Page:History of Art in Primitive Greece - Mycenian Art Vol 1.djvu/446

 The DoMED-ToMii At Orchomenos. 419 Goulas; a narrow path connects it with the mainland.^ The aspect of this enclosure recalls that of the Tirynthian and Mycenian walls. The size of the blocks and the thickness of the walls, which some- times reaches to six and seven metres, are identical. There are no flanking towers ; but as the wall follows the irregular outline of the rock, it presents many saliences which add to the strength of the defence. Two gates, seven metres broad, occur, one on the north and the other on the south face. The wall at the northern gate juts out, as at the Lions Gate, to enable the defenders posted on the rampart to protect more effectually the approaches to the castle's entrance. On the summit of the islet appear the sub- structures of a spacious building, in length some eighty paces by fifteen.^ Are not these the remains of the chiefs habitation, and would not systematic excavations bring to light an edifice with a ground-plan akin to the palaces of Tiryns and Mycenae ? The question has been asked whether we have not here the first site of Orchomenos. Strabo has a tradition, according to which the Orchomenians were at first domiciled on the banks of Lake Copais ; but its waters having invaded the land, the inhabitants were obliged to take refuge on the neighbouring heights.^ The assumption is not a very probable one, for the whole breadth of the lake intervenes between Orchomenos and Goulas ; the position of the former and the character of its buildings are precisely of the nature that one generally connects with the heroic ^ The rock in question appears under the name of ** Island of Gla " in the French regulation map. Last year (1893) M. de Ridder, a member of the French School at Athens, made some excavations in the north of the island, in the course of which a huge building was exhumed. It consists of two wings, joined at right angles. The first block is directed from east to west, with a slight bend southward ; it overtops the fortification wall, at that point two metres thick only ; but elsewhere it reaches five metres fifty centimetres. The second division runs, with an eastward curve, in a southerly direction. The length of each block is about sixty metres by ten ; and each terminates, west and south respectively, in a tower of immense girth but of no great elevation. The inner details, long passages, vestibules, and halls, thresholds composed of huge moulded slabs, bronze hinges, concrete pavement made of pebbles and lime, down to the construction and height of the existing walls, which preserve unequivocal traces of fire, recall the similar arrangements of the Tirynthian palace. Connecting the palace with the gateway pierced in the south wall were broad causeways. Numerous fragments of coarse pottery prove that the island was long inhabited. A full description of the building in question has appeared in Bulletin de correspondance helUnique, - Collection des Guides-Joanne, Grhe continentale et ties, ^ Strabo.