The Sanctuary of Poseidon, Poros

 

 

The Sanctuary of Poseidon in Poros is at the top of the hill. We drove through dense pine woods

until we eventually reached Kalaureia, 200m above sea level.

 

According to archaeological finds the earliest use of the site goes back to the Early Bronze Age and continued without interruption throughout antiquity. The sanctuary was dedicated to the worship of Poseidon, but there is also evidence of a multi-faceted cult activity including the worship of minor deities and local heroes.

 

    

 

The temple of Poseidon was most likely erected towards the end of the 6th century BC.

All that is preserved today are the foundation trenches and the wall surrounding the structure. It was a temple of the Doric order with six standard columns on the front and twelve on the long sides.

 
In order to avoid capture by Antipatros of Macedonia, the Athenian orator and statesperson Demosthenes sought refuge in the sanctuary and this is where he committed suicide in 322 BC.

This olive tree is in the photographs of the earliest excavations so it must be at least 150 years old

magnificent gnarled old tree trunk.

 

 

 



The pine trees on the site are of an almost luminous green

looking closer

on the edge of the site this green oasis gave us welcome shelter from the burning sun

 

and affords great views

 



 

 

 

that are breathtaking

 

 

 

 

the ancients really did know how to choose spectacular locations for their temples and sanctuaries

 

 

 

this one reminded me of the temple of Apollo at Delphi, another site that has been built in spectacular countryside.

On the dry, parched ground a lone cyclamen was blooming - out of season, and a triumph against  harsh conditions

 

lots of these roots? bulbs? on the ground. I do not know what they are.

 



 

 

 

We made a sudden stop while driving down the hill as we saw this church



 

 

 

it's the church of St Eustathios and one of our party was named Eustathios, or Stathis as we call him

 

and he wanted to have a look.

 



 

 

Then it was time to take the ferry to the mainland - a five-minute journey.

Delphi Archaeological Museum

 

 

Delphi Archaeological Museum, Delphi.

 

The museum houses the discoveries made at the sanctuary in Delphi which date from the prehistoric period through to late Antiquity. Its centrepieces are the antiquities found on the site of the ancient Oracle of Delphi which include offerings to the oracle and architectural parts of the buildings.

 

 

 



 

The Charioteer

 

This is probably the work of Pythagoras from Samos. According to written sources, Pythagoras sought symmetry and precise rendering of details. It's a masterpiece of the Severe Style that marked the transition from the archaic to the classical period (480-460 BC). Plain and austere, it mirrors the athlete's morals.

 



 

 

 

 

Charioteers who participated in the PanHellenic games were youth of noble origins, and such a youth was the Charioteer of Delphi, who wears the typical sleeved tunic, long down to his ankles. The deep vertical pleats of the chiton resemble the flutes of a column, as opposed to the curvilinear pleats of the upper torso, which dissolve any impression of stiffness or rigidity. His head is slightly turned to the viewer's left and his long fingers are wrapped around the reins and probably the goad.

 

 

 

 

 

looking closer

 

 

The Charioteer formed part of a larger bronze composition, representing a quadriga. Two hind horse legs, a tail, pieces from the yoke and a youth's arm with remains of reins were found beside the statue. Four horses would drag a chariot driven by the Charioteer. Either one or two boys would flank it, holding the outer horses' reins. The race is over and the victorious Charioteer, wearing the champion's headband, parades before the applauding spectators.

 

 

Antinoos,

a youth of great beauty from Bithynia, beloved companion of the Emperor Hadrian. Antinoos had barely reached adulthood when he drowned in the Nile. He was thereafter whorshipped as a demigod in many parts of the Eastern Empire by order of the emperor. One of the many statues of the youth was erected in the sanctuary at Delphi.

The work is representative of classicism at the time of the Emperor Hadrian (117-138 AD). With its heroic-divine nudity, the statue follows the stylistic traditions of the 5th and 4th BC artists.

looking closer

The Melancholy Roman

The Theatre Frieze.

 

Panels from the frieze relief which decorated the proscenium of the theatre at Delphi, depicting scenes from the Labours of Heracles

looking closer

 

 

 



Sleeping Eros

The tiny Eros has fallen asleep on a rock. Statue from the sculpted decoration of a fountain, early 2nd century BC.

 

 

 

 

Marble statue of a smiling girl. The head has been separately applied on the body. Early Hellenistic period (early 3rd century BC)

 

 

 

 

 

The marble omphalos was found in the area to the northeast of the temple of Apollo: a Hellenistic or Roman copy of the omphalos that used to stand in the adyton, where the prophetic responses were given via the Pythia. (you can find out more about this here )

The column of the 'dancers'

Aghias, son of Aknonios

 

 

 

Torso of a running woman which has been identified as the end of a building in the sanctuary of Athena Proneac circa 470 BC.

 

 

 

 

The 'twins' of Argos

The two identical statues are the oldest monumental votive offerings at Delphi and one of the earliest examples of large-scale archaic sculpture.

 

 

The Sphinx

 

A votive offering from the island of Naxos in the Cyclades.

 

 

An assembly of gods which was part of a frieze.

 

 

The Oldest Embrace in the world

The remains of a couple in their twenties, in a tight embrace, have been found in the cave in Diros, Mani, in the Peloponnese in Greece. 'There is no doubt that it's an embrace', said Dr George Papathanasopoulos, the archaeologist in charge of the excavations. 'One arm is under the body while the other is above, and their legs are intertwined'. The couple are believed to have been buried together. Analysis has revealed that the bones date back to around 3,800 BC.

The cavern is known as Alepotrypa (Foxhole) and was found in the 1950s. During the 1970s archaeologists, led by Dr Giorgos Papathanasopoulos, began excavating the site. They believe that hundreds of people lived inside Alepotrypa using it as a shelter, place of worship and burial ground. Over the years hundreds of finds have been excavated which resulted in the establishment of a museum on the site. Experts believe that hundreds of people lived inside Alepotrypa before the entrance collapsed 5,000 years ago, burying everyone alive.  Diros is one of the most significant Neolithic sites in Europe.





Next to Alepotrypa is another cave, this one with water, which is full of stalagmites and stalactites.

We visited Diros 15 years ago, as guests of Dr Papathanasopoulos who is a family friend. We had guided tours of Alepotrypa, the museum, and then, in a boat, had a tour of the second cave with the stalagmites and stalactites. My sister and I donated our father's library, who was also an archaeologist, to the Diros museum, so reading about this find has a further, personal interest for me.


Source:

Alimos Online

A stroll around the archaeological park in Athens

 

 

This was our last wander around Athens for the summer, and we chose to walk around the periphery of the archaeological park as it's a nice walk and most of it is pedestrianized. We discovered this little street near the Acropolis museum which reminded of us of old Athens - small houses and not a single apartment building in sight.

 

 

 

This street will look wonderful in winter when the seville orange trees have fruit.

 

A lovely big old door

 



 

 

 

Lots of cafes and restaurants have sprung up around the Acropolis museum

 



 

 

 

Dionyssou Aeropagitou Avenue which is pedestrianized, with the Acropolis on the right, the museum on the left, is very pleasant

 

 

 



 

 

A modern residence built by Periklis Sakelarios and Rodopi Dragona

 

 

 



a closer look at the majestic entrance and those wonderful steps - no wonder people want to sit on them or climb and play

 

We took a detour to Kalisperi Street, to have a look at this Art Nouveau building that houses the Ilia Lalaounis jewellery museum

 

 

 

 



 

a closer look






 intricate iron door

still on Kallisperi Street

 

 

Back on Dionyssou Aeropagitou, one of the most exclusive post codes in the city

 

 

 

with wonderful houses

 

where balcony railings get adapted to accommodate amphorae

 



 

 

 

very imposing houses in different styles

 



 

 

The Roman theatre of Irodou Attikou on our left - the Athens Festival is still going strong

 



 

 

 

More antiquities once we reached Apostolou Pavlou Avenue, the Stenopos Kollytos area. This is the remains of one of the houses that had a central court with a mosaic floor

 

 

 

a closer look at the mosaics

 

 

 

Further down the avenue we came to the Sanctuary of Pan. A rock-cut, underground chamber, accessible through a door-shaped opening chiselled directly on the bedrock, was revealed after excavations. On the north wall is a relief, chiselled directly on the bedrock, presenting Pan, a nymph and a dog.

 

 

 



 

It's a pleasant walk

 

the Acropolis on the right

 



 

 

 

 

A bit further down we came upon the Observatory and the church of St Marina

a better look at the church, built in 1927 and originally designed by Ernest Ziller

 

 

Next to the newer church is the Byzantine chapel of St Marina: inside the chapel are six superimposed wall-paintings dating from the 13th through to the 18th century.

 

 

Nearer Thisio the area is filled with cafes and restaurants

 

 

and stalls selling various merchandise 

 

 

 

 

 

this one sells plaques with copies of old posters



 

 

 

 

some with a postmodern twist

 

 

 

lots of people wander round here



 

 

 

browsing

 

sometimes buying



 

 

 

always fun

we then turned into Adrianou Street, ready for lunch at Kuzina

and the crowds that mill around have to make way for the little train that takes people around the sights.