The Athenian Prytaneion discovered?

Hesperia, Wntr, 2006 by Geoffrey C.R. Schmalz

(76.) As with earlier epistyle blocks (e.g., those from the 2nd-century Metroon in the Classical Agora; Thompson 1937, p. 184, fig. 110), the blocks from the proposed Prytaneion site have an approximately 1:1 ratio between their two courses.

(77.) Keramopoulos 1911, p. 260, fig. 5. The well is numbered as feature [gamma], with the mouth covered by a large wellhead; the cistern, feature [delta], was found to have a mortared mouth and waterproofed earthen sides. The excavations are now briefly reviewed in Lippolis 1995, p. 62, fig. 18.

(78.) This plaque is pictured in Keramopoulos 1911, p. 261, fig. 8. I thank Evelyn Harrison for discussing this evidence with me.

(79.) For this and the Roman re-building, see Allen and Caskey 1911, pp. 34-39. For the original use, which begins in the 5th century B.C. and is well known from the 4th-century Theater of Dionysos, see Thompson 1937, pp. 46-47; for the employment of Hymettian steps in the Hellenistic Metroon, see also Thompson 1937, p. 181, fig. 108.

(80.) Such a reuse is evident in the east stoa of the Asklepieion; Allen and Caskey 1911, pp. 34, 36.

(81.) Keramopoulos 1911, pp. 259-260.

(82.) On such mason's marks, see Martin 1965, pp. 225-231; for their use in cardinal orientation, see esp. p. 230.

(83.) See the reconstruction in Travlos, Athens, p. 171, fig. 221; also Agora XXIV, pl. 2.

(84.) Briefly published in ArchDelt 17, B'1 (1961-1962 [1963]), p. 28, no. 12, as [TEXT NOT REPRODUCIBLE IN ASCII] The surviving height of the walls, excavated for a distance of 3.14 m, was 0.68 m.

(85.) ArchDelt 17, B1 (1961-1962 [1963]), pp. 27-28, no. 11; these remains were excavated under the houses of Hadrian Street 146, 148, and 150.

(86.) The ware from the Archaic deposit (0.5 m in depth) was reported to be uniformly excellent in quality, with depictions of aristocratic equestrian scenes and popular Dionysian motifs of satyrs and maenads; ArchDelt 17, B'1 (1961-1962 [1963]), p. 28.

(87.) The building was found at 15 Lysikrates Street and brie.y published in ArchDelt 34, B1 (1979 [1987]), p. 33, no. 43, with end plan; see also a notice in Catling 1987-1988, p. 7.

(88.) The cemetery is noted in ArchDelt 18, B1 (1963 [1965]), p. 37, no. 17. Four well-built but very narrow graves were found 3 m from the modern sidewalk. A coin hoard dating to the 6th century B.C. was found in one of the graves.

(89.) The cemetery was evidently built over only in the Roman period, while the building at 15 Lysikrates Street was substantially rebuilt in the 2nd century A.D.; see ArchDelt 18, B'1 (1963 [1965]), p. 37, no. 17. Between the latter site and the proposed site of the Prytaneion, an extensive structure was found at 7 Lysikrates Street, ex-tending more than 7 m from the modern sidewalk and built on a deep foundation of red conglomerate; ArchDelt 28, B'1 (1973 [1977]), p. 34, no. 16.

(90.) The evidence for this building is extracted from two related field reports on neighboring excavations, under 6 Galanos Street and under Lysikrates Street just before it intersects Galanos Street; see ArchDelt 34, B1 (1979 [1987]), pp. 32-33; ArchEph 1973, pp. 61-62, fig. 5, wall [zeta]. The two published 2nd-century A.D. walls appear to be sections of the same wall, measuring ca. 20 m long.