scaling the heights; part 2

There were many such archaeological highlights throughout our tour of Greece. The first was actually the Acropolis in Athens, where the Parthenon stands proudly atop the highest hill in the city, and is visible from almost anywhere in Athens. Our hotel was within easy walking distance, so we made several visits to the area, awe-struck every time. Our guided tour took us through the partially reconstructed Parthenon, (a project still in progress, meaning the building was obscured by scaffolding) and around the remainder of the site. The views of Athens were stunning from the top, although none of the hills in Athens are particularly lofty. I had a lot of fun taking photographs of the ruins, looking for light/dark contrasts etc. Athens is a city of contrasts; the majority of the city is modern, with incredibly ancient relics scattered throughout. Building the Metro system took years longer than it should because of constant archaeological finds.

Another highlight was the ancient city of Delphi; the ancient ruin was perched atop a steep hillside, surrounded by hills and valleys. The setting was lovely & one could easily see what prompted the ancients to build there. The original city had been destroyed in an earthquake, so new Delphi was rebuilt a mile or so away on another hillside; also set in a very scenic position, with distant sea views.

Some archaeological sites are reconstructed (to a greater or lesser degree) and some are not. Delphi was only moderately reconstructed; just enough to give an idea of how it once was. Olympia, on the other hand, was left as little more than a pile of rocks. Of all the Greek sites we visited, the Parthenon was the most reconstructed, and in some ways, (for me) the most beautiful. I can see the point of those who argue an archaeological site should be left as it is found; but I enjoyed the (partially) reconstructed ones more, since it gives the visitor a chance to dwell more on how it once was rather than on the destruction (sometimes wanton) the site and its people have endured. On the other hand, I do think it’s important to keep the balance between the past and the present, so too much reconstruction would be a great mistake. No-one wants to see the Parthenon looking like Disneyland…nor would we want to forget the wanton destruction and devastating effects of war and religious intolerance (the major causes of damage to sites…). I like to see such destruction reversed, to some small degree. (On the other hand, I hated the re-touched Sistine chapel ceiling… it looked more like a cartoon than an ancient artwork…).

In a few instances, sites were in exceptionally well preserved states…like the theatre of Epidaurus, built thousands of years ago, and still fully functional as a theatre seating 14,000 people; with regular performances held annually. The acoustics of this open-air theatre was absolutely astonishing! I was standing at the bottom, near the stage, my husband at the top of the seats; while a lady stood on the stage and sang in a normal voice perfectly audible to everyone. We could hear people speak from anywhere in the auditorium… patrons of the arts there must need to be as silent as mice, so as not to disrupt performances.

Another astonishingly well preserved site is the burial crypt at Mycenae. This enormous igloo-like construction was built of individually hewn stones, around 4000 years ago, and is still perfectly sound and dry inside. The internal ceiling height rises to approximately 5 stories high and is shaped like an enormous dome. It lies under a hillside that was constructed over the building after it was built, so the manpower required must have been incredible. We entered the crypt through a tunnel supported by massive hewn stones wedged into place by their shape, and still secure thousands of years later. Can anyone imagine a modern structure lasting that long?

The rest of Mycenae was impressive too; the arched entry to the city (called the Lion Gate due to the stone carved lion figure positioned above the entry) was still mostly intact despite being exposed to the elements for 4000 years… I was impressed with the level of comfort and sophistication these ancient peoples enjoyed. Art and decoration held a more important place in those times; perhaps that’s why I find it so fascinating. Most of the ancient cites had several venues for theatre, sport arenas, bath-houses, laundries, hotels and of course brothels. Places of worship and philosophy were also very important to ancient societies, and artisans of every sort found permanent employment beautifying public buildings, as well as their streets & homes. Most of the artefacts are now housed in museums near the sites, and give the visitor a bit of an insight to how beautiful these ancient cities were.

Of all the sites we visited, Ephesus (in Turkey) was the easiest to imagine how marvellously beautiful it must have been. Many of the buildings have been partially reconstructed, allowing the passing visitor to imagine the statues that adorned each plinth, (lining both sides of a mile-long road…) the water lilies that floated in the pools; the fountains splashing in the hot sun, people dressed in colourful robes; horses and riders travelling the wide marble roadways… I could almost hear their voices.