Page:History of Art in Primitive Greece - Mycenian Art Vol 2.djvu/67

46 Primitive Grefxe : Mycenian Art. knew how to impart upon the royal tomb, when admirably served by ample resources, in the shape of trained artisans or materials of rare excellence, for carrying out his plans. Description and Restoration of Tomb I. As the traveller trends his way along the path winding up the eastern slope of the hill where is situated the so-called Treasury of Atreus, he is made aware of its importance by several signs. As if to prepare him for what is to follow, there is first a large level space in front of it (PI. III.), twenty- seven metres at the side, made up of earth taken from the dromos,^ which is supported by a wall still about two metres high, overlooking the deep ravine of the Chavos (Fig. 88, I.). Here and there the facing blocks, with imperfect joint, are preserved up to four or five courses ; but the core, composed of rubble piled up anyhow, has given way and glided down into the ravine. Beyond the dromos the hill becomes very steep. The entrance passage was blocked up by a transverse wall, of which some stones are still in place. From this point the dromos rises to a gentle incline up to the tomb's entrance, a distance of thirty-five metres, between two parallel walls, six metres apart, which follow the natural slope of the hill. A concrete floor has been laid down in the alley. This is a sure sign of the special care which was bestowed on every part of the building, be it in the walls of the dromos, whose masonry ^ In writing this chapter, we have made substantial borrowings from the oft- cited account of F. Thiersch, published in At/ienische Mittheilungen^ 1879, under the title. Die Tholos des Atreus zu Myken(P. His description is the only one which has been given of the building since the researches carried on there by Stamakis, who cleared the monument. His narrative contains many details on the style of building beheld here, such as an architect alone would be able to furnish. As remarked in a former note, it is regrettable that the author should have con- fined his investigations to the fa9ade, and not extended them to the interior of the cupola, so as to examine the upper courses from a scaffolding. At the height where they occur, the eye from below cannot make out the details, even with the help of a fire lighted on the floor of the chamber. The light of the flame is lost ere reaching the summit,