Aetopetra (Corinth)

View from the motorway rest area near Assos at Ethniki Odos 8a to the archaeological site of Aetopetra.

Sphinx of Aetopetra.

Aetopetra ( Greek Αετόπετρα = Adlerfelsen ) is an archaeological site on the same plateau in the Corinthia in Greece . The plateau has a size of 225 × 100 m and is about 3.5 km west of the Temple of Apollo at Corinth . The prehistoric finds range from the Neolithic to the Mycenaean period . From the Early Helladic Period (FH III, 2200 BC) to the Mycenaean period, the place was continuously inhabited. Further finds come from the Archaic , Roman and early Christian times.

description

Aetopetra was of strategic importance because it gave a good view of the northern plain and the ancient road that led north of the 58 m high hill from Corinth to Sicyon . In addition, according to Bernhard Steffen, the Mycenaean Road to Kleonai ran in the gorge to the west below .

Carl Blegen already reported on Early, Middle and Late Helladic pottery shards and foundations of houses on the Aetopetra. Excavations were carried out in the summer of 1978 and 1979. Here one found houses from the early and middle Helladic times. Early Helladic shards were found in a Bothros . A child's burial in a pithos was discovered under the floor of a Middle Helladic house . Further investigation revealed a marble sphinx dating from around 575 BC. BC and probably crowned a grave column. Roman shards were found in the north and east. A Roman millstone and an early Christian tombstone were also found.

Mavrospelies

To the west on the other side of the gorge at the place where it was found Mavrospelies ( Greek Μαυροσπηλιές = black caves ) was a quarry for Oolithic limestone in ancient times . An early Geometric burial with a monolithic sarcophagus and three vessels was found in one of the numerous caves .

literature

• Carl W. Blegen: Corinth in Prehistoric Times in American Journal of Archeology , Volume 24, No. 1, 1920, pp. 3-4 ( online )
• Catherine Morgan : The Late Bronze Age Settlement and Early Iron Age Sanctuary. ( Isthmia Volume 8), New Jersey 1999, ISBN 978-0876619384 , pp. 354, 397, 470
• Richard M. Rothaus: Corinth: The First City of Greece: An Urban History of Late Antique Cult and Religion , 2000, ISBN 978-9004109223 , p. 151 ( online )

Web links

Commons : Aetopetra  - collection of images, videos and audio files

• Aetopetra
• The twin Kouroi to be presented to the public

Coordinates: 37 ° 54 ′ 19.9 ″  N , 22 ° 50 ′ 18.3 ″  E