Elena C. Partida. The Treasuries at Delphi: an Architectural Study.

Elena C. Partida. The Treasuries at Delphi: an Architectural Study. 408 pages, 57 figures, 46 colour photographs. 2000. Jonsered: PaulAstrom 91-7081-169-5 (ISSN ISSNabbr.International Standard Serial Number 0283-8494) paperback Kr400. Treasuries is a topic in the field of religious architecture whichhas so far not attracted substantial scholarly interest in its ownright. Partida presents a detailed architectural history This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject.Please help recruit one or [ improve this article] yourself. See the talk page for details. of buildingsused as treasuries in Delphi on a solid basis of archaeological andtextual evidence. Extensive research has been carried out on the site,both of architectural remains and artefacts, and this is well combinedwith information obtained through contacts with excavators. A range ofGreek site reports and relevant bibliography is made available alongwith an update on international scholarship on the topic. The discussions of the treasuries are detailed and offer freshappreciations of the buildings. A range of issues are addressed, such asthe architectural and artistic form of the buildings, their historicaltradition, the artists involved, their date and phases of construction,rebuilding or refurbishment, as well as their relative position withinthe sanctuary and relationship to other buildings. Interwoven in��ter��weave?v. in��ter��wove , in��ter��wo��ven , inter��weav��ing, inter��weavesv.tr.1. To weave together.2. To blend together; intermix.v.intr. in thesediscussions is the `history' of every piece in modern scholarship,which is often followed by Partida's critique challenging existingarguments, as for example in the cases of the Siphnian treasury The Siphnian Treasury was a dedicated building to the Greek polis, or city-state, of Delphi while the Oracle was still popular and in use. Such a dedication was common among city-states in order to win the favor of Apollo. and theAthenian treasury. Moreover, and this is emphasized as the ultimatetarget of Partida's study, a variety of architectural types aredefined as treasuries based on their use and context in the sanctuary.These could take the shape of a propylon prop��y��lon?n. pl. prop��y��laSee propylaeum.[Greek propulon : pro-, before; see pro-2 + pul , monopteros and tholos tho��los?n. pl. tho��loiA beehive-shaped stone tomb of Mycenaean Greece, roofed by corbeling and usually built into the side of a hill.[Greek, round building with a conical roof.] ,hestiatorion, alongside the traditional naiskos type of building as itis known to us from the Siphnian or Athenian treasuries. New terms areinvented for some treasuries, notably in the case of the so-called`ethnic' treasuries. Perhaps less impressive is the way Partida structures her book.Little seems to have been re-shaped from her thesis, which sometimesmakes it hard to follow, especially when it comes to integrating theparts into the whole picture. The sequence of presentation is explainedon pp. 32-4. Here, after a brief consideration of different structuresof discussion (such as following ancient itineraries or concentrating onchronological development of the buildings), Partida opts for an orderimitating `the tour of the modern lazy visitor' at the site as themost suitable for the grouping of the treasuries. Yet the division ofthe treasuries into six groups does not prove too effective for definingthe material partly because consistent criteria are not always used.Although location governs the grouping of treasuries in sections D to F,different principles for division are used elsewhere. For instance, thedegree of preservation of the Siphnian, Athenian and Sikyoniantreasuries suffices to place them separately in section A while theconverted or refurbished condition of other treasuries, combined withtheir place in the north-northwest sector of the Apolloneion, groupsthem together in section B. Further complexities arise from the numeroussubdivisions, first of each section into chapters, and then of thechapters into sub-headings. Although the intention appears to be thebetter articulation of the whole, such an organization does not quiteachieve this effect. Some explanation would have been needed for thespecific codes used (i.e. a number preceded by an asterisk) to indicatethe individual treasuries. The brief note forming part of the caption offigure 5 cites the source of this numbering as the Atlas de Delphes, butthis is clearly inadequate. Furthermore--and this is a point that Partida alsoacknowledges--the lack of accents and breathings in the extensivecitations of ancient Greek passages and modern Greek literature Modern Greek literature refers to literature written in the Greek language from the 11th century, with texts written in a language that is more familiar to the ears of Greeks today than is the language of the early Byzantine literature, the compilers of the New Testament, or, of isdisturbing. There is no unified section of bibliographical referencesbut these are split between the chapters with a comprehensive list givenin the footnotes, as Partida explains, in order to economize e��con��o��mize?v. e��con��o��mized, e��con��o��miz��ing, e��con��o��miz��esv.intr.1. To practice economy, as by avoiding waste or reducing expenditures.2. on spaceand to avoid duplication. Finally, the lack of indexes of any sort formyet another not so user-friendly aspect of this book. Perhaps the pressshould also carry some responsibility for these inadequacies and otherstoo, which concern issues of format (for example, book title interruptedby blank line on p. 322) and presentation of the book (notably thebinding).EVA PARISINOUSchool of Archaeology & Ancient HistoryUniversity of Leicesterep32@leicester.ac.uk