Page:History of Art in Primitive Greece - Mycenian Art Vol 1.djvu/192

 Troy. 171 1 ^ of the main trench (Fig. 38, x, z). The rock uncovered at this level shows a gentle incline to the southward of about two metres. It is covered with a thin layer of vegetable earth, on which rest walls still protruding one metre or thereabouts above ground (Fig. 38, /, fa, fb, fc). Three of these walls {/ay /by fc), on the north and south sides, are apparently fortifications. The inner wall {fb) probably dates from the first tribe settled on the hill ; and it is self-evident that the exterior defence {fa) was enlarged and partly rebuilt. All consist of blocks of unsquared limestone, and all are two metres fifty centimetres thick ; the lining slabs of these walls are larger than those forming the core, and slightly convex. Running between these stout fortifications, and almost parallel with them, are five walls, crossed at right angles by other two, averaging from sixty to ninety centimetres in thickness. All are built of rubble laid in mud. Though very primitive, the mode of con- struction exhibited here betrays a certain effort after effect. There is a marked tendency to almost horizontal beds ; the stones are set up slantwise, but their incline is reversed from one course to another, so that the effect is roughly suggestive of the opus spicatuvty or herring-bone pattern, of the Roman builder (Fig. 39). Adhering to these walls are still bits of a clay-coating. From the fact that the walls in question stand wide apart from one another, and the difficulty of spanning the spaces parting them, it has been vaguely inferred that they belonged to stables. But, as we have shown at Thera, and shall presently show at Tiryns and Mycenae, where examples also exist, the ceiling could be supported by wooden pillars. Then, too, we have evidences that the downward thrust put upon these walls was lightened by transverse ones ; for constructive reasons two only have left traces on the ground ; this is well seen on plan (Fig. 38). Again, had their purpose been the sheltering of cattle, is it likely that we should find here stones artistically arranged and the walls* surface smoothed over with a clay coating? Apart from these considerations are others, which are strongly opposed to the hypothesis under discussion. In 1890, Schliemann, at Virchow's request, enlarged the bottom of the main trench to the southward. In the few square metres thus uncovered, they lighted upon jets of walls on the same level as the fortifications with which they are surrounded;