This project involves an experimental reconstruction by C. Martin at the University of Arizona of the Hysplex used in the stadium at Ancient Nemea. A Hysplex was used as a device to insure a fair start of sprinters in running competitions, including the Olympic, Nemean, and other Panhellenic games. The model being replicated was originally used by Dr. Stephen Miller at the University of California, Berkeley, who discovered an athletic stadium at Nemea and excavated at the site for over 30 years. In such stadia, contestants would line up; two ends of heavy wood with limestone bases at each end of the start line, the wood blocks had a thin rope between them, the rope would be released at one instance with even release of the two large wood pieces at each end. A copy of Martin’s hysplex is kept at the Laboratory for Traditional Technology.
(A video from The Society for the Revival of the Nemean Games demonstrating the use of the Hysplex can be seen here.)
