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σῆμα. The ‘Tomb of Alyattes’ lies on the north edge of the Hermus plain. It is one of more than sixty mounds (called Bin Tepeh), of which three are conspicuously larger than the rest. Perrot et Chipiez (v. 265 seq.) make the largest rather more than 1,200 yards round, and not quite 400 in diameter; this falls a little short of H.'s measurements (§ 5), viz. about 1,280 and 440 yards respectively. The base (κρηπίς) is hewn in part out of the native limestone, above which comes a wall of large blocks; H. does not notice this difference of construction. This base holds together a truncated cone of earth, of which the upper part is faced with bricks. A rectangular chamber inside contained bones of men and animals which had been burned. The σῆμα is referred to by Hipponax. fr. 15 Ἀττάλεω (v. l. Ἀλυάττεω) τύμβον καὶ σῆμα Γύγεω, and briefly described by Strabo (627).

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