Secrets of massive 2,600-year-old temple emerge from hilltop in Greece. Take a look
On a hilltop in Greece, archaeologists uncovered a huge set of ruins. The ancient complex — which turned mythology into history — is still revealing its secrets.
A joint team of Greek and Austrian archaeologists unearthed a massive ruined temple on a hill near Samikon in 2021 and identified it as a long-lost sanctuary of Poseidon. After several years of work, the team finished excavating the entire structure, the Austrian Academy of Sciences said in an Oct. 31 news release.
The 2,600-year-old temple measures roughly 90 feet by 30 feet and has an atypical two-room structure, archaeologists said. Each main room had several central pillars and a hallway-like vestibule.
Archaeologists previously described the layout as unusual and having no exact parallel. An aerial photo shows the ruins.
Poseidon, god of the sea, was a key figure in Greek mythology, according to Britannica. His weapon and primary symbol was a trident.
The temple dates to the sixth century B.C. but was dismantled around the third century B.C. and likely abandoned soon after, excavation co-leader Birgitta Eder said in the release.
Word of the sanctuary of Poseidon lived on in the ancient Greek text Geographica and, beginning in the 19th century, inspired a century-worth of archaeologists to search for it. The efforts were in vain — until recently.
The joint Austrian-Greek excavations uncovered several key artifacts at the 2,600-year-old site. Inside the temple, archaeologists found fragments of a marble wash basin measuring over 3 feet across, the institute said. The basin, also known as a perirrhanterion, was used for ritual purification.
A photo shows where the bowl broke during ancient times and was repaired with metal clamps. Archaeologists hope to completely reconstruct the basin.
Excavations also revealed a large bronze tablet with an inscription once hung on the temple wall, the institute said. The blue-green plaque is fragile and, so far, unreadable.
Archaeologists hope to decipher the text and learn more about the ancient sanctuary. Photos show the delicate tablet during excavations and under an X-ray.
Recent excavations also cleared vegetation from the area near the 2,600-year-old temple and uncovered a thick wall, archaeologists said. The ancient wall likely served as an outer marker of the sanctuary’s grounds.
Excavations at the sanctuary of Poseidon in Samikon are ongoing and expected to last until 2026. Samikon is in modern-day Samiko, about 160 miles west of Athens.
Google Translate was used to translate the news release from the Austrian Academy of Sciences (ÖAW).
This story was originally published November 6, 2024 at 8:27 AM with the headline "Secrets of massive 2,600-year-old temple emerge from hilltop in Greece. Take a look."
