Page:Mycenaean Troy.djvu/69

 This tower (fig. 21) was situated where the East Wall of the city ended on the north, and was entered by a door (f). In order that the passage might not be diminished when the door swung back, there was a deep niche immediately behind the entrance for the reception of the door-wings. Beyond this are four steps leading to the inside of the tower, where is the gi'eat spring (B b), surrounded by a wall 2 m. thick. At the left of the passageway, in the interior of the tower, are the steps (b a), which are not so well wrought as those within the gateway. These must have furnished communication between the tower and the interior of the citadel. The inhabitants of the city could descend these steps to reach the spring, or else, turning to the right, pass outside the wall, through the gateway. The lower part of the spring is cut out of the solid rock. The upper portion is built of small stones belonging to the VII Stratum, but traces have been found of an earlier and thicker wall of large stones. The rock-hewn portion of the spring is presumably 7.50 m. deep, showing that the spring itself must have lain 10 m. below the VI City. The narrowest portion is 1.25 m. wide, while above and below this there was a slight increase in breadth. On the east and north the outside of the tower wall is in a good state of preservation. Above it, as we have observed, are remains of the earlier superstructure of unburnt brick.

This massive tower projects 8 m. beyond the citadel wall, and is 18 m. broad. Its masonry (fig. 20), so compact and so polished on the outside, makes it seem strange that such a building can be ascribed to Mycenaean times, when we consider the rude