CIRCE

Sanctuary of Hera?

Author of the notice : A. Mazarakis Ainian

Location

Place : Mesa Vouno Mt.

: Thera

: Santorini isl.

Notice linked to toponyme Santorini, Thera, Thira, Phira, Kallisti

Description

GENERAL

The ancient town of Thera lies on Mesa Vouno, at an altitude of 396 m., at the E coast of the island. An edifice lies at the entrance of the Sellada cemetery, which has been linked with the cult of Demeter.

MONUMENTS

150 m NW of the B city-gate a building was discovered that remained partly excavated. It is divided into two main parts, the west one and the east one (11x6.9 m). The west part is further divided into four sections and the east part possibly consists of a court. The door was opened at the S wall of the east section. Alongside the S wall of the east section was built a stone bench (h: 0.22 m, w: 0.50 m).

The building was equipped with a cistern and a drain. The cistern (1.80x1.40 m) was found in one of the rooms of the west section. The walls and the bottom of the drain were covered with hydraulic plaster.

MOVABLE FINDS: VOTIVE OFFERINGS & CULT EQUIPMENT

Among the finds, clay vessels, jewellery (faience beads, bronze jewels), clay plaques, clay figurines of pigs. The vast majority of the clay vessels constitute miniature vessels (including aryballoi, oinochoe, drinking pots, plates, pyxides). A small amount of coarse-ware vessels, mainly hydriae, has been also found.

Animal bones (mainly of pigs) and ostrich egg-shells have been also noted.

CHRONOLOGY

The material from the building dates from the Late Geometric Period (8th c. BC) until the Archaic Period (6th c. BC).

IDENTIFICATION

The association with the cult of Hera is based on the presence of a graffito on a vase (personal communication by M. Eustathiou, August 2013).

RECORDS

Excavation Date: 1904, 1997-1998

Institution/Excavator: H. Von Gaertringen, Greek Archaeological Service/Efstathiou M.

Excavation Type: Survey

REFERENCES

Primary Publications:

Efstathiou, M. 1998. Θήρα. Αρχαία Θήρα. Κτήριο Σελλάδας, ArchDelt, 53, Chr.B'3: 805-808

Von Gaertringen, H. - Wilski, P. 1904. Τhera III: Thera: Untersuchungen, Vermessungen und Ausgrabungen id den Jahren 1895-1902. Stadtgeschichte von Thera, Berlin, 2

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, M. Yeroulanou - M. Stamatopoulou (eds), Architecture and Archaeology in the Cyclades. Papers in honour of J. J. Coulton, Oxford, 60

Mermoz, J. 2010. La vie religieuse des Cyclades de l’HR IIIC à la fin de la période archaïque, Lyon, PhD Thesis, 393

GENERAL
The ancient town of Thera lies on Mesa Vouno, at an altitude of 396 m., at the E coast of the island. An edifice lies at the entrance of the Sellada cemetery, which has been linked with the cult of Demeter.
MONUMENTS
150 m NW of the B city-gate a building was discovered that remained partly excavated. It is divided into two main parts, the west one and the east one (11x6.9 m). The west part is further divided into four sections and the east part possibly consists of a court. The door was opened at the S wall of the east section. Alongside the S wall of the east section was built a stone bench (h: 0.22 m, w: 0.50 m).
 
The building was equipped with a cistern and a drain. The cistern (1.80x1.40 m) was found in one of the rooms of the west section. The walls and the bottom of the drain were covered with hydraulic plaster.
 
MOVABLE FINDS: VOTIVE OFFERINGS & CULT EQUIPMENT
Among the finds, clay vessels, jewellery (faience beads, bronze jewels), clay plaques, clay figurines of pigs. The vast majority of the clay vessels constitute miniature vessels (including aryballoi, oinochoe, drinking pots, plates, pyxides). A small amount of coarse-ware vessels, mainly hydriae, has been also found.
 
Animal bones (mainly of pigs) and ostrich egg-shells have been also noted.
 
CHRONOLOGY
The material from the building dates from the Late Geometric Period (8th c. BC) until the Archaic Period (6th c. BC).
 
IDENTIFICATION
The association with the cult of Hera is based on the presence of a graffito on a vase (personal communication by M. Eustathiou, August 2013).
 
 
RECORDS
Excavation Date: 1904, 1997-1998
 
Institution/Excavator: H. Von Gaertringen, Greek Archaeological Service/Efstathiou M.
 
Excavation Type: Survey
 
 
REFERENCES
Primary Publications:
Efstathiou, M. 1998. Θήρα. Αρχαία Θήρα. Κτήριο Σελλάδας, ArchDelt, 53, Chr.B'3: 805-808
Von Gaertringen, H. - Wilski, P. 1904. Τhera III: Thera: Untersuchungen, Vermessungen und Ausgrabungen id den Jahren 1895-1902. Stadtgeschichte von Thera, Berlin, 2
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, M. Yeroulanou - M. Stamatopoulou (eds), Architecture and Archaeology in the Cyclades. Papers in honour of J. J. Coulton, Oxford, 60 
Mermoz, J. 2010. La vie religieuse des Cyclades de l’HR IIIC à la fin de la période archaïque, Lyon, PhD Thesis, 393

Fig. 1: View of Thera (Mesa Vouno) (A. Vlachopoulos, Athens 2005, p. ..., fig. ... )

Fig. 2: Plan of ancient Thera

Fig. 3: Plan of the Heraion (M. Efstathiou, ArchDelt, 53, 1998, Chr.B3, 806, plan 4)

Fig. 4: View of main room of architectural complex (A. Mazarakis Ainian, Aug. 2013)

Fig. 5: View of secondary spaces - towards Kamari (Mazarakis Ainian, Aug. 2013)

Fig. 6: General view (A. Mazarakis Ainian, Aug. 2013)

Investigation :
No data

Reference :
No data

Monuments	dedicace	cultual law	decreet	insc. honorific	other	Ref
No data found

Finds	dedicace	cultual law	decreet	insc. honorific	other	Ref
No data found