THE AREA OF THE THECA OF THE ARCHIVE OF THE SANCTUARY OF ZEUS OLYMPUS

The area of the theca, notwithstanding the fact that it is on private property, is accessible from the road which leads to the theatre. The theca, which was partially covered after the dig of the original pit in which it had been deposited is composed of a cylinder which is almost 1.3 metres high and more than a metre and a half wide, realised from a monolithic block of limestone hollowed out on the inside in such a way as to create walls about 30 cms. thick. It is damaged on the side because of a clandestine operation to uncover it to remove its contents.  On top there is a circular stone lid constituted of a tambour with below a full ring, of inferior diameter, which fits perfectly into the mouth of the theca. It weighs a good ton, and for this reason would have been lifted with the help of pulleys with ropes attached to two fixed rings, while lateral movement would have been eased by two other mobile rings, through which a long pole would possibly have been fitted.