PEI,ASGIAN, or CveLi WEAN ARCHITECTURE. These titles are applied indiscriminately to a class of ancient build ings, to be flmnd in various parts of Greece, which consist principally of walls and flirtifications, such as the walls surrounding their acropoles. They are of colossal dimen sions, and composed of immense stones, fir rather masses of rock, front which circumstance they have obtained the title of Cyclopean, as also because structures of a similar descrip tion have been attributed to the labours of the Cyclopes by many of the Greek historians. The erections it is certain are of very early date, and are in all probability of Pelasgie origin, though whether the Pclasgi and Cyclopes are of the same race or not, it would be difficult if not impossible to decide. The Pelasgi, it is well known, were settled in Greece at a very early period, and were spread o‘er the greater part of the country, until the arrival of the Ilellenes: it is also very probable that they had emigrated originally from Asia across the Hellespont, and round the northern shores 4 the iEgean sea. It is true that this is somewhat opposed to the Greek traditions, which make the Peloponnesus the original seat of the Pelasgi ; but this is probably but a national boast, and may be classed in the same category as the Athenian claim to the title of avrotcOevcc. This matter, however, as well as the whole of the early history of Greece, is involved in great obscurity, and has been the subject of much learned controversy, into which it is not our intention to enter in this place, nor is it at all requisite to the due consideration of the matter before us. There is also a striking similarity in the construction of these edifices, and of those deseribed under CELTIC ARCHITECTURE; but here again it is next to impossible to tell what connection existed between the builders of Stonehenge and those of Argos or Myeente, although this circumstance, as well as others, would lead us to suppose that they had a common origin. The investiga that of such subjects are interesting, hut are attended with great uncertainty. We shall hereafter ha% e occasion to
call attention to a particular instance of the similarity exist ing between buildings of the two classes, which is very remarkable ; one of the structures existing in Ireland, the other at M cenze.
The Pelasgian buildings are remarkable chiefly, as we have ben ire stated, fitr the rudeness of their construction, and the cm nations dimensions of the stones of which they are com posed ; indeed, they are little better than piles of rock heaped together, and sustained in their places by their own gravity, the assistance of any cementitions preparation. Mr. I lamilton divides the existing remains four classes, the earliest and most rude being that in which vast masses of rock were piled tine 'upon the other in the same state as they came to hand, without any squaring or other adaptation for the position they were to occupy. In such masonry, there must have been, of course, apertures of considerable size left the separate masses, and these were filled up with smaller stones, so as to render the work solid and compact. Of the larger stones, some of the masses are tif such vast dimensions, as to contain as much as 216 cubic feet. Of this description are the walls of Tiryns and .Myeente, although the latter are probably of more recent date than the firmer, the sides of the stones being somewhat adapted to each other.
In the second inctlaal, the stones are somewhat smaller, and are of irregular size and tigtire, the different vary ing from each other in both respects; but the surfaces of each are adapted to the others with great nicety. It would seem as it' the stones, when taken from the quarry, were worked according to the shape in it hieh they happened to be detached from their beds, by reducing the sides to an even surfitee, but still preser% ing the general fimo or the mass. These polygonal stones were generally of seven or eight sides. but sometimes of as wally as thirteen ; they form a will of considerable stability and strength.