100 ASIA MINOR. 



The first place where we halted on our route from Sigeum to the 

 Rhoetean promontory, was at the two conical mounds, barrows, or 

 hillocks, called the tumuli of Achilles and Patroclus, which we had 

 anxiously viewed on our voyage to Constantinople, fearing we might 

 not have this opportunity of examining them with leisure. Our guides 

 concurred in calling them ra. ^uo mrr, the two mounds. 



In 1787, M. Choiseul Gouffier, ambassador from France, hired 

 persons to open that which is called Achilles' tomb ; but the work 

 was not carried so deep, as even to the surface of the ground on 

 which the tumulus is raised. The remains of antiquity discovered 

 there, proved to be, as M. Fauval himself assured me, one of those 

 Egyptian idols of bronze so common in the times of the Ptolemies, 

 and found frequently in the vicinity of Alexandria, having the 

 modium or symbol of abundance on its head, and the feet placed on 

 two horses, and a sphinx on each shoulder. 



The excavation appears to have been carried on not more than one 

 third of the perpendicular depth of the tumulus ; the opening is 

 about five or six feet in diameter ; on one side of the excavation and 

 near the top, I observed a squared block of marble in a kind of 

 wall ; this with some difficulty I raised ; and on the side which had 

 been concealed in the earth 1 observed an inscription in Greek 

 letters ; but on examining it, I was disappointed in finding it con- 

 tained only a short epitaph, the letters, according to their form being 

 of no high antiquity. 



EPOKAEA 



ETKIOT 



XAIPE 



Heroclea, or Hieroclea, wife or daughter of Lucius, Farewel. It 

 was brought away, and given to the Earl of Elgin. 



In a field near the base of this tumulus is a slab of white marble, 

 on which are sculptured two wreaths of laurel or olive, but it does 

 not bear any inscription. The spot is a Jewish cemetery. 



