THEATRE. 



115 



but the proscenium is a heap of rubbish over- 

 grown with bushes, and does not appear to 

 have been a very ornamental or solidly built 

 structure. The hill may have been excavated a 

 little, for the support of the back part of the 

 theatre, but the ends of the cavea are projections 

 of solid masonry. It is of the Greek form, and 

 measures one hundred and sixty-five feet in 

 diameter. There are twenty-four seats, tweJve 

 above the diazoma, and ten visible below it, 

 which appeared to be the full number. Between 

 the theatre and the edge of the precipice over- 

 looking the valley of Yarvoo, is a platform 

 which seems to have been connected with it 

 as a place of exhibition on public entertain- 

 ments; it is partly, or rather its level is, sup- 

 ported by a terrace on the west. A road led 

 to it from the city, along the edge of the pre- 

 cipice, at the head of the little ravine, the way- 

 side being lined with rows and groups of sar- 

 cophagi. Many of these are still standing, and 

 bear the Lycian shield and lion's head as orna- 

 ments, but appear to be only imitations of the 

 earlier sepulchral monuments on which such 

 ornaments are found. A little to the westward 

 of the theatre is another group of sarcophagi 



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