Sanctuary of Aphrodite

GENERAL

The ancient town of Thera lies on Mesa Vouno, at an altitude of 396 m., in the E coast of the island. 50 m NW of the Byzantine city-gate a sanctuary dedicated to Aphrodite was discovered.

MONUMENTS

The sanctuary comprises 2 units that communicate with a gate (width of the opening: 1.05 m). The northernmost unit has a EW orientation, with 7.25 m × 2.87 m dimensions. The southernmost unit has the following dimensions: 3.50 m × 3.50 m. Walls are made of limestone on schist socle.

Near the edifice stands a large stone, which bears an inscription, unidentified as yet (IG XII, 3.1615). It may refer to one of the aspects of the worshipped goddess.

MOVABLE FINDS: VOTIVE OFFERINGS & CULT EQUIPMENT

Over 100 vessels have been found. Some of them are of local workshop, but the main bulk of the pottery is imported (Attica, Corinth, Euboea, Argos, islands of Cyclades, Crete, Rhodes and East Greece, Cyprus).

Apart from the clay vessels have been discovered almost 400 small finds, including jewellery (glass beads, bone pins, silver and bronze finger rings, bronze fibulae and pins), scarabs (2 silver finger rings with scarabs), iron spearheads, iron knifes and loom weights (1 was decorated with Geometric motifs). In the sanctuary have been also found figurines, including 2 limestone female figurines, one daedalic figurine of poros holding a baby (kourotrophos), a stone animal figurine, 3 clay human figurines and 2 figurines that represent animals (bull and horse).

Animal bones (not burnt) and molusks have been also noted.

CHRONOLOGY

The sanctuary was in use from the late 8th c. BC until the Roman period. During the Roman period (end of 1st c. BC/beginning of 2nd c. BC) it was renovated.

IDENTIFICATION

When the edifice was first uncovered, it was identified as a grave (“Schiff grave”). During the archaeological research of the late 20th c., new evidence came to light suggesting that the building was a sanctuary of Aphrodite. The cult of the goddess is attested by an inscribed dedication on a cup dated to the middle 6th c. BC, as well as by the character of the votives.

RECORDS

Excavation Date: 1900, 1996, 1998

Institution/Excavator: A. Schiff (1900), Greek Archaeological Service/Sigalas Ch. I.

Excavation Type: Systematic

REFERENCES

Primary Publications:

● Dragendorff, H.1903. Τhera II. Untersuchungen, Vermessungen und Ausgrabungen id den Jahren 1895-1902. Theräische Gräber, Berlin, 291-322

● Sigalas, Ch. I. 1998. Θήρα. ΑρχαíαΘήρα. Ιερó Αφροδíτης, ArchDelt, 53, B'3: 808-809

● Sigalas, Ch. I. 2000. Un sanctuaire d’Aphrodite a Théra, Kernos, 13: 241-245

● Sigalas, Ch. I. 2002. Αγαλμάτια δαιδαλικών χρόνων από τη Θήρα, Αρχαία Ελληνική Γλυπτική, Αφιέρωμα στη μνήμη του γλύπτη Στέλιου Τριάντη, Athens. 31

SecondaryPublications:

● 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, 389-390