200 THESEUM, ERECHTHEUM, AND OTHER WORKS. sm^^^^^mma w^^^^mmmm Fig. 204. — Mycense, Fragments. however, I think a former more extravagant restoration by Perrot and Chipiez is to be preferred. This is the suggested fining of the triangular opening above the doorway. Perrot and Chipiez place here certain slabs of dark red marble (sometimes mistakenly called porphyry), which are decorated by bands of spiral orna- ments, some of which have sunk eyes, in which studs of coloured glass must have been set. Mr Spiers, on the other hand, takes these slabs to case the adjoining pieces of wall, the slanting edges of which framed the opening. It is clear that the slabs did occupy one or other position, for they have joints which rake at the required angle. (Fig. 205.) Portions of the slabs covered with spiral ornaments have been drawn several times, but often so inaccurately that it is not possible to say how many separate stones have been found at different times. Perrot gives i, 2, and 3, all of which have slant- ing ends, and of which i forms, in- deed, the apex of a triangle. (Fig. 204.) He also gives another long piece, without slanting ends, as from the British Museum, but this is a mistake. The British Museum piece has one slanting end and a broken end, and it is a question whether Perrot's 3 is not a restoration of this. In the " Expedition a la Morde " a piece with a slant end is given much shorter in proportion than the British Museum fragment, and one might suppose it to be different were it not that a plainer piece with one row of spirals and some circles is figured, and this seems to be the same as a stone illustration by Dodwell, and now in the British Museum. There are only three pieces, then, with slant ends of which Fig. 205.— Mycenae, Apex of opening above Door of Tomb.
