Page:History of Art in Primitive Greece - Mycenian Art Vol 1.djvu/411

 384 Primitivk Grkkck : Myclnian Art. original plan ; instances of undisturbed and very similar graves, which may safely be placed in the archaic period, are plentiful elsewhere. On the other hand, one is a little surprised to find the entrance to the passage barred by a wall three metres thick, which does not reach to the lintel, and leaves a vacuum between it and the upper portion of the wall (Fijj. 131). Was the empty space intentional, and therefore in the original plan, or due to folk wishful to get inside the vault ? We are inclined to think that the wall was made immediately after the first interment ; in that its situation and mode of construction vividly recall the walls found at the entrance to the domed-tombs of Attica, and the rock-cut graves of Nauplia. But if the passage has never been eulioli fliraugli t fl K of plan, a of si|nares from the grave when first discovered ; t t,t closed, as is affirmed by those who have examined the debris of all sorts and different ages found in it, and if the tomb was re-opened several times to let in fresh inmates, why do we find the wall standing? In what way were the dead introduced into the tomb ? Are we to infer that the bodies were lowered through the gap between the lintel and the wall, or a hole pierced In the roof i* Or did they rebuild the wall after each inhumation ? The excavators have thrown out no hints on these points. We next come to the tombs which have been studied by MM. Kastorchis, Kondakis, and Lolling {1878-1880).' They lie a little ' EUTH. Kastorchis, ittpi twc wopa Tijy HavrXiay raiapx"''"' Wfuc CAflfti- aior). EuTH, KaSTORCHIS, J, KoNDAKIS, and D. PHILIOS, Tfpi Tuy iy NdvlrXip itavapy(a(iiH' m^wf Kiii Tiir ovriiSi vnu £rpa'£uit^ ityriiioytvofiii-iiiv <tt.vpt*6»ir. I-OLLiNC, Ausgra&iiHgen am Palamidi (Atheuhche MUlheilungen).