q7 _J_---^:_
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I
Fig. oO.— Argive Heraeum: East Building, restored.
of a conglomerate rock sloping towards the south. Eupolemus cut away the rock from
the north side and filled in the south and west sides, building a retaining wall of poros
stone outside the wall of the ancient peribolus, which was completely covered and so
remained until exhumed in our excavations.
Tiryns by Pirasus, son of Argos, and when the Argives Hercules. The altar is of silver. Further there is a
destroyed Tiryns they brought the image to the Heraeum. peacock of gold and shining stones dedicated by the Em-
It is a small seated image : I saw it myself. Amongst peror Hadrian, because this bird is considered sacred to
the remarkable dedicatory offerings is an altar, on which Hera. There is also a golden crown and a purple robe,
is wrought in relief the fabled marriage of Hebe and offerings of Nero " (Frazer). See Introduction, pp. 21 ff.
ARCHITECTURE OF THE ARGIVE HERAEUM
tural remains, although few, are fortunately sufficient to justify a complete restoration
of it (cf. Plate XIV.).
The great revolution in the whole history of the Heraeum is marked hy the burning of
the Old Temple in 423 b. c. and the erection of this new temple on the second platform.
And it is well to recall that, about forty years earlier in the century, the Mycenaeans were
finally overcome by the inhabitants of the city of Argos, who thenceforth maintained their
absolute predominance on the plain. We expect, therefore, the new binldings to bear
the impress of Argive artists; and as the Argive School of Art was in the fifth century
rivaled only by that of Athens, we need not be surprised to find the architectural details
equaling in beauty and refinement those of the Parthenon.
The first task of the Argive architect Eupolemus and his colleagues was to level the
second platform upon which an ancient altar probably stood. The platform consists
^i
■ ELEVATION.'
? -rL__f ?—
_i qi:q © 0 0 0 o
i i T i i T '■ i
ii i ' i
i I I PLAN • I ;
' X.-JC.T I £. Q7- j( JZ-o7-]L JL-Q7. J, Z-Q7- J. £-07 J. -Z-Q7 _J_---^:_
I
I
Fig. oO.— Argive Heraeum: East Building, restored.
of a conglomerate rock sloping towards the south. Eupolemus cut away the rock from
the north side and filled in the south and west sides, building a retaining wall of poros
stone outside the wall of the ancient peribolus, which was completely covered and so
remained until exhumed in our excavations.
Tiryns by Pirasus, son of Argos, and when the Argives Hercules. The altar is of silver. Further there is a
destroyed Tiryns they brought the image to the Heraeum. peacock of gold and shining stones dedicated by the Em-
It is a small seated image : I saw it myself. Amongst peror Hadrian, because this bird is considered sacred to
the remarkable dedicatory offerings is an altar, on which Hera. There is also a golden crown and a purple robe,
is wrought in relief the fabled marriage of Hebe and offerings of Nero " (Frazer). See Introduction, pp. 21 ff.