For plans and views, see Stuart, 2nd ed., IV. pls. 1-5 (with
Donaldson's restoration). Dodwell, _Pelasgic Remains_, pls. 9, 10.
_Athenische Mittheilungen_, IV., p. 177, pls. 11-13 (Thiersch);
Mitchell, p. 143. Donaldson's restoration is based on an earlier
attempt by Lord Elgin's artists, which is now among the Elgin
drawings in the British Museum.
[Sidenote: =1.=]
Fragment from the 'Treasury of Atreus' at Mycenae. The decoration
consists of three bands of the wave pattern, separated by mouldings.
Two of these bands are in low relief; the third is in high relief,
with a hole bored in the centre of each spiral for the insertion of
glass or metal ornaments. Among the tools employed by the artist, the
chisel, saw, and the tubular drill, were plainly included. From the
fact that the end of the fragment is cut at an acute angle, it is
inferred that this fragment was placed above the doorway of the
building, in contact with a relief of triangular form. It is also
possible that it may have formed part of a triangular slab above the
door. A piece of red marble, similarly decorated, which is now at
Athens, exactly fits the apex of the triangular opening (_Athenische
Mittheilungen_, iv., pl. 13, fig. 1, A.).--_Elgin Coll._
Red marble. Height, 1 foot 4-1/4 inches; width, 3 feet 2-3/4
inches. Stuart, 2nd ed., IV., pl. 4, fig. 10; p. 32; cf. pl. 5;
Dodwell, _Tour_, II., p. 232; Murray, I., p. 38; Wolters, No. 3.
[Sidenote: =2.=]
Fragment from the 'Treasury of Atreus' at Mycenae. The decoration
consists of a band of the wave pattern, and a band of lozenges in low
relief, the bands being separated by mouldings of similar character to
those of No. 1. The saw and chisel were used by the artist.
This slab, according to Donaldson, formed a part of the architrave,
over the entrance to the building. According to Dodwell, it was
'found by the excavators of the Earl of Elgin, near the Treasury of
Atreus.'--_Elgin Coll._
Hard green limestone; height, 1 foot 6 inches; width, 3 feet 6
inches. Stuart, 2nd ed., IV., pl. 4, fig. 9; cf. pl. 5; Dodwell,
_Tour_, II., p. 232; Murray, I., p. 39; Wolters, No. 2.
[Illustration: Fig. 1.--Restored Capital from the 'Treasury of Atreus'
(after Puchstein).]
[Sidenote: =3.=]
Fragment from the 'Treasury of Atreus' at Mycenae. This fragment,
which is decorated with a portion of a wave pattern enclosed by two
mouldings meeting at an acute angle, is a part of one of the columns
that flanked the entrance to the building. These columns were
decorated with an elaborate system of ornament, composed of zigzag
bands of the wave pattern, best understood on reference to drawings of
the complete column (_cf._ fig. 1). The tubular drill has been used as
in No. 1.--_Presented by the Institute of British Architects_, 1843.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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