Sanctuary of Apollo and Artemis

Author of the notice : A. Mazarakis Ainian

Location

Place : Delos
: Delos
: Delos isl.
Notice linked to toponyme Delos, Délos, Dilos

Description

GENERAL

The sanctuary of Apollo is situated on a small plain behind the main port. The sanctuary, established on the site of a Mycenaean settlement, began to take its present form towards the 6th c. It consisted of a complex of various buildings, including temples (Artemision, temples of Apollo, Pythion, Temples Γ and G), altars, stoai, dining buildings and oikoi-treasures. The sanctuary also included the administrative buildings of the city (the Bouleuterion, the Prytaneion and the Ekklesiasterion), as well as buildings serving different functions, such as the Graphe, a picture gallery.

MONUMENTS

Propylaia

The Propylaia lie in the south-west corner of the sanctuary and were the main gate of the sanctuary. They are reached by a broad paved road, the Sacred Way. The Doric propylon of the 2nd c. was erected over an earlier propylon of the early 6th c., of which the remains constitute the lower courses of the side walls, made of Naxian marble. At the end of the 6th c. or in the early 5th c. the orientation of the walls of the archaic propylon was a bit changed, so as to be harmonized with the, already erected, Oikos of the Naxians.

Stoa of the Naxians

Forming the southwest corner of the Sanctuary of Apollo and in contact with the west wall of the Propylaia lies the Stoa of the Naxians. It consists of an L- shaped, one-aisled stoa with an Ionic colonnade, opening north and east. The north wall was shared with the Oikos of Andros.

Oikos of the Naxians

The Oikos of the Naxians, dedicated to Apollo by the Naxians stood immediately to the right, after passing through the Propylaia. The building is a rectangular, two-aisled hall with a central colonnade of 8 doric columns, opening onto a distyle in antis porch at the west end and onto a porch of 4 prostyle Ionic columns at the east end. The west was its main entrance. A second entrance was opened to the north wall of the building. The foundations were made of granite and the walls of granite and gneiss. The thresholds, lintels and pilasters, floor, and roof were all of Naxian marble. The marble floor and the east prostoon were later additions. The only equipment found inside the building was a marble basin which was connected with a drain. Two parallel rows of eight cavities in the rock were found below the pavement of the building. The cavities were set at equal distances to the north and south of the axial colonnade. These two rows have been interpreted as the remains of an earlier three-aisled building of the second half of the 7th c. (Pre-Oikos). It was also suggested that they served for holding the legs of a crane, used for erecting the columns of the axial colonnade (Kalpaxis, followed by Gruben).

Temple Γ

A building aligned along the north-south axis, conventionally named Temple Γ, stood a few meters in front of the east entrance to the Oikos of the Naxians. The monolithic threshold of the doorway lies at its north side. The walls might have been made of mud bricks.

The Poros Temple

The temple consisted of a cella opening west onto a distyle in antis pronaos (10,11 x 15,70 m). It was built of porous stone on a granite base. The amphiprostyle hexastyle Doric temple, which had in addition four pillars in antis stood in the middle of the row of the three temples. The interior of the cella (8,34 x 7,49 m) was occupied by a horseshoe-shaped base which supported the statues of seven divinities, whose identity is conjectural. It was built of pentelic marble. Many fragments of the antefixes were discovered, bearing sculpture decoration. The west central antefix depicted the abduction of Cephalus by Eos, while the east one the abduction of Orithyia by Boreas. The corner antefixes showed female figures, attending the scenes

The Great Temple

The third temple dedicated to Apollo was a Doric peripteral hexastyle edifice (6x13), the only peripteral temple on Delos. The Great Temple was never completed. Its columns were unfluted and their bases remained unsmoothed. The metopes were left plain and the architrave was decorated only with palm leaves and lion spouts.

Oikoi-Treasures

To the north and the east of the temples are five buildings arranged in a semicircle. Three of them have the form of a small temple in antis and the other two the form of a prostyle temple. They are mentioned as treasuries, used for the safekeeping of precious offerings of the poleis, but their actual purpose remains unknown.

Altars

A group of five altars lies southeast of the temples, in the area of the Bouleuterion and the Prytaneio,. The altars were dedicated to the patron deities of the city and the area, that they occupied, was separated from the rest of the sanctuary with a wall.

Artemision

The sanctuary of Artemis is located west of the temples of Apollo, on the other side of the Sacred Way. In the area of the sanctuary remains of three edifices, dating to the Mycenaean (Artemision Ac), the Archaic (Artemision E) and the Hellenistic periods (Artemision D) are visible. A square room lies over the remains of the Mycenaean structure which was incorporated to the Hellenistic temple (9,60 x 8,60 m). Its entrance is on the east. According to epigraphic evidence the building was provided with a prodomos. The foundations are made of gneiss. The foundations of an altar were discovered near the northeast corner of the temple. It is a Π-shaped structure, oriented to the south.

Pythion

The poros foundations of a large edifice, oriented to the south lie contiguous with the south face of the Artemision. It was divided into an almost square room and a pronaos (23,38x17,33 m). Fragments of the frieze and the sima were discovered. It has been identified as the Pythion, the temple of the Pythian Apollo.

Temple G

A rectangular edifice, with the entrance on the west, is scantly preserved north of the Keraton. A bench was attached to its east side. Under the foundations lies a Mycenaean structure. The peribolos, visible at the north, south and east of the building, is a later addition. The three temples of Apollo are situated north of Temple G. They are set side by side and oriented towards west. Today only their foundations are visible.

Keraton

At the southeast of Pythion lies the foundation in gneiss of a poorly preserved apsidal structure, usually identified as an altar. The podium was reached by two side staircases. In front of the altar, a paved yard of grey-blue marble was extended from the Propylaia to the Stoa of the Naxians. This structure is usually identified today with the Keraton, the building that housed an altar of the horns, constructed by Apollo, as mentioned in literary sources.

FINDS

Near the foundations of Temple Γ a few sherds, dating to the Mycenaean, Geometric and Hellenistic Period were found. The main bulk of the pottery found in the embankment of the Oikos of the Naxians, dates to the Archaic and Hellenistic periods. A small amount dates to the Mycenaean and Geometric periods. A bronze bull figurine of the 6th c. was also found also among the pottery. Against the north wall of the Oikos of the Naxians lies the huge rectangular marble base of the colossal statue of Apollo, the renowned Colossus of the Naxians, the remains of which can be seen today in the area of the Artemision. The statue (h: 9 m) represented Apollo in the characteristic posture of the Archaic period, naked, wearing a bronze belt and holding in one hand a bow and in the other an arrow, or a phiale. The treasures of the three temples of Apollo are recorded in epigraphic evidence, but unfortunately none of the mentioned votive offerings survived. On the contrary, from only a few votives, including sculpture fragments, a faience scaraboid of Egyptian type, faience pendants of Egyptian type, an ivory plaque, decorated with an incised animal motif, bronze fibulae of the so-called Attic-Boeotian type and a fragment of a gold pendantthe were collected from the area of the sanctuary.Inside the oikoi-treasures pottery was discovered. A deposit under the foundations of the Archaic Artemision contained Mycenaean, Late Protogeometric and Late Geometric material. None of the pieces were burnt, but they were found in a fragmentary condition. The Geometric material includes, apart from pottery, ivory plaques decorated with geometric motifs and a scarab of Agyptian type. In the area of the Artemision, offerings, including faience scaraboids, pendants of Egyptian type, ivory fibulae and bronze fibulae of the so-called Attic-Boeotian type, amber beads, as well as a fragment of a gold diadem were found. Many sculptures were also discovered in the area of the sanctuary, including the statue of the Naxian Nikandre. According to the inscription carved on the statue, it was dedicated by the Naxian Nikandre to Apollo. It probably represents Artemis.

CHRONOLOGY

The Propylaia date to the early 6th c., while the structure, visible today, belongs to the 2nd c. The Stoa of the Naxians dates to the late 6th c. The Oikos of the Naxians dates to the first quarter of the 6th c., while the east prostoon and the paved floor were added in 550 B.C. Today the existence of an earlier phase of the Oikos, before the 6th c., is much disputed. The colossal statue of Apollo dates to the late 6th c. or to the first quarter of the 6th c., based on stylistic elements. TempleΓ dates to the Geometric period, possibly to the 8th c. Temple G dates to the Archaic period. The peribolos was added in the 3rd c. The Poros Temple dates to the second half of the 6th c., erected either by the Athenian tyrant Peisistratos or by his successors, the Peisistratids. The temple of the Athenians dates to the last quarter of the 5th c. and it has been inaugurated probably in 417 BC by Nikias. The construction of the Great Temple begun in 475 B.C., but it was interrupted after the treasury was transferred to Athens in 454 BC. It restarted after 314 B.C., during the Independence, but the temple was never completed. The treasure, just to the north of the Poros Temple dates to the Archaic period, while the other four dates to the Classical Period. Of the three altars found at the southeast of the temples of Apollo, one dates to the Archaic Period (including the altar of Zeus Polieus and Athena Polias), one to the Classical Period (altar of Athena and Apollo Paion) and the last one to the Hellenistic period. A first temple of Artemis was built in the 7th c. B.C. on top of a Mycenaean edifice This temple was replaced in the 2d c. B.C. by a new one which incorporated it. The altar, found at the northeast corner of the temple, dates to the third quarter of the 6th c. The deposit under the east foundation of the temple dates mainly to the Mycenaean Period, while a few votives belong to the Protogeometric and Late Geometric Period. Nikandre was placed to ca. 650 B.C. The Pythion dates to the 4th c. The Keraton dates to the 5th c., while the paved yard is a 2nd c. addition.

IDENTIFICATION

The identification of the long building at the right of the Propylaia with the Oikos of the Naxians was mainly based to an inscription of the mid 4th c. (ID 104, 26). The question is whether the building always functioned as an oikos. It has been interpreted as the first temple of Apollo, or/and as a banqueting hall. According to its inscribed base the colossal statue represents Apollo. A 4th c. votive dedication was inscribed on the west side of the base. It reads: "The Naxians to Apollo". On the east side of the base, there is another inscription in archaic letters: "I am of the same stone statue and pedestal". Unfortunately the inscription is incomplete as the entire first line is missing and the remaining phrase is open to many interpretations. Temple G is considered to be a temple, based on its isolated position, its elongated plan and lastly on its huge threshold. The northernmost of the three temples, lied at the center of the sanctuary, is identified with the “Poros Temple” of the literary and epigraphic sources. The temple on the middle is identified with the “Temple of the Athenians” or the “Temple of the Seven Statues” of the literary and epigraphic sources. Lastly the third temple is identified with the “Great Temple”, as mentioned in the literary and epigraphic sources. The classical altar of Athena and Apollo Paion is identified by an inscription, found on the altar. The archaic altar of Zeus Polieus and Athena Polias is indicated by inscribed marble stones, found further east of the altar and at the southeast of the hellenistic Edifice of the Bulls. The edifice, north of the Keraton, is considered as a temple (Temple G) because of its plan and the presence of a bench. The identification of the successive edifices, over the Mycenaean structure, with the Artemision, is based on the descriptions given in literary and epigraphic sources. The edifice attached to the south of the Artemision is identified with the Pythion, according to epigraphic evidence. The apsidal structure-altar is identified with the Keraton, because of its central location at the sanctuary and mainly because the three temples of Apollo are oriented towards this structure.

RECORDS

Excavation Date: 1877-1880 (Temples of Apollo, Oikos of the Naxians), 1877-1879 (Keraton), 1909 (Oikos of the Naxians), 1928 (Artemision), 1940 (Temple Γ), 1946 (Artemision), 1948 (Temple Γ) Institution/Excavator: French School at Athens/Homolle Th., Dugas Ch. (Temples of Apollo, Oikos of the Naxians), Homolle Th. (Keraton), Gallet de Santerre, Tréheux J., Vallois R. (Artemision), Gallet de Santerre (Temple Γ) Excavation Type: Systematic

REFERENCES

Primary Publications:

Bruneau Ph., Fraisse Ph.2002. Le Monument à abside et la question de l'Autel de cornes, Délos XL, Paris Courbin P. 1980. L’Oikos des Naxiens, Délos XXXIII, Paris Courbin P. 1987. Le temple archaïque de Délos, BCH 111: 63-78 Courby F. 1931. Les temples d’Apollon, Délos XII, Paris Deonna W. 1938. Le mobilier délien, Délos XVIII.1, Paris, 66-69, 237, 257, 286, 290-292 Dugas Ch., Rhomaios C. 1934. Les vases préhelléniques et géométriques, Délos XV, Paris Fraisse Ph., Llinas Chr. 1995. Documents d'architecture hellénique et hellénistique, Délos XXXVI, Paris: 476-489 Gallet de Santerre H., Tréheux J, 1946. Rapport sur le dépôt égéen et géométrique de l'Artémision à Délos, BCH 71/72: 148-254 Hellmann M.-Chr., Fraisse Ph. 1979. Le Monument aux hexagones et le Portique des Naxiens, Délos XXXII, Paris, 85-124

Secondary Publications:

Bruneau Ph., Ducat J. (eds) 2005. Guide de Délos: Quatriéme édition, Paris Bruneau Ph. 1970. Recherches sur les cultes de Delos à l’epoque hellenistique et à l’epoque imperiale, Paris, 15-54, 115-125, 172-176 Coldstream J.N. 20052. Geometric Greece, 900-700 B.C., 215-216, 330 Courby F. 1921. Le sanctuaire d’Apollon délien, BCH 45: 174-241, 218 Étienne R. 1991. Espaces sacrificiels et autels déliens, Étienne R., Le Dinahet Marie-Thérèse (eds), L’espace sacrificiel dans les civilisations méditerranéennes de l’antiquité: actes du colloque tenu à la Maison de l’Orient, Lyon, 4-7 juin 1988, Lyon/Paris, 75-84 Ekschmitt W. 1993. Die Kykladen. Bronzezeit, Geometrische und Archaische Zeit, Mainz am Rhein, 239-240, 245-253 Étienne R. 2007. Histoire des éspaces civiques Déliens, Σημαντώνη Μπουρνιά Ε., Λαιμού Α. Α., Μενδώνη Γ. Λ., Κούρου Ν. (eds), Αμύμονα έργα: τιμητικός τόμος για τον καθηγητή Βασίλη Κ. Λαμπρινουδάκη, Athens, 319-335 Étienne R., Braun P. 2007. Autels de Délos et autels ioniens, AA 2007, no 1: 4-28 Gallet de Santerre H., Tréheux J. 1947-1948. Rapport sur le dépôt égéen et géométrique de l'Artémision à Délos, BCH 71-72: 148-254 Gallet de Santerre H. 1958. Délos primitive et archaïque, Paris, 89-100, 239-257, 268 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, Oxford, 46, 55, n° 13, 60, 64 Gruben G. 1993. Die Inselionische Ordnung, Courtils J., Moretti Ch. (eds), Les grands ateliers d’architecture dans le monde égéen du Vi siècle av. J.-C. : actes du colloque d’Istanbul, 23-25 mai 1991, Istanbul / Paris, 97-109 Gruben G. 1997. Naxos und Delos: Studien zur archaischen Architektur der Kykladen, Jdl 112: 261-416 Jockey Ph. 1996. Le sanctuaire de Délos à l’époque archaïque. Bilan historiographique et bibliographique, TOPOI 6: 159-197 Kalpaxis A. 1990. Naxier Oikos und andere Baugerüste, AA 1990: 149-153 Lambrinoudakis V. 2005. A new early archaic building on Naxos. Some thoughts on the Oikos of the Naxians on Delos, Yeroulanou M., Stamatopoulou M. (eds), Architecture and Archaeology in the Cyclades. Papers in honour of J. J. Coulton, Oxford, 79-86 Ohnesorg A. 1993. Architektur auf Naxos und Paros. Inselionische Marmordächer, Berlin/New York, 59-62 Mazarakis Ainian A. 1997. From Ruler’s Dwellings to Temples. Architecture, Religion and Society in Early Iron Age Greece. SIMA ,121, Jonsered (Studies in Mediterranean Archaeology 122), 179-183, 329 Picard Ch, Replat J. 1924. Recherches sur la topographie du Hiéron délien, BCH 48: 217-263 Rolley Cl. 1973. Bronzes géométriques et orientaux à Délos, ÉD, BCH Suppl. I: 492-495, 508-511, 517-520 Roux G. 1979. Le vrai temple d'Apollon à Délos, BCH 103: 109-135 Syriopoulos G. T. 1984. Εισαγωγὴ εις την αρχαìαν ελληνικὴν ιστορíαν. Οι Μεταβατικοì Χρóνοι 1200-700, Athens, Vol. B, 332, 803 Schuller M. 1985. Die dorische Architektur der Kykladen in spätarchaischer Zeit, JDAI 100: 340-347 TsakosK. 1999. Παρατηρήσεις και προβληματισμοί πάνω στον τρόπο αντιμετώπισης της Δηλιακής τοπογραφίας, Σταμπολίδης Ν. Χρ. (ed), Φως Κυκλαδικόν – τιμητικός τόμος στη μνήμη του Νίκου Ζαφειρόπουλου, Athens, 178-189 Vallois R. 1924. Topographie délienne I, BCH 48: 411-445 Vallois R. 1944. L'architecture hellénique et hellénistique à Délos jusqu'à l'éviction des Déliens (166 av. J.-C) I : Les monuments, Paris, 7-10, 14-18, 20-22, 24-33, 45-46, 48, 50, 57-61, 102, 109-116, 118, 130, 136-137, 151, 238-242, 248-250, 262-263, 402-403 Vanschoonwinkel J. 1991. L’Egée et la méditerranée orientale à la fin du IIe millénaire, témoignages archéologiques et sources écrites, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgique, Art and Archaeology Publications, 147-149

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