Sanctuary of Demeter and Apollo

GENERAL

Locality: Sangri. Site: Gyroulas. The rural sanctuary is situated on a hill rising in a fertile valley in central Naxos. It consists of the Archaic temple, a retaining wall, remains of small structures or fences related to the mysteries and lastly of several pits. Except for the Archaic temple, all the other features date from the end of the 9th c.

MONUMENTS

1. TEMPLE

Orientation: S

Dimensions: 14x13,50 m

Materials: Marble (the temple was entirely constructed of marble. The walls were covered by a multicoloured coating).

Architectural Form: Rectangular.

Roof type: Gabled, with marble tiles.

Description: The temple has a row of Ionic columns in the interior dividing the cella into two aisles. The columns of the internal colonnade support directly the gabled roof. Two corresponding monumental doorways open into the south long side of the cella (wide facade arrangement) with an Ionic pronaos of five columns forming the facade.

2. TERRACE WALL

Temenos wall in the form of zigzag, W and NW of the Archaic temple.

3. OTHER BUILDINGS

In front of the archaic temple and beneath of it, it has been discovered small pits, that it is believed to be postholes belonging to small structures of fences. These structures or fences were probably related to the religious ceremonies (secrecy? accommodation?).

4. DEPOSITS

In the area of the sanctuary systems of twin pits, usually the one oriented towards E and the other one towards W, were found. According to the sherds, found inside them, they date in the 8th and 7th c. B.C. These pits and chanels served for the practice of libations. At the time of the construction of the Archaic temple they were replaced by a big deposit at the front of the temple.

DATE

Geometric/Archaic/Classical (800-4th c.). Overall Period of Use of Sanctuary: (Mycenaean?) /Geometric-Byzantine. Fragments of pottery and obsidian blades, dating at the Mycenaean Period, might be indications of a religious use of the site at that period.

IDENTIFICATION

Based on inscriptions the sanctuary was dedicated to Demeter, Kore, Zeus Eubouleus, Baubo, Apollo (?). The hypostyle hall is served for the celebration of the mysteries.

FINDS

Inscriptions                    

Clay Vessels

The pottery found at the sanctuary is in a bad state of preservation and of small quantities. Pottery was also found in the ritual pits, as well as in the pits of the structures.

RECORDS

Excavation Date: 1954, 1976-1981, 1996-2000

Institution/Excavator: Greek Archeological Society/Kontoleon N., Lambrinoudakis V. K.

Excavation Type: Systematic

REFERENCES

Primary Publications:

• Gruben G. 1972. Naxos und Paros, AA, 1972: 323-324
• Gruben G. 1997. Naxos und Delos. Studien zur archaischen Architektur der Kykladen, JDAI 112, 1997: 261-416
• Gruben G. – Lambrinoudakis V. K. 2002. Naxos. Das Heiligtum von Gyroula bei Sangri, AW 33, 2002: 391-401
• Kontoleon N. 1950. Ἀνασκαφὴ ἐν Νάξῳ, Praktika, 1950: 280  
• Kontoleon N. 1951. Ἀνασκαφὴ ἐν Νάξῳ, Praktika, 1951: 223
• Kontoleon N. 1954. Νάξος, Ergon, 1954: 44-46, 337
• Kontoleon N. 1976. Ἀνασκαφὴ ἐν Νάξῳ, Praktika, 1976: 299-301
• Kontoleon 1977. Νάξος, Ergon, 1977: 156-161, 383-386
• Lambrinoudakis V. K.  1978. ἈνασκαφὴΝάξου, Praktika, 1978: 215-221  
•  Lambrinoudakis V. K.  1979. ἈνασκαφέςΝάξου, Praktika, 1979: 254-258  
• Lambrinoudakis V. K.  1980. ἈνασκαφὴΝάξου, Praktika, 1980: 382-386
• Lambrinoudakis V.K. 2001. Το αρχαíο ιερó του Γúρουλα στο Σαγκρí Νάξο, Ναξος. Το αρχαíο ιερó του Γúρουλα στο Σαγκρí, Υπουργεíο Αιγαíου, Πανεπιστήμιο Αθηνών, Athènes, 2001: 7-13
• Simantoni-Bournia E. 2001. Η κεραμεική και τα μικρά ευρήματα απó το ιερó του Γúρουλα Σαγκρíου Νάξου, Ναξος. Το αρχαíο ιερó του Γúρουλα στο Σαγκρí, Υπουργεíο Αιγαíου, Πανεπιστήμιο Αθηνών, Athènes, 2001:27-31

Secondary Publications:

• Gounaris A. 2005. Cult places in the Cyclades during the Protogeometric and Geometric periods : their contribution in interpreting the rise of the Cycladic poleis, Yeroulanou M. – Stamatopoulou M. (eds), Architecture and Archaeology in the Cyclades, papers in honour of J.J.Coulton, BAR 2005: 55, n^o96
• Gruben G. 1986. Die Tempel der Griechen, München, Himmer Verlag, 1986: 340
• Gruben G. 1989. Das älteste marmorne Volutenkapitell, MDAI, 39, 1989: 161-172
• Gruben G. 1991. Anfänge des Monumentalbaus auf Naxos, A. Hoffmann (eds), Bautechnick der Antike : internationales Kolloquium in Berlin vom 15-17. Februar 1990, DiskAB, 5, Mainz, 1991: 63-71
• Gruben G. 1996. Griechische Un-ordnungen, E. L. Schwandner (eds), Säule und Gebälk. Zu Struktur und Wandlungsprozess griechisch-römischer Architektur, Berlin 16 bis 18 Juni 1994, Mainz, 1996: 61-77
• G. GRUBEN, Griechische Tempel und Heiligtümer, München, Hirmer Verlag, 2001, p. 366
• Hoepfner W. 2001.  Der Parische Lichtdom, AW, 2001: 496-506
• Ike K.- OtakiT 1998. Natural lighting Method of the Parthenon, London, 1998: 135-243  
• Lambrinoudakis V. K. 1997. Naxos. Yria, Sangri, Pyrgos Chimarrou . Presentation of the Archaeological Sites, Athènes, 1997
• Lambrinoudakis V.K. 2001. The emergence of the city-state of Naxos in the Aegean, M. Costanza Lentini (eds), The two Naxos Cities : a Fine Link between the Aegean sea and Sicily, 14-30 June 2001 University of Athens, 6-31 July Archaeological Museum of the Island of Naxos, Palerme, 2001: 13-22
• Mazarakis Ainian A. 1997. From rulers’ dwellings to temples. Architecture, religion and society in Early Iron Age Greece (1100-700 B.C.), Jonsered (Studies in Mediterranean Archaeology 122): 247
•  Ohnesorg A.1991. Herstellung und Bemalung von Marmordächern des 6 Jhs. v. Ch., A. Hoffmann (eds), Bautechnick der Antike : internationales Kolloquium in Berlin vom 15-17. Februar 1990, DiskAB, 5, Mainz, 1991: 172-177
• Ohnesorg A. 1993. Inselionische Marmordächer, DAA, 18, 2, Berlin, 1993, XVI
• Ohnesorg A  2005. Naxian and Parian architecture. General features and new discoveries, Yeroulanou M. – Stamatopoulou M. (eds), Architecture and Archaeology in the Cyclades, papers in honour of J.J.Coulton, BAR 2005: 138-141
• Philaniotou O. 2001. New evidence for the topography of Naxos in the Geometric period, in The two Naxos Cities : a Fine Link between the Aegean sea and Sicily, Ed. M. Costanza Lentini, 14-30 June 2001 University of Athens, 6-31 July Archaeological Museum of the Island of Naxos, Palerme, 2001: 90