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ANCIENT THEATRES - ANCIENT THEATRES' IDENTITY
THEATRE OF
APTERA
Information
|
Description
of the
Monument
|
Photo
Gallery
|
Scientific
Report
 |
The Theatre of Aptera is located at the Paliokastro site, in
Chania Municipality, Chania Prefecture. It was built in two
phases: during the Hellenistic period and in the 1st
c. AD. The monument has been partially revealed, while
excavation and conservation work is in progress. |
|
|
|
Description of the monument
The Theatre of
Aptera is located at the Paliokastro site, in Suda Municipality, Chania
Prefecture.
It was built in two phases: the first is dated to Hellenistic times and the second to the 1st c. AD. Modifications undertaken after the completion of the monument are visible in parts of the stage building.
The monument has the characteristic layout of Hellenistic theatres: cavea, orchestra and stage building. It is built of the local limestone, which has been used for the monuments of the city in general.
The systematic excavation of the monument began in July 2008 and is currently in progress. To date, the visible features of the first building phase are the lines of the Hellenistic parodoi and the rainwater drainage ducts. The retaining wall of the stage and part of the cavea has been located, built in the fortification style of large stone blocks, similar to those of the Hellenistic fortifications.
The drawing of the cavea was realised with the aid of a centrepoint in the orchestra. Six radiating staircases divided it into five cunei. There appear to have been 13 rows of seats, although it is obvious that the upper rows have not been preserved due to modern interventions designed to level the area for agricultural cultivation.
The modern form of the stage, the proscenium and the postscenium belong to the second building phase, with some later modifications to parts of the stage. At the lowest row of seats is preserved the Roman rainwater drainage duct with some of the cover slabs in situ.
The cavea of the theatre has been severely damaged because a limekiln operated in its centre, in which a large number of seats was calcined. In the west parodos, however, the destruction layer of 365 AD is preserved intact and rich in building material, which can be restored.
The east parodos has not yet been excavated. Of the stage building, the east parascenium has not yet been revealed, but its state of preservation, especially that of the proscenium, is quite good.
Work on the Theatre of Aptera is ongoing, while studies are being prepared on the preservation of the plaster and the architectural members damaged by the operation of the limekiln. A file is also being prepared regarding separate rescue restoration works.
The archaeological site is open to the public and the theatre already attracts large numbers of visitors.
Vanna Niniou
- Kindeli
Archaeologist
Photo
gallery
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View of the theatre Aptera |
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View of the theatre Aptera |
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View of the theatre Aptera |
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View of the theatre Aptera |
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View of the theatre Aptera |
Scientific
Report
| Monument Name |
Theatre
of
Aptera |
| Category |
Theatre |
| Brief Description |
The
Theatre
of
Aptera
is
located
at
the
Paliokastro
site,
in
Suda
Municipality,
Chania
Prefecture.
It
was
built
in
two
phases:
the
first
is
dated
to
Hellenistic
times
and
the
second
to
the
1st
c.
AD.
Modifications
undertaken
after
the
completion
of
the
monument
are
visible
in
parts
of
the
stage
building.
The
monument
has
the
characteristic
layout
of
Hellenistic
theatres:
cavea,
orchestra
and
stage
building.
It
is
built
of
the
local
limestone,
which
has
been
used
for
the
monuments
of
the
city
in
general. |
| Images - Plans |
There
is
full
photographic
documentation
of
the
section
which
has
been
revealed,
drawings
of
parts
of
the
orchestra,
the
stage
building,
the
west
parodos
and
part
of
the
east
parodos,
and
¾ of
the
cavea.
These
have
been
deposited
in
the
archives
of
the
25th
Ephorate
of
Prehistoric
and
Classical
Antiquities.
Work
is
in
progress,
undertaken
by
the
25th
Ephorate
of
Prehistoric
and
Classical
Antiquities
with
funding
from
the
3rd
Community
Support
Fund-Regional
Operational
Programme
of
Crete.
The
Ministry
of
Culture-Archaeological
Receipts
and
Expropriations
Fund
is
also
in
the
process
of
expropriating
the
adjacent
field,
into
which
the
east
part
of
the
monument
extends. |
| Documentation - Bibliography |
Only
references,
the
main
one
being:
Ηeinrich
Drerup,
“Palaeokastro
–
Aptara,
Bericht
über
eine
Untersuchung
und
Vermessung
des
Standgebietes”
in:
F.
Matz,
Forschungen
auf
Kreta
1942,
Berlin
1951,
pp.
93-94. |
| Location |
Paliokastro
site,
Megala
Chorafia
area,
Chania
Municipality,
Chania
Prefecture. |
| Dating |
The
monument
was
built
in
two
phases,
the
first
in
the
Hellenistic
period
and
the
second
in
the
1st
c.
AD.
Later
modifications
are
apparent
in
parts
of
the
stage
building. |
|
General Description of Monument
|
The
monument
is
built
of
the
local
limestone,
which
has
been
used
for
the
monuments
of
the
city
in
general.
It
has
the
characteristic
layout
of
Hellenistic
theatres:
cavea,
orchestra
and
stage
building.
To
date,
the
visible
features
of
the
first
building
phase
are
the
lines
of
the
Hellenistic
parodoi
and
the
drainage
ducts,
while
the
retaining
wall
of
the
stage
and
part
of
the
cavea
has
been
located,
built
in
the
fortification
style
of
large
stone
blocks,
similar
to
those
of
the
Hellenistic
fortifications.
The
drawing
of
the
cavea
was
realised
with
the
aid
of a
centrepoint
in
the
orchestra.
Six
radiating
staircases
divided
it
into
five
cunei.
There
appear
to
have
been
13
rows
of
seats,
although
it
is
obvious
that
the
upper
rows
have
not
been
preserved
due
to
modern
interventions
designed
to
level
the
area
for
agricultural
cultivation.
The
modern
form
of
the
stage,
the
proscenium
and
the
postscenium
belong
to
the
second
phase,
with
some
later
modifications
to
parts
of
the
stage.
At
the
lowest
row
of
seats
is
preserved
the
Roman
rainwater
drainage
duct
with
some
of
the
cover
slabs
in
situ. |
| Current Situation |
The theatre of ancient Aptera is built on a natural slope, facing south with an uninterrupted view of the White Mountains. It is situated near the south wall of the city, close to its southeast entrance. The form of the theatre today dates from the Roman phase, although traces of the earlier, Hellenistic phase can be seen. Forty-three seats were revealed in situ, mainly in the central part of the cavea around the later limekiln. Part of the central staircase is preserved, with steps carved into the seats. The seats are set into stepped masonry of undressed stones, each level of which is coated in a thin layer of plaster for setting the seats into. The 13 lowest foundation bases have come to light, although it is clear that the upper ones have been destroyed by later interventions to level the area for cultivation. Below the first row of seats is a step 39 cm high intended as a footrest, consisting mainly of architectural members in second use. Below the footrest was a wide passageway formed of two rows of trapezoid slabs, with cambered edges converging on the centre of the orchestra, many of which are preserved in situ. The first row on the cavea side also function as the covering slabs for a built semicircular duct 52 cm deep and 61 cm wide. The floor of the orchestra is made of beaten earth. At its centre was discovered the stone foundation of a circular altar. The orchestra and cavea were laid out on a single centre. The radius of the orchestra is 5.45 m to the stone passageway and 7.25 m as far as the footrest. The retaining walls of the cavea did not withstand the great pressure of the earth and collapsed, as is the case with most ancient theatres, probably in the great earthquake of 365 AD which levelled the ancient city. Their architectural members fell in successive courses, from top to bottom, so that what were originally the upper members now lie under the lower ones. The walls of the parodoi extend approximately 20 m east and west respectively, where there are strong corners, symmetrical to the axis of the theatre. This forms a cavea 54.68 m in diameter, corresponding to 26 rows of seats. However, the east perimeter wall is not laid out in a circle on the centre of the theatre but extends north, enlarging the central part of the theatre. Five metres south of the centre of the theatre is the façade of the proscenium, with a total length of 20.50 m. The proscenium wall was clad with rectangular limestone slabs set upright on a wall base (toichobate). The wall was crowned with a wavy cornice. The height of the proscenium from the floor was 1.66 m. There are three niches in the façade of the proscenium: a semicircular one in the centre, on the axis of the theatre, and two rectangular ones below. Narrow monolithic staircases leading to the wooden floor of the stage (pulpitum) were set at each end of the wall next to the parascenia. The front of the stage (scenae frons) has three large niches corresponding to three entrances. The central niche has curved narrow sides while the two below are rectangular. Good-quality architectural members from the decoration of the scenae frons were found fallen north of the wall. Cornices, lintels and bases were discovered, probably from the columns forming the façade. East and west of the proscenium are the parascenia, while south of the stage wall rises the strong external south wall of the stage. The older Hellenistic theatre underwent radical modification during the Roman period in order to adapt it to the new audience needs. The seats were removed, a new built base was constructed and the seats were replaced. The old Hellenistic stage was replaced by the more imposing Roman one and its architectural members reused. Elements of the Hellenistic building phase preserved in situ include the two sections of duct whose extensions converge, north of the proscenium, forming the extension of the earlier perimetric duct of the orchestra; the 7-metre-long mud wall south of the proscenium, which probably formed the inner wall of the Hellenistic stage; and the strong retaining wall uncovered south of the north wall of the stage, which is probably the outer wall of the Hellenistic stage. Roughly in the centre of the surviving cavea is a limekiln. It is circular and built of rough stones held together with mud, and incorporates architectural members of the theatre, one of which is inscribed and dated to the Hellenistic period. The limekiln was presumably the main cause of the destruction of the ancient theatre, as the limestone seats were used as raw material for lime production. |
| Excavations - Interventions |
Work undertaken in the framework of the Regional Operational Programme of Crete (July 2008 to June 2009). Work began in July 2008 based on the study approved by the Central Archaeological Council, with funding from the ROP of Crete. The work was completed in the greater part of the theatre, in the expropriated field, up to the end of 2008, and continued in 2009 in the east section of the cavea, stage and proscenium, on the neighbouring property which is in the process of expropriation. The work included: - Removal of the rubble covering the cavea and the orchestra, the result of many years’ operation of the limekiln and use of the neighbouring olive grove. - Collection, identification, photographing, drawing and recording of the 450 scattered archaeological members. - Excavation of the larger part of the theatre (apart from a small part of the cavea in the field to be expropriated). - Conservation, photographing and entry of finds in a database. - Topographical mapping of the field and theatre, and addition of this to the wider mapping of the Aptera archaeological site. - Detailed drawing of the monument at a scale of 1:20 in plan, section and elevation. - Covering of the fragile built foundation of the seats with a protective coating of pure crushed stone, geotextile fabric and a final, visible layer of sterile soil. - Construction of a walkway of crushed stone and rough stones, leading from the site guard’s office to the theatre. - Tidying up the area and replacement of the old fencing. - Drawing up a study for the conservation of the damaged stone members, the plasters and the fragile walls, by conservators A. Galanou and G. Dogani in collaboration with Professors Ν. Kallithrakas-Kontos and P. Maravelaki of the Technical University of Crete. Rescue work is vital for parts of the theatre which are close to collapse: - Conservation of the burnt stone seats. These are 11 seats which have been damaged by fire, cracked and broken, and are temporarily held together with metal scaffolding to prevent collapse. - Conservation of the walls of the proscenium and parascenia. These must be pointed and coated immediately with a sacrifice layer where possible. - Conservation of the plasters of the stage. The study for the restoration of the ancient theatre is already underway and will be completed by February 2010. |
| Permitted Uses |
Archaeological
site
visit. |
|
History of Modern Uses |
The
monument
already
attracts
large
numbers
of
visitors. |
| Further Information |
The
monument
belongs
to
the
jurisdiction
of
the
Ministry
of
Culture/25th
Ephorate
of
Prehistoric
and
Classical
Antiquities.
Entrance
is
free
of
charge. |
| Intellectual Rights |
- |
| Jurisdiction |
Ministry
of
Culture/25th
Ephorate
of
Prehistoric
and
Classical
Antiquities. |
|
Latitude |
- |
| Longitude |
- |
| Altitude |
0 |
|
Google
earth
link |
