Building the Parthenon
From building accounts (especially for the temples to Asklepios at Epidaurus and in Delos), we know exactly how a temple was built: year 1, foundations for the colonnade; year 2, colonnade and foundations for the cella; year 3, cella; year 4, ceilings over walkway and cella; year 5, roof. And we know how long this process took for a temple of standard dimensions (e.g., Hephaisteion): five years with several more years for miscellaneous furnishings. We can also match this testimony with temples that are unfinished at various stages in the process.
The Parthenon is more complicated because it is much larger and heavily decorated with sculpture. Its building accounts run from 447/6 to 443/2, and their fragments give (or imply) the following information: 447/6, foundations; 446/5, interruption (Euboean campaign?); 445/4-444/3, colonnade; 443/2, Parthenos begun; 441/0, colonnade fluted, ceilings begun; 440/439, ceilings finished, Parthenos gilded, pedimental sculptures begun; 439/8, roof finished; 438/7, dedication; 437/6-433/2, miscellaneous expenses, pedimental sculptures finished.
Using the schema outlined for conventional temples, we can flesh out the Parthenon’s building process (quarrying begins early and continues to 436/5): stage 1 (447/6), supplementing the foundations from the earlier Parthenon; stage 2 (445/4-444/3), erecting the colonnade and placing the metopes; stage 3 (443/2-442/1), cella erected; stage 4 (441/0-440/439), finishing the frieze, building ceilings, beginning the roof; stage 5 (439/8), roof finished.
This tight schedule allows us to see clearly the need for a concentrated organization that allows for the overlapping of quarrying, architectural, and sculptural projects.
Mycenae Invents Itself
Mycenae is the one Aegean site that deliberately marked much of its history with monuments. The two grave circles begin and end the approach to the citadel; the nine tholoi that succeed the two grave circles are arranted in three geographical areas, each with one tholos per major period; the enlarged enceinte of the 13th century brings Grave Circle A within the citadel and links it physically with the Cult Center.
Throughout this development, Mycenae seems to have posed for posterity. The two grave circles present the importance of Mycenae's early ancestors to those who approach the citadel. The last three tholoi had elaborately decorated façades that must have been left visible to passersby. The Atreus façade incorporated gypsum relief plaques probably taken from Knossos at its final destruction. The enlarged enceinte incorporated the earlier Lion relief in its new western gate; and in its south wall there was a huge gap to allow easy access for visitors to the Cult Center from the outside.
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