Britanya aristokrasisinin birçok kulüplerinden biri olan Dilettanti (Amatörler) Cemiyeti 1734 yılında, güzel sanatlara karşı eğilimi ve sevgisi olan üyelerinin iletişimini sağlayabilmek için kurulmuştu. Özellikle İtalya'ya yapmış oldukları seyahatlerden sonra, ileride Cemiyetin üyesi olacak kişiler yayınladıkları bir kitabın giriş yazısında belirttikleri gibi "kendi memleketlerinde de bu nesnelerden bir çeşni koruyabilmek", yani antik Yunan ve Roma sanatıyla uğraşabilme olanağına sahip olmak istemişlerdi. Dilettanti Cemiyeti zamanla, Yunanistan'da 1846 yılına dek yapılmış en önemli arkeolojik çalışmaları esinlendirme, destekleme ve gerçekleştirme konumuna geçti. Aynı zamanda bu ve bunlara benzer arkeolojik seferlerin sonuçlarını tarihe kalmış son derece önemli yayınlarla kamuya duyurdu. Öte yandan 18. yüzyıl Avrupa'sında Klasisizm akımının pekişmesi ve Avrupa kamusunun özellikle antik yunan mimarisi hakkında kapsamlı bir bakış edinmesinde katkıda bulunmuştu. Arkeoloji biliminin gelişmesi için kurtarıcı nitelik taşıyan Cemiyetin bu çalışmaları ne var ki antik harabeler için her zaman ve aynı derecede kurtarıcı değildi. Zamanın modası olan antik eser aşkı ve avı adına bu arkeolojik seferlere katılanlar anıtlar için tahrip edici olan uygulamalara da geçtiler. Yayının başında yer alan Cemiyet üyeleri katalogu, Earl of Sandwich, J. Stuart, N. Revett, J.T. Wood, Earl of Carlisle v.b. tanınmış gezgin-yazar isimlerini içermekte.

1764 yılında Cemiyet Doğu'ya (Anadolu'ya) yapılacak bir arkeolojik sefer için bir para miktarı tahsis eder. Bu sefer için Marmora Oxoniensia adlı yapıtıyla tanınan Richard Chandler, daha önce Atina'da anıtların kâğıt üzerinde çizilmesinde çalışmış olan Nicholas Revett ve parlak bir gelişme vaadeden yetenekli ressam William Pars seçilirler. 1764 yılı Haziran başlarında Truva yöresinden başlayarak Anadolu'da 15 aya yakın bir süre içinde yaptıkları araştırma, anıt görüntülemesi ve gezilerden sonra Sakız adasından İzmir'e geçerler. Oradan Atina'ya gelip bir yıl süreyle, 11 Haziran 1766'ya kadar Maraton, Salamis, Eleusis ve Megara'yı gezerler.

Vapurla Troizina'ya geçip buradan Epidaurus, Argos ve Korint'e giderler. Seyahatlerine devam ederken Delfi'yi ziyaret ederler ve Patra ile Elis'e (İlida) kadar varırlar. En son olarak 31 Ağustos'ta Zante'den ayrılıp 2 Kasım 1766 tarihinde Bristol'a varırlar. Cemiyet onlara bu seferin sonuçlarının yayını için malzemelerini özellikle İyonya'da (bugünkü Ege bölgesinde) derledikleri şeyler arasından seçmeyi öğütlemişti. Zira, kitabın giriş metninde belirtildiği gibi "Doğaya ilişkin bilgiler İyonya Okulu ile başlar: Geometri, astronomi, matematik, ticaret, denizcilik... Ayrıca tarih, tıp, güzel sanatlar, şiir, mimarlık ve dekoratif sanatlar da burada doğmuş..."

Böylece, büyük boyut bir yayın olan bu kitapta bulunan desen ve görüntülemeler şair Anakreon'un doğum yeri olan Teos kentindeki Dionysos tapınağı, Priene'deki Athena tapınağı ve Didim'deki Apollo tapınağını gösterir. Her desenden önce o yerin tarihi hakkında bilgiler ve her tablo için açıklayıcı notlar yer alıyor.

Yazan: İoli Vingopoulou

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  Title page.

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  Relief from Sigeion.

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  Relief from the bazaar of Chios.

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  Ruins of the Temple of Dionysus in Teos.

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  View of Segigeck [Sigacik] and the Peninsula of Teos.

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  Elevation of the Front of the Temple of Dionysus in Teos.

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  Temple of Dionysus in Teos. Fig. I: The Base of the Column, with the lower part of the Shaft. Fig. II: The Capital and Architrave, with the upper part of the Shaft of the Columns.Fig. III, A Section through the front of the Capital and Architrave. Fig. IV: A Section through the Profile of the Capital. Fig. V: The Contour of the Volute.

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  Capital and base of column from the Temple of Dionysus in Teos, with reconstructive drawing of the entablature.

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  Temple of Dionysus in Teos: Fig. Ι: The Cornice of the Temple. Fig. II An Architrave and Frize, of one piece of marble, decorated with a patera and festoons of Laurel, in a Turkish Burying-Ground by a Mosque at Segigeck [Sigacik]. Fig.III: A Section through the Sossit of the Architrave, which has a Compartmen surrounded with an Ovolo laid also flat. Fig. IV: A Pedestal and square Base, of one piece of white marble, near the South Gate at Segizeck [Sigacik].

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  Temple of Dionysus in Teos: The Contents of the preceding Plate shaded: Fig. Ι: The Cornice of the Temple. Fig. II An Architrave and Frize, of one piece of marble, decorated with a patera and festoons of Laurel, in a Turkish Burying-Ground by a Mosque at Segigeck [Sigacik]. Fig.III: A Section through the Sossit of the Architrave, which has a Compartmen surrounded with an Ovolo laid also flat. Fig. IV: A Pedestal and square Base, of one piece of white marble, near the South Gate at Segizeck [Sigacik].

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  Tail-Piece: The Trunk of Female figure, about as half as big as life, lying in a Turkish Burying-ground on the South side of Segigeck [ Sigacik].

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  Angular capital from the Temple of Athena Polias in Priene.

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  Head- Piece: The Angular Capital, which was too much mutilated to be measured.

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  The Temple of Athena Polias in Priene.

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  Temple of Athena Polias in Priene: Fig. I: The uppermost Step and Base, with the lower part of the Shaft of the Column. Fig. II: The Capital and Fasciae of the Architrave, with the upper part of the Shaft of the Column.

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  Temple of Athena Polias in Priene: Fig. I: The uppermost Step and Base, with the lower part of the Shaft of the Column., Fig. II: The Capital and Fasciae of the Architrave, with the upper part of the Shaft of the Column. (shaded drawing).

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  Capital from the temple of Athena Polias in Priene: Fig. I: The Plan of the Capital…Fig. II: An Elevation of the Profile of the Capital. Fig.III: A Section through the Profile of the Capital. Fig.IV: A Section through the Front of the Capital. Fig. V: The Contour of the Volute… Fig. VI: A Section through the Torus of the Base, in which the Flutings and Profile are distinctly marked.

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  Capital from the temple of Athena Polias in Priene: The Plan, Elevation of the Profile, and Section of the Capital, shaded; Also the Abacus of the Capital and the Section on a larger Scale…Fig. I: The Plan of the Capital…Fig. II: An Elevation of the Profile of the Capital. Fig.III: A Section through the Profile of the Capital. Fig.IV: A Section through the Front of the Capital. Fig. V: The Contour of the Volute… Fig. VI: A Section through the Torus of the Base, in which the Flutings and Profile are distinctly marked.

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  Temple of Athena Polias in Priene: Fig. I: The Cornice of the Temple. Fig. II: A Section through the Cornice of the Pediment, with its Front annexed. Fig.III: A Section through the Architrave of the Temple, with its internal Face. Fig. IV: A Section through one of the Transverse Beams which supported the Lacunaria, with one of its Faces.

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  Temple of Athena Polias in Priene: The Cornices in the foregoing Plate shaded. Fig. I: The Cornice of the Temple. Fig. II: A Section through the Cornice of the Pediment, with its Front annexed. Fig.III: A Section through the Architrave of the Temple, with its internal Face. Fig. IV: A Section through one of the Transverse Beams which supported the Lacunaria, with one of its Faces.

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  Temple of Athena Polias in Priene: Architectural features such as base of column, capital, helix, cymatium and others. Fig. I: A square Base, with the lower part of a Column, found near each other, by the South East angle of the Temple. Fig. II: One of the Fronts of a Square Capital, which has four faces, and a Plinth upon the Abacus. A Section through the Stems of the Volutes, in front of the Capital. Fig. III: The Semi-profile of the same Capital. Fig. IV: A Section through the Cymatium of the Architrave. Fig. V: A Fragment of the Lacunaria...Fig. VI: The Cornice, which belonged to the Peristyle within the Peribolus. Fig.VII: A Section through an Architrave, belonging to the same Entablature as the above Cornice did, and found near it, among the ruins at the front of the Peribolus.

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  Temple of Athena Polias in Priene: Architectural features such as base of column, capital, helix, cymatium and others, (shaded drawing). Fig. I: A square Base, with the lower part of a Column, found near each other, by the South East angle of the Temple. Fig. II: One of the Fronts of a Square Capital, which has four faces, and a Plinth upon the Abacus. A Section through the Stems of the Volutes, in front of the Capital. Fig. III: The Semi-profile of the same Capital. Fig. IV: A Section through the Cymatium of the Architrave. Fig. V: A Fragment of the Lacunaria...Fig. VI: The Cornice, which belonged to the Peristyle within the Peribolus. Fig.VII: A Section through an Architrave, belonging to the same Entablature as the above Cornice did, and found near it, among the ruins at the front of the Peribolus.

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  Temple of Athena Polias in Priene: Fig. 1: The Entablature of the Temple restored [reconstructed representation], with a Section through the middle, showing its internal face. Fig. 2: The Ornament on the Sima upon a larger Scale… Fig. 3: An Architrave and Cornice, taken from Mr. Wood's measurements of this temple.

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  Temple of Athena Polias in Priene: Fig. I: A Cornice found at some distance, to the South East from the Peribolus. Fig. II: A Doric Capital and Entablature.Fig. III: The Projecture of the Triglyph from the Naked of the Frize.

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  Temple of Athena Polias in Priene: The Contents of the preceding Plate shaded. Fig. I: A Cornice found at some distance, to the South East from the Peribolus. Fig. II: A Doric Capital and Entablature.Fig. III: The Projecture of the Triglyph from the Naked of the Frize. (shaded drawing)

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  Temple of Apollo in Didyma: A Fragment of a Capital upon the heap of Ruins at the North-West Angle of the Temple.

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  Temple of Apollo in Didyma: The Front and Profile of a Capital of the Pilasters.

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  View of the course of the Meander from Miletus.

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  Temple of Apollo in Didyma: View of the End of the Ruin of the Temple from the North-East.

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  Temple of Apollo in Didyma: Fig. I: The uppermost Step, Base, and lower part of the external Columns of the Dipteros. Fig. II: The Capital and Architrave, with the upper part of the Shaft of the Column.

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  Temple of Apollo in Didyma: Fig. I: The uppermost Step, Base, and lower part of the external Columns of the Dipteros. Fig. II: The Capital and Architrave, with the upper part of the Shaft of the Column (shaded drawing).

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  Temple of Apollo in Didyma: Fig. I: The Plan of the Capital…Fig. II: The Profile of the Capital. Fig. III: A Section through the Profile of the Capital. Fig. IV: A Section through the Front of the Capital. Fig. V: The Architrave of the internal Columns of the Diptero with the Frize, which supported the Lacunaria. Fig. VI: The Contour of the Volute, with as many of its Measures as could be collected.

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  Temple of Apollo in Didyma: The Contents of the foregoing Plate shaded, with a Section through the external Architrave of the Dipteros, also its internal Face and that of the Frize annexed. Fig. I: The Plan of the Capital…Fig. II: The Profile of the Capital. Fig. III: A Section through the Profile of the Capital. Fig. IV: A Section through the Front of the Capital. Fig. V: The Architrave of the internal Columns of the Diptero with the Frize, which supported the Lacunaria. Fig. VI: The Contour of the Volute, with as many of its Measures as could be collected.

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  Temple of Apollo in Didyma: Fig.I: The Front of the Ionic Capital of a Pilaster, with the upper part of the Shaft. Fig. II: The Profile of the same Capital. Fig. III: A Section through the Front of the Capital. Fig. IV: Another Compartment in the Front of one of these Capitals.

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  Temple of Apollo in Didyma: Fig.I: The Front of the Ionic Capital of a Pilaster, with the upper part of the Shaft. Fig. II: The Profile of the same Capital. Fig. III: A Section through the Front of the Capital. Fig. IV: Another Compartment in the Front of one of these Capitals. (shaded drawing).

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  Temple of Apollo in Didyma: Fig.I: A Frize, which filled the Spaces between the Capitals of the Pilasters, consisting of a Bass Relied representing Griffins and Lyres… Fig. II: A Corinthian Capital, which belonged to a Semi-column within the Wall which separated the Naos from the Pronaos. Fig. III: A Section through the Front of this Capital. Fig. IV: The width of the bottom of the Abacus, with the depth of its Curve. Fig. V: A Cymatium.

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  Frieze and Corinthian capital in the temple of Apollo in Didyma.