The walls of Tiryna, of which we spoke above, were a part of the original fortifications, a branch of engineering in which the Pelasgi attained remarkable proficiency, and they are the best remaining example of the fortification's of the heroic ages.
' The fortifications occupied the summit of a rocky height (the Acropolis) and covered an area of 660 feet by 180. The walla are in places above 20 feet high, but have been higher ; their average thick ness is 25 feet. According to Colonel Lesko "the fortress appears to have consisted of an upper and lower enclosure, of nearly equal dimen sion's, with an intermediate platform, which may have nerved for the defence of the upper castle against an enemy in possession of the lower one." "These niches," sap Colonel Leake, who brought to his examina tion of the fortifications professional as well as archaological knowledge, " were probably intended to nerve for the defence of the galleries ; and the galleries for covered communications to towers or places of arms at the extremity of them. One of these still exists at the south-west angle." These galleries, it will be observed, were formed by making the courses of stones project over each other, the curved form of a pointed arch being given by cutting the inner surface of the projecting atones.
Openings of this form are frequent in doorway", and in Pelasgic remains in Italy, as well as in Greece, though no example of a true arch occurs. We give an illustration from Segni in Latium.
The fortifications at Mycenae are even more remarkable from their extent than those at Tiryns. Their builders, as has been mentioned, were said to be the Cyclopes ; they were destroyed as far RS they could be destroyed by the Argivea, 466 n.c. What remains of them consists of an irregular enclosure above 1000 feet long by nearly 700 broad, and in some placed 20 feet high. As has been said, the walls exhibit an improvement in structure over those of Tiryria; but the fortifications themselves it is scarcely necessary to my present no architectural character. The only ornamental feature is the great gateway, which is
10 feet high, and at the top Si feet wide. It is formed by two great atone uprights or jambe, covered with a lintel 15 feet long, 4 feet wide, and 6 thick. The lintel bears marks of belts and hinges, and on clearing away the ground in 1312, the ruts formed by the chariot wheels were found in the smooth slabs of the pavement, Above the lintel is a block of gray limestone, 10 feet high and 12 wide, upon which, sculptured in low-rellef, is a central column or altar with, on each side, aiion standing on his hind legs and resting his fore-paws on the base; whence it is known as the Gate of the Lions. This is the oldest known example of sculpture in Greece. Pausanius mentions this gateway (a. ii. c. 16) which, he adds, they report was made by the Cyclopes. The lions are carved in a rude bat simple style; and in the frieze or altar borne by the central column are rude circular projec tioua which Mr. Fergusson believes represent " the round ends of the timbers of the roof, as if projecting into the frieze." By the Lerucan Marsh, about half a mile from the road from Argos to Mantinea, and a mile from the Erasinos, are the remains of a pyramid crowning a rocky eminence, which some have supposed to be of Pelasgie construction. It is doubtless of extreme antiquity, but whether PeLassie or not is uncertain : some have seen in it a con necting link with the mythic Egyptian colony of Danaus.
(Lemke, 7'n/refs in the ilorta ; l'ilopossesiaea ; Mere, Tour in Greece ; Sir W. Geld, Arns/is; Pouqueville, Voyage dare la Grke ; l'etit-ltadeh, Recherches jar les ...Ifontanesa.Cydopeens ; Donaldson, A nth (Isla(' of Athens.)