470 ON THE PROGRESS OF SCULPTURE. 



was placed upon a pavement of black marble, 

 surrounded by a raised margin of Parian stone, 

 to confine the oil which was intended to preserve 

 the statue from the injurious effects of the exha- 

 lations which arose from the soil ; for the temple 

 is situated in a country abounding in marshes. 

 On the other hand, he adds, the Acropolis at 

 Athens being considerably elevated above the 

 surrounding country, the air is deficient in mois- 

 ture ; it is, therefore, expedient frequently to 

 sprinkle the floor of the temple with water, in 

 order to preserve the statue of Minerva. At 

 Epidaurus, again, the throne of the statue was 

 placed over a well, as he was informed by the 

 priests, to whom the care of the statue was en- 

 trusted. In spite, however, of these precautions, 

 statues formed of so perishable a material as ivory,- 

 required frequent repair ; and the author I have 

 just quoted, states, that " the statue of Jupiter, 

 at Olympia was restored by Uamophon, who lived 

 within a few years of Phidias. He re-united the 

 separate pieces of which it was composed by 

 cement, after they had warped and left consider- 

 able fissures," 



It was also necessary, from time to time, to 

 remove the stpins on the surface of the ivory, an 



