Thursday, August 20, 2009

Tower of the winds


The tower of the winds is one of few structures that actually have been standing moer or less intact since antiquity, but one that relatively few studies has been done on. The tower is, as a result of this, rather unknown and even the constructuion date is being debated even though most scholars favour a date around the mid 1st century Bc.

The name comes from the motif, the eight winds, that cover the upper panels and the tower was probably used as some sort of clock (both water clock and sun dial has been suggested) but the ancient writings are dubious on the subject (foremost Vitruvius and Varro).

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