The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1894-09-15
HERA's TEMPLE IN ARGoLIs.
What the American school at Athens Is
Bringing to Light.

Since 1892. when the hope of obtaining Del
phi as the site for its explorations had to be
laid aside, the Ameican Schools at Athens
has been busted in excavating the Argive
'Heraeon,n the great temple of Hera
stJuno). on the mountain side midway be-
tween Argos and Mycenae. one of the most
famous sanctuaries of ancient Greece. In
4s3 B. c., the old temple was burned down and
a new an more splendid structure erected
near the former site. the architect being
Eupolemos of Argos. For it Polykleitus of
Siyon, the great rival of Phidias. made
the famous statue of Hera. OF gold and
ivory, which was kept in the inner shine.
and there is reason to believe that he de-
signed and supervised the sculptural adorn-
ment Of the rest Of the temple. As we have
now no specimen of his work, the impor-
tanoe of the discoveries that are being
made is apparent.
Under the direction of DR.. Chales Waldstein,
the sites of both temples have been laid
bare. Where the older temple stood pave
ment dfty yards long by thirty-eight wide
was found, of large. ire gular slabs of
stone covering the greater part of the ter
race, and supported by Cyelopean retain
ing walls. Under it were many fragments
of rude pottery belonging to a very early
period, bronzes, rudely engraved stones,
glass and bone beads land curious bronze
goat. Many OF the metal objects were part
~ melted, and, with numerous fragments
of charred wood and stone split by the heat,
confirm the story of the fire.
Far more important, however. was the
ex cavatioLo of the later temple. The cir
cult of the entire substructure has been re-
vealed, and from it the architecture of the
building is known, as the superstructure
was demolished during the middle ages. 1t
was Doric temple with twelve columns on
the sides and six at either end. The pro-
portions are l3l feet by 66.7, a lesser ratio
of length to width than in the Parthenon.
The columns were of Poros stone with a
futing of twenty channels. The sculptures
in the metopes and pediments were of
Parian marble, and represented the birth of
Zeus, the battle with the Giants, the ex-
petition against Troy, and the capture of
that city. A number of structures around
the temple were also discovered; some of
remote antiquity may have served as dwell
ings for the priestesses. AT either end Of
the temple are large rectangular edifices
whose roofs were supported by columns.
and portico having a range of at least
nineteen pillars was probably filled with
statues. Outside the sacred precincts is
another portico and tunnel cut into the
live rock, which has been followed for near
ly forty yards.
The works of art brought to light almost
equal in Importance the discoveries of
Schliemann. Terra-cotta idols, plaques.
and images of animals, bronze statuettes,
rings and pins beads. scarabs and seals of
amber glass or porcelain, with many other
objects some belonging to the archaic
period and others to remotest antiquity,
have been found by hundreds. There is
much pottery and great number of ezra
Gotta fgurines, for the most part represent
ing women. The fragments of sculpture be-
longing to the best period of Greek art are
even more interesting and important. They
include the beautiful head of sHera," three
torsos of nude warriors. head with
Phrygian cap, another with helmet, two
lions heads, and the torsos of a draped fe-
male figure. Among the more recent finds
are the beautiful head of young warrior,
the workmanship on which has all the char
acteristics Of the art OF Polykleitus, as de-
scribed to us by the ancients, and a curious
figure wrapped in a sheepski1 chiffon and
a mantle, and holding dove in its left
hand.
Two hundred and fifty workmen, mostly
peasants from the nefghboIing villages, are
employed in the excavations under the
direction of DR.. Waldstein and Prof. Rich
arson, the Director of the American School
of Archaeo logy. assisted by Messrs Nor
ton, Hoppin, Washington. and Alden, stu
dents in the school.