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Travel Ephesus |
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Around Ephesus |
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TERRACE HOUSES |
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 Houses
on the slopes behind Ephesus are to be seen opposite
the Temple of Hadrian. Those on the upper slopes are
reached via steps. They are situated on the slopes
of Bülbül Mountain, with the roof of one house
forming the terrace of that above it. They were
inhabited by wealthy Ephesians, and are finely
decorated with mosaics and frescos. Built in the
period of Augustus, they were much altered and
continued to be inhabited until the 7th century AD.,
according to the evidence of excavations. Two of the
insulae houses have been totally restored and are
now open to the public.
 Peristyle
House I: This two-storeyed house covers an area of
900 m2. It is a 12-roomed house entered via a flight
of steps leading down to a hall (A1 ), to the right
of which is another flight of stairs, flanked by a
facet and basin, which leads to the other rooms of
the house. A2 is reached via a passageway. It is the
courtyard, with four doric columns in the corners
and paved in marble. The remains of a fountain can
be seen in the northern corner of the court. Beyond
this are the halls A10-11, which have mosaic floors
and frescos decorating the walls. The house dates
from the 1st century AD, but these two rooms were
added in 400 AD. One of these rooms is flanked bya
staircase leading up to the upper floor of the house,
and beyond that is another chamber decorated with
frescos and with a mosaic floor (B7).East of the
peristyle courtyard is a hall with walls 4 m. in
height. Situated next to the entrance, this room is
decorated with fresco scenes from the plays of
Euripides-namely 'Orestes', to the left and the
comedies of Menander to the right, namely 'Sikyonioi'.
It is known as the theatre room because of these
frescos. The other walls are decorated with figures,
namely the combat of Acheloos, the river god, with
Herakles to the left. The frescos in this room,
which also has a mosaic floor, must date to the 2nd
century AD. The house also possesses a bathroom, to
the south of the entrance hall (A.8), with the
kitchen flanking it (A.12). Next to this are various
small chambers opening onto the flanking street, and
the service entrance. Artefacts found during the
course of excavation are displayed in situ.
Peristyle House II: This is beyond the first house.
It possesses two peristyles and is larger than the
other houses on the insula. First built in the Ist
century AD., it underwent various restorations up to
the 7th century. The main peristyle (B1 ), which
possesses columns dating to the 5th century in the
Corinthian order,flanks to the south, a long gallery
covered from end to end in black and white geometric
mosaics. Opposite this is a second gallery
containing mosaics of Triton and Nereide. Triton
bears in his left hand, the spear of his father
Poseidon, while holding the reigns of the sea horse
bearing Nereide in his right hand. These figures are
placed before the vaulted open niche (B.6). The
latter is paved with black and white marble in a
basketwork pattern. Frescos on the walls include the
heads of Dionysus and Ariadne framed by medallions,
surrounded by trees, peacocks, ducks and cockerels.
These mosaics are dated to the 5th century AD., and
are in extremely good condition. The vaults are
framed to both sides by a fresco frieze depicting
Eros figures bearing a garland. Other rooms of
various sizes to the east of the house are paved
with black and white mosaic patterns and embellished
with frescos of birds and floral patterns. The walls
of two other rooms (B9 and 10) are decorated with
fresco panels of muses, dating to the 4th century.
B11-12 is the dining hall. Niches set into the
southern wall mark the wash-basins. They contain
frescos which were restored in monochrome at a much
later period. The kitchen is on the western corner
of the house, and is decorated with frescos of fish
and birds. The second peristyle (B14) fianks this
hall. |
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Ephesus Yesterday & Today |
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)
)
