DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4615#0061
EXPLORATION OF THE SITE OF THE TEMPLE. 59
dress of many bright colours, the whole group stood
out against the black tent, and with it formed a pic-
turesque foreground against the landscape, which in its
turn was backed by the steeps of Mount Prion.
In January, 1873, I obtained those particulars which
I had sought for to confirm the statement of Vitruvius
that the temple was octostyle. In an upper stratum of
the excavations was found a curious bas-relief in three
panels, representing a three days' contest between a man
(a Christian perhaps) and a lion. The first and upper-
most panel is so far destroyed that the result of the
contest is unknown. In the second panel the man
appears armed with a thick club, from which the lion
receives a blow on the head which probably stuns him,
and thus ends the second day. On the third and last
day the man falls a victim to the lion's fury ; he is on
the ground, and the lion tears out his bowels.
During the month of February, 1873, the men were
chiefly employed at the east end of the temple, and here
another sculptured drum was found. The works were
stopped altogether for a few days this month by the
intense cold. A sharp frost, a cold wind, and rain,
however slight, were each sufficient to suspend work.
Very few of the men had a change of clothes, so they
generally ran for shelter en masse when rain came on,
often not waiting {oxpaidos to be called.
Some of my Turkish workmen were particularly adroit
in throwing up the sand out of the excavations ; in digging
the trial-holes they would throw a good shovelful of
sand and stones out of a hole twelve feet deep. They
were very strong, although their food was of the simplest
kind. Coarse bread and a little salt fish or olives, black
dress of many bright colours, the whole group stood
out against the black tent, and with it formed a pic-
turesque foreground against the landscape, which in its
turn was backed by the steeps of Mount Prion.
In January, 1873, I obtained those particulars which
I had sought for to confirm the statement of Vitruvius
that the temple was octostyle. In an upper stratum of
the excavations was found a curious bas-relief in three
panels, representing a three days' contest between a man
(a Christian perhaps) and a lion. The first and upper-
most panel is so far destroyed that the result of the
contest is unknown. In the second panel the man
appears armed with a thick club, from which the lion
receives a blow on the head which probably stuns him,
and thus ends the second day. On the third and last
day the man falls a victim to the lion's fury ; he is on
the ground, and the lion tears out his bowels.
During the month of February, 1873, the men were
chiefly employed at the east end of the temple, and here
another sculptured drum was found. The works were
stopped altogether for a few days this month by the
intense cold. A sharp frost, a cold wind, and rain,
however slight, were each sufficient to suspend work.
Very few of the men had a change of clothes, so they
generally ran for shelter en masse when rain came on,
often not waiting {oxpaidos to be called.
Some of my Turkish workmen were particularly adroit
in throwing up the sand out of the excavations ; in digging
the trial-holes they would throw a good shovelful of
sand and stones out of a hole twelve feet deep. They
were very strong, although their food was of the simplest
kind. Coarse bread and a little salt fish or olives, black