GEI034

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Delos. Specifications for a building

Description: Two fragments of an opisthographic stele of Pentelic marble: fragment "a" (dimensions: h: 0.71 m w: 0.94 m d: 0.10 m ) and fragment "b" (dimensions: h: 0.30 m w: 0.43 m d: 0.10 m ).

Layout: Stoichedon with many irregularities.

Letters: Ionic-Attic letters. Letters: h: 0.006 m ; space between lines: h: 0.004 m

Origin: Athens

Dating: 350

Findspot: Found in 1887 in Athens, re-used in a Byzantine tomb near the Olympieion.

Current location: Athens, Epigraphical Museum, inv. n. 8712.

Reference edition: F. Durrbach, I.Délos 104-4 (face B of fragment "a" and fragment "b" are not included in the present layout)

Other editions: ed. pr. Koumanoudes 1887, 57-60; Lattermann 1908, 64-80; J. Kirchner, IG II2 1678; Hellmann 1980, 151-159; M.-Ch. Hellmann, Choix 10; NCIDélos, 49-54; Chankowski 2008, 499-502 no. 49

Photographs: none published

Translations: Semmlinger 1974, 75-76 (only ll. 1-28; in German); Hellmann 1980, 154-155 (in French); M.-Ch. Hellmann, Choix, 42-43 (in French); NCIDélos, 52-53 (in French); Chankowski 2008, no. 49 (in French; same translation as in NCIDélos)

Bibliography: A. Wilhelm, Kleine Schriften III, no. 48; Wittenburg 1978, 74-83; Himmelmann 1979, 135 n. 36; Chankowski 2008, 237-238, 258-260 Marginesu 2015, 3-22 (no. 13)

Fragment a, face A

(vac. )
[...]ΕΠΟ[. 5.]Ο[. 5.]Ω̣[.]Ε̣[ - - - ]Ι[ - - - ]Τ[. 4. κ]αὶ μο[λύβδ]ωι καὶ κι[σ]ήρι[δ]ι Ι[. 6.]ΛΛ καὶ τἆλλ-
[α] ποιήσει κατὰ ταὐτὰ τοῖς ἐ̣[ν τῶι ἱερῶ]ι. ἐ̣[ὰ]ν̣ δὲ [εἰργασμέ]νοι ὦσι, δο[κιμάσει ὁ] [ἀρχ]ιτέκτων [ἐ]ν̣ [τῶι ἱ]ε̣ρ̣[ῶ]ι ἐν Δήλωι [π-]
άντας τοὺς λίθους. ἐπειδὰ̣[ν] δ̣ὲ [δ]ο̣[κι]μασθῶσιν, πα[ρα]λαβὼν [τ]οὺς στυλ̣οβ[ά]τα[ς κειμ]ένους καὶ πε̣ρ̣[ιξεσ]ά[μ]ενος̣ [ὁμ]α̣λι-
εῖ κατὰ κίο[να] αὐτὸς αὑτῶι καν[όν]ι λιθίν[ω]ι ὀρθά. ὁμαλιεῖ δὲ [κ]α[ὶ] τὰ̣ς σ[π]εί̣ρα[ς] καὶ τοὺς κίονας καὶ τὰ ἐπίκρ[αν]α ἀπὸ
5λιστ[ρ]ίο μὴ ἔλαττον ἢ ἐπὶ ἡμιπόδιον κύκλωι ἅπαντ̣α̣ καὶ καθιεῖ εἰς ἕδραν ὁμοίως πανταχῆι. τ̣ετρᾶναι δὲ καὶ τοῖ̣ς̣
ἐμπολίοις καὶ μολυβδοχοῆσαι ὡς ἂν ὁ ἀρχιτέκτων κελεύ[η]ι. καὶ ἀποδώσ[ε]ι ἑστηκότας ὀρθοὺς καὶ ὑγιε[ῖς κ]α[ὶ] ἴσου-
ς̣ ἀ̣λλήλοις κατὰ κεφαλὴν καὶ ὀρθοὺς πρὸς τὸν διαβήτην πανταχῆι. θήσει δὲ τ̣ο[ὺ]ς [λ]ίθους πά̣[ν]τας πα[ρόντο]ς̣ τοῦ ὑπ-
αρχιτέκτονος. ἐπειδὰν δὲ συγκείμενα ἦ̣ι̣ πάντ[α] καὶ μεταξὺ τιθέμε[να τὰ ἐμπόλια(?) ..]Υ[. 12.] παρέξ-
ει δὲ αὐτὸς αὑτῶι ὁ μισθωσά[μ]εν[ο]ς τὸ ἔργον πάν̣τα ὅσων [ἂν δ]έηται πρὸς [τ]ὸ [ἔ]ρ[γον] πλὴν [ἐμπ]ο[λίων κ]αὶ μο-
10λύβδου. τοῦ δὲ παραδείγματος τοῦ πεποιημέν̣ο̣ [τ]οῦ ἐ̣[π]ικράνου [ἔστα]ι μ̣ί̣σθ[ωσις κατὰ λόγον] τοῦ [ἀρ]γυρίο-
υ, ὅσου ἀμ μισθωθῆι τὸ ἔργο[ν] ὅτ[ι] ἂν τάξει ὁ ἀρχιτέ[κ]των. κομιεῖ δὲ καὶ τὸ παρά[δειγμα το]ῦ ἐπικράνου
εἰς Δῆλ[ον] ὁ μισθωσάμενος τὸ ἔργον τέ[λ]εσι τοῖς αὑτοῦ ὑγιὲ{ι}ς̣ καὶ θήσει καθάπερ περὶ τῶν ἄλλων γέ-
γραπται, παραλαβὼν ὑγιὲ{ι}ς̣ Ἀθήνησι. τῶι τε [ὑ]παρχιτέκτονι συντελεῖ εἰς τὸμ μισ̣[θὸν] ἀπὸ τῆς ἡμ[έρ]α-
ς ἧς ἂν ἄρξηται ἐν Δήλωι ἐ[ρ]γάζεσθαι, ἕως ἂν ἐπιτελέσηι τὸ ἔργον ὃ ἂν ἦι [μεμι]σθωμ[ένος], [τὸ τέταρτον]
15τοῦ ἀργυρίου, καθάπερ τοῖς̣ τοὺς ὀρθοστάτ[α]ς μεμισθωμένοις ἐν ταῖς συγ[γρ]α[φαῖς γέγραπται]. [ταῦ-]
τα δὲ ποιήσας ἅπαντα δόκιμα κατὰ τὴν συγγραφὴν ἀπο[δει]ξάτω τοῖς̣ ναοποιοῖς [καὶ τῶι ἀ]ρχιτ[έκτον-]
[ι] ὁ μισθωσάμενος τὸ ἔργ[ο]ν τέλος ἔχοντ̣α ὀκτὼ μηνῶν ἀπὸ τοῦ χρόνου οὗ ἂμ μισθώσηται. τοὺ[ς δὲ ἐγγυη-]
τὰς καθιστάναι κατὰ

ἀξιόχρεως. ἐὰν δὲ μὴ πο[ι]ήσε[ι ἐ]ν τῶι χρόνωι δόκιμα κα̣[τὰ τὴν] συγγ[ραφήν], [ἀ-]
ποτινέτω

δραχμ[ὰ]ς τῆς ἡμέρας ἑκά[σ]τη[ς] ἕως ἂν πο[ιή]σει δόκιμα κατὰ τὴν συγγραφήν, εἰσπρ[ατ]τό-
20ντων δὲ αὐτὸν καὶ το[ὺ]ς [ἐγγ]υητὰς οἱ ναοποιοὶ τ[ο]ῦ[τ]ο [τὸ ἀ]ργύριον καὶ τἆλλα ποιούντων καθάπ[ε]ρ το-
ῖς ἄλλοις μισθωταῖς [κ]α[ὶ] ἐγγυηταῖς τῶν ἔ[ργ]ων ἐ[ν τῆι συγ]γραφῆ̣ι̣ γέ[γραπτ]αι. τοῦ δὲ ἀργυρίου λή-
ψεται τὸ μὲν ἥμυσυ ἐπειδὰν τοὺς ἐγ[γυ]η[τ]ὰς [κ]ατ[αστήσει], τ[οῦ δ]ὲ λοιποῦ τὸ ἥμισυ ἐπειδὰν ἐξειργασ-
[μ]ένα ἦι τῶν ἔργων τὰ ἡμί[σ]η, τὸ δ[ὲ λοιπ]ὸ[ν] ἐπειδὰ[ν πάντα] τέλος ἔχον[τα δείξει.] [ἐ]ὰν δ[έ τι ἀντιλέ]γ̣ωσ-
[ιν] οἱ μεμισθωμένοι πρὸς [ἀ]λλήλ[ους] πε[ρὶ τ]ῶν ἔργων [κρινοῦσιν οἱ ναοποιοί - - - κεφ]ά[λα]ιον
25[ἀρ]γυρίου μισθωμάτων τῶ[μ] μισθωθέ[ντ]ω[ν - - - ] ἱε-
[ρὰ(?)] ἀνηλωμένα

ΧΧΧΧ𐅅ΗΗΗΗΔΔ𐅃

[. 4.]ΕΥ[.]Τ[. 8.]ΩΟ [. c. 21. ἐπὶ τῆ]ς Αἰγηίδο-
[ς δευ]τέρας πρυτανείας, κυρωτὴς ἐ[κ] τῶ[ν] π̣[ρυτάνεων το]ύτω[ν - - - ], Βοηδρομ-
ιῶνος τρίτηι ἱσταμένου, δικαστήριο[ν . 10.]ΟΝ

λ[ίθους ἐμισθώσατο σύμπαν]τας

𐅅Η𐅄Δ𐅃ΙΙ,
τὸν λίθον ἕκαστον

Δ𐅂

κεφάλαιον ἀργυ[ρ]ί[ου λίθων τ]ούτω[ν ἁπάντων] [

] [ΤΧΗΗΗΔΔΔ𐅃𐅂𐅂]

μισθωτὴς Κ-
30άνων Διονυσοδώρου Θεσπι[ε]ύς̣· ἐγγυ[ηταὶ . 9.]οκράτου [. 7.]ίδη[ς,] [Νικόδ(?)]ημος Πίστωνος Ἀ-
θμονεύς, Πυργίων Γναθίου Ἀφι[δ]ναῖο[ς,] [. 10.] Οἰνοστράτ̣ου̣ Ἀ[ν]α[γ]υ[ράσιος], Θουκυδίδης Ἀλκισ-
θένους Ἀφιδναῖος. μέτρα [τῶ]ν [λί]θων [πάντων τ]άδε

λίθους

ΙΙ

μῆκος τεττάρωμ πο[δ]ῶν καὶ πέντε
δακτύλων, πλάτος τεττάρωμ ποδῶν καὶ δακτύλου

ἑτέρους

𐅃Ι

μῆκος τεττάρωμ ποδῶν καὶ ἡμιπ-
οδίου, πλάτος τεττάρωμ ποδῶν καὶ πέντε δακτύλων

ἑτέρους

Δ𐅃Ι

μῆκος τεττάρωμ ποδῶν, πλάτ-
35ος τριῶν ποδῶν

ἑτέρους

𐅃ΙΙΙ

μῆκος τεττάρωμ ποδῶν καὶ πέντε δακτύλων, πλάτος δυοῖμ ποδο-
ῖν καὶ τριῶν δακτύλων

ἑτέρους

𐅃ΙΙΙ

μῆκος τεττάρωμ ποδῶν, πλάτος δυοῖμ ποδοῖν καὶ τριῶν
δακτύλων

ἑτέρους

𐅃ΙΙΙ

μῆκος τεττάρωμ ποδῶν καὶ παλαστῆς, πλάτος δυοῖμ ποδοῖν καὶ τριῶ-
ν δακτύλων

ἑτέρους

𐅃ΙΙΙ

μῆκος τεττάρωμ ποδῶν καὶ πέντε δακτύλων, πλάτος τριῶμ ποδῶν

ἑτ-
έρους

𐅃ΙΙΙ ⟦[.]⟧

μῆκος τριῶμ ποδῶν καὶ δέκα δακτύλων, πλάτος δυοῖμ ποδοῖν κ[α]ὶ τ[ρι]ῶν δα[κ]τύλ-
40ων. ἑτέρους

𐅃ΙΙΙ

μῆκος τριῶμ ποδῶν καὶ τριῶμ παλαστῶν, πλάτος δυοῖμ ποδοῖν καὶ τριῶν δακτ-
ύλων

ἑτέρους

ΙΙΙ

μῆκο[ς] τριῶμ ποδῶν καὶ δακτύλου, πλάτος δυοῖμ ποδο[ῖ]ν [κ]αὶ τριῶν δακ[τύ]λων.
ἑτέρους

𐅃̣

μῆκος δυοῖμ ποδοῖν καὶ τριῶν δα̣κ[τ]ύλων, πλάτος δυοῖμ ποδοῖν. ἑ[τ]έρους

𐅃̣

μ[ῆ]κος δυ-
οῖμ ποδοῖν καὶ τριῶν δακτύλων, πλάτος δυοῖμ ποδοῖν

ἑτέρους

Δ𐅃ΙΙΙ

μῆκος δυοῖμ ποδοῖν καὶ
τριῶν παλαστῶν, πλ[ά]τος δυοῖμ ποδοῖν καὶ τριῶν δακτύλων

ἑτέρου[ς]

ΙΙΙΙ

μῆκος πενθ᾽ ἡμιποδί-
45ων καὶ δακτύλου, πλάτος δυοῖ[μ] ποδοῖν καὶ τριῶν δακτύλων

ἑτέρου[ς] [

] [Ι]ΙΙΙ

μῆκος τριῶμ ποδῶν κα-
ὶ ἐννέα δακτύλων, πλάτος [δυ]οῖ[μ] ποδοῖ[ν] καὶ τριῶν δακτύλων

ἑτέρου[ς] [

] Δ

μῆκος δυοῖμ ποδοῖν καὶ
τριῶν δακτύλων, πλάτος δυοῖμ ποδοῖν καὶ δυοῖν δακτύλοιν

ἑτέρους

𐅃ΙΙ[Ι]

μῆκος τριῶμ ποδῶν κ-
[αὶ] δακτύλου, πλάτος δυοῖμ ποδοῖν

ἑτέρους

Δ𐅃ΙΙ[Ι]

μῆκος τριῶμ ποδῶν, πλάτος δυοῖμ ποδοῖν [

] [ἑτ-]
έρους

ΔΔΔΙ

μῆκος τριῶμ ποδῶν καὶ ἓ̣ξ δακτύλων, πλάτος δυοῖμ ποδοῖν καὶ τριῶν δακτύλων

ἑτέρ-
50ους

ΗΗΗΗ𐅄ΔΔΙΙ

μῆκος τριῶμ πο[δ]ῶν, πλάτος δυοῖμ ποδοῖν καὶ τριῶν δακτύλων. πά[χ]ος οὗτ[ο]ι̣ ἅπαν-
τες ποδιαῖοι

ἑτέρους

𐅃

μῆκο[ς] πέντε ποδῶν καὶ τριῶν̣ παλαστῶ[ν], πλάτος δυοῖμ ποδοῖν καὶ τρι-
ῶν παλαστῶν καὶ δυοῖν δακτύλοιν [

] ἑτέρους

ΙΙ

μῆκος τεττάρωμ ποδῶν καὶ τριῶμ πα[λασ]τ[ῶν] καὶ δ-
ακτύλου, πλάτος δυοῖν ποδοῖν καὶ τριῶμ πα[λ]αστῶν καὶ δυοῖν δακτύλοιν

ἑτέρους

ΙΙΙΙ

[μῆ]κο[ς δυ]οῖμ π-
ο[δ]οῖν καὶ τριῶν παλαστῶν καὶ τριῶν δακτύλων, πλάτος δυοῖμ ποδοῖν καὶ τριῶν παλαστῶν [κ]αὶ δυο-
55[ῖ]ν̣ δακτύλοιν

πάχος οὗτοι ἅπαντες ποδιαῖοι καὶ δυοῖν δακτύλοιν

ἑτέρους

𐅃Ι

μῆκος ὀκτὼ π-
οδῶν καὶ δέκα δακτύλων, πλάτος παλαστῶν ἐννέ̣α̣ καὶ δακτύλοιν δυοῖν, πάχος δ̣υ̣[ο]ῖμ ποδοῖν καὶ δυ-
οῖν δακτύλοιν. α̣[ἵδε] α[ἱ] συγγρα[φ]α̣ὶ καθ᾽ ἃς ἐμισθώθησαν· τούτους. Ε[. 10. τὸν] μ̣ι̣σ̣θωσ̣[άμε]νο-
[ν] ἐμπά[ξ(?)]α̣ι ἐπὶ θάλατ[ταν . 10.]Ω̣Ι ἐπὶ τῶι χώματι μὴ π[λ]έον [ - - - ]
[ - - - ]

Apparatus criticus: l. 1: At the beginning of this line, 51 letters are not readable or hardly readable (NCIDélos, 51). l. 10: After examination of the stone, Himmelmann reads [. 4.]Ι[.] ΙΣ[..]Ο[..] The Ο could also be Ω. Since the following words [κατὰ λόγο]ν were restored as pure conjecture, Himmelmann rejects this part of l. 10 as a firm basis for restoration (Himmelmann 1979, 135 n. 36; SEG 29 145; NCIDélos, 51).

Translation:
[ - - - ] with lead and pumice stone [ - - - ] and he (i.e. the contractor) will do the rest in the same way as for the things which are in the sanctuary. When those will be made, the architect will check all the stones in the sanctuary of Delos. When these will be checked, after taking the blocks of the stylobate and polishing them, he (i.e. the contractor) will level them personally, at right angles to the column, with a stone rule. He will level also all the moulded bases, all the shafts and all capitals, with a chisel, on a circumference of at least half a foot and he will put them on a surface everywhere in the same way. He will also make the holes for the empolia and he will fix (them) with the molten lead, as the architect will order. Besides this, he will present (some stones) arranged straight, intact, equal to each other at the top (i.e. of the same height) and everywhere straight to the level. He will place all the stones in the presence of the vice-architect. When all the things will be arranged and in the meantime (the empolia(?)) will be put [ - - - ]. The contractor will provide to himself all that will be needed for the work except for the empolia and the lead. As for the model of the capital that will be made, it will be paid in proportion to the amount of money for which the work that the architect will order will be contracted out. The contractor will transport the model of the capital to Delos, at his own expense, intact, and he will put it in the same way as it is written for the rest, after taking it intact in Athens. Besides this, he will contribute to the pay of the vice-architect from the day in which he will begin to work in Delos, until he has finished the work that he has achieved in the contract, for a quarter of the sum, as is written in the contracts for those who have obtained the contract for the orthostats.
When all the things established in the contract will be completed, the contractor will show the result to the naopoioi and to the architect within eight months from the time when he has obtained the contract. He will provide solvent guarantors, everyone for 1000 (drachmas)). If he didn't do the things established in the contract by the deadline, he will have to pay ten drachmas a day until he has done the things established in the contract. The naopoioi have to exact this amount (of money) from him and from his guarantors and they have to do the rest in the same way as is written in the contract for the other contractors and for their guarantors. (The contractor) will get half of the money after he has provided the guarantors, half of the rest (i.e. that is a quarter of the sum) when half of the work will be completed and the balance when he will present the finished work. If contractors are opposed to each other about the works, the naopoioi will judge [ - - - ].
Total of the sum (assigned) to the contractors [ - - - ], expenses (of the sacred fund(?)): 4925 (drachmas) [ - - - ].
Under the second prytany, of the Aigeid tribe, the person who ratifies from the prytanes [ - - - ], in the third day of Boedromion, a tribunal [ - - - ]: it has contracted out all the stones: 667 (stones); each stone: 11 (drachmas); total of the sum of all these stones: 7337 (drachmas); contractor: Canon, son of Dionysodoros, from Thespie; guarantors [ - - - ]; Nicodemos, son of Piston, from Athmonia; Pyrgion, son of Gnathios, from Aphidna; [ - - - ] son of Oinostratos, from the deme of Anaghyrus; Thucydides, son of Alkisthenes, from Aphidna.
Here are the measures of all the stones: 2 stones, length 4 feet and 5 fingers, width 4 feet and 1 finger; other 6, length 4 feet and an half, width 4 feet and 5 fingers; other 16, length 4 feet, width 3 feet; other 8, length 4 feet and 5 fingers, width 2 feet and 3 fingers; other 8, length 4 feet, width 2 feet and 3 fingers; other 8, length 4 feet and 1 span, width 2 feet and 3 fingers; other 8, length 4 feet and 5 fingers, width 3 feet; other 8, length 3 feet and 10 fingers, width 2 feet and 3 fingers; other 8, length 3 feet and 3 spans, width 2 feet and 3 fingers; other 3, length 3 feet and 1 finger, width 2 feet and 3 fingers; other 5, length 2 feet and 3 fingers, width 2 feet; other 5, length 2 feet and 3 fingers, width 2 feet; other 18, length 2 feet and 3 spans, width 2 feet and 3 fingers; other 4, length 5 half-feet and 1 finger, width 2 feet and 3 fingers; other 4, length 3 feet and 9 fingers, width 2 feet and 3 fingers; other 10, length 2 feet and 3 fingers, width 2 feet and 2 fingers; other 8, length 3 feet and 1 finger, width 2 feet; other 18, length 3 feet, width 2 feet; other 31, length 3 feet and 6 fingers, width 2 feet and 3 fingers; other 472, length 3 feet, width 2 feet and 3 fingers. Thickness of all these stones: 1 foot. Other 5, length 5 feet and 3 spans, width 2 feet, 3 spans and 2 fingers; other 2, length 4 feet, 3 spans and 1 finger, width 2 feet, 3 spans and 2 fingers; other 4, length 2 feet, 3 spans and 3 fingers, width 2 feet, 3 spans and 2 fingers. Thickness of all these stones: 1 foot and 2 fingers. Other 6, length 8 feet and 10 fingers, width 9 spans and 2 fingers, thickness 2 feet and 2 fingers.
Here are the terms of the contract. These (stones) [ - - - ], the contractor [ - - - ] on the sea [ - - - ] on the embankment no more [ - - - ] Commentary:
This document consists of specifications for the construction of a building on Delos. It dates back to the period when the island was under Athenian rule (about 350 BC).
In the first part (ll. 1-8) there are some directives for the realization of a colonnade (l. 4: τοὺς κίονας καὶ τὰ ἐπίκρ[αν]α) of a Ionic building (l. 4: τὰ̣ς σ[π]εί̣ρα[ς], the moulded bases are typical of the Ionic order) in the Sanctuary of Apollo on Delos (l. 2: [ἐ]ν̣ [τῶι ἱ]ε̣ρ̣[ῶ]ι ἐν Δήλωι). The architect and the vice-architect are in charge of the building site.
From line 8 to line 24 the terms of the contract are listed. The contractor has to provide personally for all the materials for the work except for the empolia and the lead (ll. 8-10). He has to transport the model of the capital from Athens to Delos, at his own expense (ll. 11-13), and he has to contribute to the pay of the vice-architect (ll. 13-15). The contractor has eight months to complete the work; after this time, he has to show the result to the naopoioi and to the architect (ll. 16-17).
The naopoioi (literally: temple makers) are a board of Athenian superintendents to the construction of a temple. They supervise the works (ll. 16-17), but they have primarily a financial role: they have to provide payments and to collect fines (l. 20). Furthermore, they also have a juridical role, because they have to resolve disputes between contractors (l. 24) (NCIDélos, 53-54; Chankowski 2008, 237-238).
Moreover, the contractor has to provide solvent guarantors, each for 1000 drachmas (ll. 16-17). The institution of solvent guarantors is a form of guarantee for Athens; they guarantee indeed the satisfaction of an obligation assumed by a third party towards the Athenian state (Erdas 2010).
Finally, at ll. 18-19 the clause of breach of contract is expressed and lines 21-23 contain the mode of payment of the contractor.
Ll. 24-26 are full of lacunae; they probably presented a partial balance of the expenses for the building.
Ll. 26-32 express data of another contract, which consists of the supplying of 667 stone blocks for the same building (Carusi 2006, 16). The contractor is Canon, who has provided five Attic guarantors. Then, from line 32 to line 57, there is a long list with the measures of all these stones. In the text there is no information about the parts of the building which will be built with them.
The final part, that is full of lacunae, contained further directives, probably about the transport of the stones and their arrangement.
This document is a syngraphe, as is defined in the text itself at lines 16, 18 and 19, i.e. a text which contains specifications about something to do. The syngraphai were written, after the decision of the Boule or of the Assembly, by one or more persons chosen by the Assembly, who were called syngrapheis, and then these documents were approved by the Boule or by the Assembly.
I.Délos 104-4 is a particular kind of syngraphe, which can be defined “architectonic”, because it contains specifications for the construction of a building. The most important building projects were supervised by special boards, like the Athenian naopoioi in Delos, with administrative and financial tasks, while the technical aspects of the construction were supervised by an architect, who sometimes was also the author of the syngraphe.
The main characteristic of the syngraphai is their content, which consists of technical directives and contractual conditions (respectively lines 1-8 and 8-24 in I.Délos 104-4), usually expressed with the future tense. The technical directives of a syngraphe correspond with a preliminary project, but these documents never contain an exhaustive description of the plan of construction.
Moreover, the content of a syngraphe is expressed with a particular structure, which is typical of this kind of document. First of all, the syngraphai are often introduced by a sort of title, which is lost in the case of I.Délos 104-4. Furthermore, the conditions for the contractors consist of standard clauses, expressed with the same terms and put in the same order: the clause about the supply of materials and the one about the deadline for the presentation of the finished work are recurring. The clause which required contractors to submit guarantors is less frequent, although this provision was essential. The clause about the payment of the contractor was likewise infrequent, while the clauses which refer to the existence of penalties for the late termination of the works or for the non-compliance with directives are very rare. All these clauses are expressed in I.Délos 104-4.
It is important to underline that I.Délos 104-4 is a part of a series of similar texts, each one dedicated to the construction of a section of the same building, as it is evident at lines 26-32.
The syngraphai prefigure the contracts that the contractors would have signed with the city to carry out the work, but they were considered completely different from them, both from a formal and a legal point of view. For this reason, in the text it is necessary to separate the sections which contain a syngraphe (ll. 1-26 and maybe ll. 57-58) from the ones with the data of the related contracts (ll. 26-32) (Carusi 2006, 11-35).
Finally, in the text there are some indications for the identification of the building: it is Ionic because at line 4 moulded bases are mentioned, and it is a temple, as shown by the presence of the naopoioi. In all probability, it could be GD 42, the only Ionic temple dating to mid-fourth century BC, built by the Athenians in Delos. The ruins of this temple, known as Pythion, are in the NW part of the Sanctuary of Apollo (NCIDélos, 53; Chankowski 2008, 237, 258-260).

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Wittenburg, A. (1978), Griechische Baukommissionen des 5. und 4. Jahrhunderts, München Author: Alessia di Santi Last update: March 2017 DOI: 10.25429/sns.it/lettere/GEI034

Greek Economic Inscriptions

GEI034

Delos. Specifications for a building