12

HISTORY
or
ARCHITLCTUUE.
Book 1.
fet-t
above the level of the plain, the foundations of its inclosure being still perfect and
traceable, as in the annexed figure
i^jiff.
11.)-
The ancient city is thought to have sur-
.-.,,-^^
TBS Aicaoeons or Txara&
rounded the fortress, and that formerlv the city was nearer the sea than at present Bryant,
with his usual ingenuity, has found in its general form a type of the long ship of Danaus,
wliieh, we confess, our imagination is not lively enough to detect. On the east of the
fortress are quarries, which furnish stors similar to that whereof it is built. It had entrances
from the east and the west, and one at the south-eastern angle. Tliat on the east, lettereti .^.
is prettv fairly preserved, and is approached by an inclined access, B, 15 fL wide, along
the eastern and southern sides of the tower, C,
which is 20 ft. square and 40 ft. higli,
p:.ssing, at the end of the last named side, under a gateway, composed of very large blocks
of stone, tliat which forms the architrave being 10 fL long, and over which, from the frag-
ments lying on the spot, it is conjectured that a triangular stone was placed
;
but thereon
is no appearance of sculpture. D is the present entrance. The general thickness of the
walls is 25 ft., and they are formed by three parallel ranks of stones 5 ft. thick, thus leaving
r,3 two ranges of galleries each 5 ft. wide and 12 ft. high. Tlie sides of the
^^
galleries are formed by two courses of stone, and the roof by two other
Jl^^
horizontal courses, sailing over so as to meet at their summit, and some-
^1
what resembling a pointed arch. {See fig. 10.) That part of the gallery,
^fiff.
12., now uncovered, is about 90 ft. long, and has six openings or
1 recesses towards the east, one whereof seems to have afforded a communi-
i cation with some exterior building, of whose foundation traces are still
i in existence. The interval between these openings varies from 10 ft. 6 in.
^
to 9 ft. 8 in.
;
the openings them-selvcs lieing from 5 ft. 6 in. to -i ft. 10 in.
,v.
wide. It is probable that these galleries extended all round the citadel,
though now only accessible where the walls are least perfect, at the southern part of
the inclosure. There are no remains of the south-eastern portal. It appears to have lieei:
connected with the eastern gate by an avenue enclosed between the outer and inner curtain,
of which avenue tl:e use is not known. Similar avenues have been foui\d at Argos and
oclier ancient cities in Greece. The northern point of the hill is least elevated, and smaller
stones have been employed in its wall. The exterior walls are built of rough stones, some
of which are 9 ft. 4 in. in length and 4 ft. thick, their common size being somewhat less
AVlien entire, the wall must have been 60 ft. high, and on the eastern side has been entirely
destroyed Tlie whole length of the citadel is about 660 ft., and the breadth about 180 ft.,
the walls being straight without regard to inequality of level in the rock.
.'54.
The .\cropolis of Mycene was probably constructed in an age nearly the same as
that of Tiryns. Pausanias mentions a gate on which two lions were sculptured, to which
the name of the Gate of the Lions has been given
(Jiz- 13.) lliese are still in their
original position. It is situate at the end of a recess about 50 ft. long, commanded l>y pro-
jections of the walls, which are here fonned of huge blocks of square stones, many placttl
on each other without breaking joint, which circumstance gives it a very inartificial appear-
ance. The epistylium of the gate is a single stone 15ft. long and 4 ft. 4 in. high. 'J'o
the south of the gate above mentioned the wall is much ruined. In one part something
like a tower is discernible, whose walls, being perpendicular while the curtain inclines a
little inward from its base, a projection remained at the top by which an archer couM defend
the wall below. The blocks of the superstructure are of great size, those of the suit-
structure much smaller. Tlie gates excepted, the whole citadel is built of rough masses of
rock, nicely adjusted and fitted to each other, though the smaller stones with which ih'