Kourion Complex (Stadium) “Fluted Columns in Cypress” Benson c. 1955Jack L. Benson

More than a century ago some spirally fluted columns : einige spiral förmige cannelirte Säulen aus bläulichem Marmor, were observed among the ruins of the city of Curium, on the southwest coast of Cyprus, near Episkopi, Limassol. Their observer was Ludwig Ross. [margin left: 1 That 19th Century Pennianios 1 AZ III 1845, 102 / 1. Cesnola, writing in 1877 (Cyprus, Its Ancient Cities, Tombs and Temples) speaks of seeing "shafts of columns, either in marble or granite ... lying half buried in the ground" (p. 300) but does not specify spiral columns.] It is not possible to be certain from his statements exactly where the columns lay. They are described as being at the inner end of the city, that is toward the interior of the city. This presumably means at the east end [margin left: ² 2. See plan in PW s.v. Kourion (Oberhummer).], which would be in the general area of the theatre, although Ross does not bring them into connection with the theatre but rather, by implication, with the better residences. Neither does he actually give their size. In attempting to relate the situation described by him to the known situation today, one is therefore reduced to surmises. The present facts as I know them are as follows. At the site itself there are two examples of this type of column. One sizeable fragment of a rather large column is lying in the orchestra of the theatre. [margin left: 3. UMB Vol. XIV No. 4 27 ff. The field notebooks do not give any information about the finding or original whereabouts of the column.] [This may have come to light during the excavation of the theatre by the Curium Expedition of the University Museum, Philadelphia, ³ In any case, Ross's statement is not a priori evidence that he saw this fragment, or the whole column to which it belonged, but it is at least in the general area.] Another fragment of a smaller column lies now [strikethrough: just] south of the about 100 yds [margin left: 4. UMB Vol. VII No. 2 3 ff.] so-called ⁴ heindicated Basilica. This is at a considerable distance west of the area indicated by Ross and furthermore does not fit his description, for it is of gray marble. What then has become of the columns which were at the site some hundred years ago? We should perhaps First of all postulate that from Ross' vague report one need not assume there were actually very many white columns lying about. Perhaps two]