Page:Greek Buildings Represented by Fragments in the British Museum (1908).djvu/106

90 to offend people, but I do not think the statues themselves would leave any room for doubt. The general tradition, down to the Renaissance, was to colour all sculpture ; at that time, I believe, finding remains of antiques from which the colour had disappeared, it was thought to be " classical " to do without colour, and thus the modern incomplete sculpture arose.

Bronze was largely used in the structure. The columns of the pronaos and posticum had metal screens set between them, as traces still show. (Fig. 62.) The doors were probably of bronze, the jambs were "probably cased with bronze, fixed on wooden framing, for which a shallow rebate is provided in the stonework." The jambs were very slightly inclined.

The bronze accessories mentioned before were profusely used. The horses of the sculptures had bridles. Some of the figures doubtless held symbols, and probably the chariots of the west gable were of bronze. Dionysos had sandals, the goddesses had bracelets, clasps on their shoulders, and even earrings. The serpents of Athena's segis were bronze, and along the ridge of the mane of one of Selene's horses are many holes, in which small objects must have been attached, possibly stars, or little balls to shine like sea spray.

On the epistyle were placed round shields of bronze, nearly 4 feet in diameter, one over each column on the western front,