THESAURUS
THESAURUS (
θησαυρός), a
storehouse, treasury. The name is commonly used both in a correct and an
incorrect significance, when applied to surviving buildings; but as the
incorrect meaning is at least as old as Pausanias, it is also included here.
There are (1) the treasuries of various Greek cities dedicated at Olympia
and Delphi, (2) the so-called treasuries at Orchomenus, Mycenae, and
elsewhere.
(1) At Olympia the whole row of treasuries described by Pausanias has been
unearthed. In architectural form they are like small temples of the Doric
order, and so are actually called
ναοὶ by
Polemo (ap.
Ath. 11.489-90). They consist of an oblong chamber with a small prodomus,
usually
in antis; the treasury of the Geloans
has a portico in front, and also internal columns. They were erected at
various periods to contain the costly offerings made by those who dedicated
them; but later seem to have been used to contain other treasures and works
of art requiring protection by a building (
Paus.
6.19). The treasuries of various cities at Delphi were probably of
similar form, and served a similar purpose (
Paus.
10.11).
(2) For the circular sepulchral buildings, falsely called
“Treasuries;” such as the “Treasury” of Atreus at
Mycenae, see
SEPULCRUM p. 644
a.
(Bötticher,
Olympia, 2nd edit., Berlin,
1886, pp. 207
sqq.; Richter,
de Thesauris
Olympiae efforsis, Berlin, 1885; Baumeister,
Denkmäler des classischen Alterthums, art.
“Olympia,” pp. 1104 B
sqq.;
Schliemann,
Exploration of the Boeotian Orchomenus: Journal of
Hellenic Studies, 1881, pp. 122
sqq.;
Schliemann,
Mycenae, pp. 227 ff.; Thiersch,
Die Tholos der Atreus zu Mykenae, in
Mittheilungen
des deutschen Instituts zu Athen, 1879, pp. 177
sqq.）
[
E.A.G]
