DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4615#0052
50 MODERN DISCOVERIES AT ANCIENT EPHESUS.
Museum. Pliny tells us that Scopas, the famous sculptor
in the time of Alexander, was employed on the sculpture
of the temple; this drum of a column was probably carved
from his design and under his direction, and possibly his
hand had given some of its finishing touches. It will be
remarked by those who look carefully at objects of art
how cleverly these figures in low relief are arranged
round the column, and how exquisite is the grace of the
figure of Hermes. They will also observe the manner
in which the feet of this figure are made to combine with
the lower part of the column.
As the excavations proceeded, fresh light from time
to time was thrown upon what had taken place on the
site of the temple, from the early time when the lowest
pavement was laid, up to the time of the Turkish occu-
pation. Sometimes a whole fortnight elapsed, with more
than 300 men at work, without a single discovery of
consequence taking place. This was of course dis-
heartening, but in excavating there is something of the
nature of speculation, and hope was kept alive by the
reflection that of such a vast building much must remain
of great value.
The pavement of the peristyle of the last temple was
seven feet five and half inches above that of the earliest
temple. The pavement of the second temple was three
feet eleven and a quarter inches above that of the first.
A small portion of the cella wall of the earliest temple
was found undisturbed on the south flank and at the west
end of the naos. This wall, six feet three inches thick,
had served, with the aid of large rough blocks of stone,
as the foundations of the last two temples.
Another important discovery was made as the works
Museum. Pliny tells us that Scopas, the famous sculptor
in the time of Alexander, was employed on the sculpture
of the temple; this drum of a column was probably carved
from his design and under his direction, and possibly his
hand had given some of its finishing touches. It will be
remarked by those who look carefully at objects of art
how cleverly these figures in low relief are arranged
round the column, and how exquisite is the grace of the
figure of Hermes. They will also observe the manner
in which the feet of this figure are made to combine with
the lower part of the column.
As the excavations proceeded, fresh light from time
to time was thrown upon what had taken place on the
site of the temple, from the early time when the lowest
pavement was laid, up to the time of the Turkish occu-
pation. Sometimes a whole fortnight elapsed, with more
than 300 men at work, without a single discovery of
consequence taking place. This was of course dis-
heartening, but in excavating there is something of the
nature of speculation, and hope was kept alive by the
reflection that of such a vast building much must remain
of great value.
The pavement of the peristyle of the last temple was
seven feet five and half inches above that of the earliest
temple. The pavement of the second temple was three
feet eleven and a quarter inches above that of the first.
A small portion of the cella wall of the earliest temple
was found undisturbed on the south flank and at the west
end of the naos. This wall, six feet three inches thick,
had served, with the aid of large rough blocks of stone,
as the foundations of the last two temples.
Another important discovery was made as the works