Pompeii; its history, buildings and antiquities - an account of the destruction of the city, with a full description of the remains, and of the recent excavations and also an itinerary for visitors (14586252838)

Identifier: pompeiiitshist00dyer (find matches)
Title: Pompeii; its history, buildings and antiquities : an account of the destruction of the city, with a full description of the remains, and of the recent excavations and also an itinerary for visitors
Year: 1887 (1880s)
Authors: Dyer, Thomas Henry, 1804-1888
Subjects:
Publisher: London : Bell
Contributing Library: Robarts - University of Toronto
Digitizing Sponsor: University of Toronto



Text Appearing Before Image:
e in its arrangement resembles Temple Bar: thereis a large central and two small side entrances, which, insteadof being open to the sky, like the central road, were vaultedthrough their whole length. The inner gate consisted offolding doors, as the holes in the pavement, in which thepivots turned which served for hinges, evidently show; theouter defence was formed by a portcullis. The archway isconstructed in brick and lava, in alternate layers, and coveredwith a fine white stucco. This, although the principalentrance to the city, is not striking for its beauty, and issmall in its dimensions. The stucco is covered with nearlyillegible inscriptions of ordinances, &c. The centre archwayis in width fourteen feet seven inches, and might, perhaps,have been eighteen or twenty feet in height; but its arch * Except at Tiryns, where the gate is flanked by a solid tower ; it is hardlymore, however, than a projection in the wall. See the Ground Plan in Gellj• Argolis. t Mazois. 64 POMPEII.
Text Appearing After Image:
POSITION OF POMPEII. Qb does not remain. The smaller openings on each side for footpassengers were four feet six inches wdde, and ten feet high ;in size, therefore, it scarcely equals TemjDle Bar. The roadrises considerably into the city. On the left, before enteringthe gate, is a pedestal, which appears to have been placed forthe purpose of sustaining a colossal statue of bronze, somefragments of bronze drapery having been found there. Wemay suppose it to have been the tutelary deity of the city.* Proceeding from the Gate of Herculaneum in an easterlydirection round the walls, the remaining gates occur in thefollowing order: the Gate of Vesuvius, the Gate of Capua,the Gate of Nola, the Gate of the Sarnus, the Gate of Nuceria,and the Gate of Stabias, or the Theatres. From this j)oint,as we have said, the wall can no longer be traced; but thereis, on the western side, an eighth entrance to the city, whichhas been called the Porta della Marina, or Sea Gate. Of these gates, only those of