Among the numerous fragments of sculpture and archi-
tecture found at a low level in the excavations on the site of
the Temple, there were several of a very archaic character
and of remarkable interest. These are some small portions
of what were probably the bases of columns similar to the
sculptured columns of the last Temple : one of them has
traces of sculpture, another has sculpture attached to it; but
not the least interesting is a fragment which is inscribed with
the characters here shown— 11 1 | j% I, These cannot at
present be recognised as forming part of any Greek or Semitic
word ; but, guided by the character of the sculpture, Mr.
Newton is of opinion that all these fragments belonged to the
Temple to which Croesus contributed some of the columns,
and that therefore the date of the inscription may be as early
as B.C. 560.
tecture found at a low level in the excavations on the site of
the Temple, there were several of a very archaic character
and of remarkable interest. These are some small portions
of what were probably the bases of columns similar to the
sculptured columns of the last Temple : one of them has
traces of sculpture, another has sculpture attached to it; but
not the least interesting is a fragment which is inscribed with
the characters here shown— 11 1 | j% I, These cannot at
present be recognised as forming part of any Greek or Semitic
word ; but, guided by the character of the sculpture, Mr.
Newton is of opinion that all these fragments belonged to the
Temple to which Croesus contributed some of the columns,
and that therefore the date of the inscription may be as early
as B.C. 560.