Page:History of Art in Primitive Greece - Mycenian Art Vol 1.djvu/283

 26o Primitive Greeck : Mycenian Art. of what used to be called in feudal times the ** Hall." When pirates appeared on the coast, or an enemy held the plain, whose numerical strength counselled prudence rather than a bold front, the villagers, putting hastily together their few valuables, drove their herds before them, and took refuge behind the stout ramparts, huddled there somewhat too closely for comfort, but at any rate safe. As soon as the danger was over they returned to their fields, and in no time the mud huts and shanties which the invader had burnt down to revenge himself for his bootless expedition were set up again. The plough, which for centuries has been driven through tlie fertile soil, has destroyed what little remained of these dwellings ; but wherever Schliemann's shafts have been sunk deep enough, they have never failed to bring out fragments of prehistoric pottery, either painted or plain, and knives and arrow-heads of obsidian.^ All these relics came from the open village girding, like a living belt, the royal borough, and doubtless extending close up to the sea, so as to be near the coast-market, where the alien trader temptingly spread out his wares before the simple inland folk, who had brought with them whatever they could spare from their year's produce, grains, skins, and the like. The boat of the Semite, meanwhile, was moored in the creek some two kilometres south-west of Tiryns, near to the Haghios Pandeelemon chapel, where a jetty built of stone blocks, apparently much worn, would seem to point to remote antiquity.^ Having indicated the presence and noticed the character of the populous centre implied by so imposing a citadel as that of Tiryns, we next come to the area and the wall enclosing it (Fig. 70).^ The massive rampart has been described by Dodwell, Leake, Blouet, and quite recently by Steffen ; * MM. Schliemann and Dorpfeld, however, in clearing it almost along the whole circuit in 1885, discovered many instructive details which had escaped » Tiryns. 2 /^/^. ^ Dorpfeld's plan, given under Fig. 70, was taken in the first year of the ex- cavations, 1884. This we have corrected and completed from the finds of 1885. ^ In the text by StefTen will be found interesting details bearing on the circuit of Tiryns, which he compares with the fortification wall of Mycenae, pointing out resemblances and differences between the two, whether in the mode of building, position of the gates, towers, etc. Steffen's plans were made in 1881-82, that is to say, before the excavations of 1884-85, carried on here by Schliemann and Dorpfeld.