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 (14758645256)

Identifier: pompeibuildings00dyer (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: 1867 (1860s)
Authors: Dyer, Thomas Henry, 1804-1888
Subjects:
Publisher: London : Bell & Daldy
Contributing Library: Getty Research Institute
Digitizing Sponsor: Sloan Foundation



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 GelPs Argolis. ■f Mazois. 64 POUPEII.
Text Appearing After Image:
POSITION OF POMPEII. 65 does not remain. The smaller openings on each side for footpassengers were four feet six inches wide, and ten feet high ;in size, therefore, it scarcely equals Temple Bar. The roadrises considerably into the city. On the left, before enteringthe gate, is a pedestal, which ajipears 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 Sara us, the Gate of Nuceria,and the Gate of Stabile, or the Theatres. From this point,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 o