不久前，考古学家们在爱琴海的凯岛上有了一项有趣的发现。
Some time ago, an interesting discovery was made by archaeologists on the Aegean island of Kea.
一支美国考察队考察了一座神庙，这座神庙坐落在阿伊亚·伊里尼海岬上的一座古城之中。
An American team explored a temple which stands in an ancient city on the promontory of Ayia Irini.
这座城市曾经一定十分繁荣，因为它拥有高度发达的文明。
The city at one time must have been prosperous, for it enjoyed a high level of civilization.
房屋——通常高达三层——是用石头建造的。
Houses -- often three storeys high -- were built of stone.
这些房屋有宽敞的大房间，墙壁装饰得十分精美。
They had large rooms with beautifully decorated walls.
这座城市甚至还建有排水系统，因为人们在狭窄的街道下面发现了大量陶制管道。
The city was even equipped with a drainage system, for a great many clay pipes were found beneath the narrow streets.
考古学家们考察的那座神庙，从公元前十五世纪一直被用作礼拜场所，直至罗马时代。
The temple which the archaeologists explored was used as a place of worship from the fifteenth century B.C. until Roman times.
在神庙最神圣的房间里，人们发现了十五尊雕像的陶土碎片。
In the most sacred room of the temple, clay fragments of fifteen statues were found.
每一尊都代表着一位女神，而且曾经被涂上了颜色。
Each of these represented a goddess and had, at one time, been painted.
其中一尊雕像的躯干被发现于可追溯至公元前十五世纪的遗物之中。
The body of one statue was found among remains dating from the 15th century B.C.
它那颗缺失的头部碰巧也在公元前五世纪的遗物之中。
Its missing head happened to be among remains of the fifth century B.C.
这颗头部一定是在古典时期被人发现并精心保存下来的。
This head must have been found in Classical times and carefully preserved.
即使在那时，它也已经非常古老而珍贵了。
It was very old and precious even then.
当考古学家们将碎片重新拼合起来时，他们惊讶地发现，这位女神原来竟是一位外貌十分现代的女性。
When the archaeologists reconstructed the fragments, they were amazed to find that the goddess turned out to be a very modern-looking woman.
她高约三英尺，双手叉腰。
She stood three feet high and her hands rested on her hips.
她身穿一条及地长裙，裙摆拂过地面。
She was wearing a full-length skirt which swept the ground.
尽管年代久远，她仍然确实非常优雅，然而到目前为止，考古学家们还是无法揭开她的身份之谜。
Despite her great age, she was very graceful indeed, but, so far, the archaeologists have been unable to discover her identity.