Parthenon myth is debunked after 2,000 years: Mathematician says the Ancient Greeks did NOT curve the temple's lines to give the illusion they were straight

For more than 2,000 years, it has been claimed that the Parthenon's famous curves were designed to correct an optical illusion, making the temple appear straight.Now, a new study debunks this enduring myth.An Oxford mathematician has combined geometry, engineering and vision science to investigate the long–held belief.And he found no evidence that the alleged visual illusion exists – arguing that these features are simply products of the architecture of the time, rather than sophisticated optical engineering.The findings, published in the journal Royal Society Open Science, overturn one of architecture's oldest and most widely repeated myths.'The Parthenon has been cast as an ultimate trompe–l'oeil, supposedly designed to exploit visual illusions in its curves and refinements,' Professor Alain Goriely said.'Current historical and scientific evidence does not support these claims. The main lesson from the Parthenon is that we are prone to delude ourselves in the pursuit of ancient mysteries and ideal fantasies of order and harmony.' One of the main myths about the Parthenon is that slight curvatures in the stylobates (flat bases) were made to counteract visual illusions of straight lines 'sagging' Measurements show the sides of the base are not horizontal but form a gentle arc that rises 2.3 inches (6cm) in the centre. The dotted yellow points are straight lines between endpoints and the red curves are the best visual fit of the actual curveThe paper explains that the myth began with 1st–century Roman architect and engineer Vitruvius, who wrote about the Parthenon 400 years after its construction.His writings state that slight curvatures in the stylobates (the flat bases that support the columns) were made to counteract visual illusions of straight lines 'sagging'.Measurements show the sides of the base are not horizontal but form a gentle arc that rises 2.3 inches (6cm) in the centre.According to Vitruvius, this corrects an illusion that would make the base appear to sag in the middle.But, according to Professor Goriely's calculations, there is no evidence of the sagging illusion even existing.Another claim is that the bulges in the Parthenon's columns help to correct an optical illusion that would make them look narrower in the middle.However, Professor Goriely's paper shows that the columns only bulge by 18mm – hardly perceptible to a typical viewer – and that there is also no evidence for this illusion existing.One possible reason for the curve, he says, is that the small gradients help water to drain away and prevent the formation of puddles at the bottom of the columns. Another claim is that the bulges in the Parthenon's columns helps to correct an optical illusion that would make them look narrower in the middle However, Professor Goriely's paper shows that the columns only bulge by 18mm – hardly perceptible to a typical viewer – and that there is also no evidence for this illusion existing The Parthenon Built: Around 447–432 BC Where: Parthenon, in Athens Who built it: Ancient Athenians, during the leadership of Pericles Dedicated to: Athena, the city's patron goddess Architects: Ictinus and Callicrates, with sculptural work overseen by Phidias Made from: Mainly Pentelic marble, quarried from Mount Pentelicus near Athens Size: Around 230 feet (70m) long and 101 feet (31m) wide Columns: 46 outer Doric columns, with eight at each end and 17 along each side Famous for: Its sculptures, including the Parthenon Marbles, and its sophisticated architectural refinements In total, Professor Goriely examined 12 proposed optical corrections and found they are either unsupported by evidence or too small to be noticed.The study, titled 'The illusion of illusions: there are no optical corrections in the Parthenon', reads: 'One of the oldest and most enduring myths in human history is the belief that the Parthenon was cleverly designed with various curved structures and sizes in order to correct visual illusions, and therefore appear straight and regular.'The myth of optical corrections has its origin in the writings of Vitruvius more than 2,000 years ago and was renewed in the nineteenth century when curved profiles were carefully measured.'At least 12 different optical corrections have been proposed, all following the same basic principle.'The myth remains widely accepted despite an absence of direct historical or experimental evidence.'This paper analyses these corrections scientifically and argues that the proposed illusions are either unsupported by evidence or too small to have a perceptible effect under typical viewing conditions.'A previous study found that the Parthenon's attic may have once held all the area's wealth.At its peak, it could have stored 260 tons of silver and gold, researchers from McMaster University in Hamilton said.The attic of the Parthenon is now destroyed and the coins would have been spent in ancient times.The researchers made the discovery by reconstructing the size of the attic, looking at ancient records to extrapolate how large the reserves may have been and re–examining archaeological work carried out decades ago.They concluded its floor would have spanned an area more than three times that of a tennis court, with dimensions of 62 feet wide by 164 feet long (19 by 50 meters) and about 10 feet (3 m) high at the centre.The remains of a staircase that once led up to the attic still survive.The floor size of the attic not only would have provided room to store the coins, but also would have meant the coins' weight could be spread over a wide area, the researchers found.'The attic of the Parthenon is the only suitable space large enough to hold all of the coins in the Treasury,' Professor Spencer Pope said.