Mycenaean sanctuary of Methana
Coordinates: 37 ° 35 ′ 36.1 ″ N , 23 ° 24 ′ 5.6 ″ E
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The Mycenaean Sanctuary of Methana or Mycenaean Sanctuary of Agios Konstantinos was discovered in 1990 next to the chapel Agii Konstantinos ke Eleni on the Greek volcanic peninsula Methana . The sanctuary dates from the Mycenaean period from the 14th to the 13th centuries BC. Based on the votive offerings found, it is assumed that Poseidon or another sea deity was worshiped there. The Calavrian Amphictyony could ultimately go back to this sanctuary. The finds that were found here during archaeological excavations can be viewed in the Archaeological Museum of Piraeus and in the museum on the island of Poros .
description
The archaeological site is located in the east of the peninsula at 114 m altitude, 300 m from the coast and about 1.5 km north of the city of Methana . From this exposed point you have a good view of the east of the Saronic Gulf with the islands of Aegina , Agios Georgios and Poros and South Attica . The site was excavated from 1990 to 2000 by the Greek Archaeological Service under the direction of Greek archaeologist Eleni Konsolaki-Giannopoulou . The excavated area is mainly north and west of the modern church of Agii Konstantinos ke Eleni .
Room A, the main room of the sanctuary, is located in the south-west corner of the church. It has a size of 4.30 mx 2.60 m and the access was in the northern part of the east wall. There was a small stove in the southeast corner. Food offerings were presumably placed on a low protrusion on the south wall about 3 m long, which spread from east to west from 0.40 m to 0.70 m. A stepped stone bench 1.80 m long was discovered in the northwest corner. Clay figures, 8 kyliken and a large conch were placed on it. Parts of a stone cult horn were also found. The floor was made of tamped clay. In the middle of the room there was a roughly square low platform made of stone slabs with an edge length of about 0.90 m. To the southwest of it, the upper part of a large jug was set into the floor with the opening facing downwards. This was used to offer libations, as other related finds, such as a pig's head hyton , show.
The two rooms B and C to the north of room A belonged to this sanctuary. The east wall and thus also the entrance to room B in the east were destroyed by the construction of the church. In the north-west corner there was a stove and a tripod with a kettle . Meal offerings were presumably prepared here, which were eaten in the inner courtyard to the east. This inner courtyard is largely built over by the church. It was only partially exposed to the south of the church, where a kylix and another tripod with a kettle were found. The north adjoining room C had two entrances: one in the east to the central courtyard and one in the north, which was later walled up. The ground consisted of rough stones and in the south a small stone box grave was built into the ground. A child was buried here and a fetus further up. The grave dates to the Late Helladic Period III A2 - B1. So it was at the same time as the sanctuary. Ceramics, two bronze rings, a few beads made of different materials and a miniature stone ax were found as grave goods. To the south of room A is room D. This served as a workshop, for example to repair ceramic vessels with lead clips. In fact, molten lead was discovered in the double room Ia + Ib to the west.
To the north of room C was the small inner courtyard F. On its south wall in front of the walled-up entrance to room C there was a low bench. West of the bank was a stone set in the earth with a conical hollow. The stone was drilled horizontally so that liquid that was given as a libation in the hollow could seep into the ground. In addition, a libation vessel and parts of two psi figures and a phi figure were found in courtyard F. In the west there was access to room O and in the east to room G. Room O only served as a storage room. Room G, on the other hand, had the shape of a megaron , was 7.30 m long and 5 m wide. The 1.30 m wide entrance from the inner courtyard was in the middle of the wall and lay in a line with two wooden pillars that supported the roof, as can be seen from the stone plinths that have been preserved. To the east of the north wall, two steps led to a second entrance, which was later walled up. There was a stove in the middle. However, this was destroyed when the column was moved right next to the stove. Presumably the original column had become dilapidated and was replaced. The base of the column rested in a hole that was made in the rock under the stove. Kyliken, a proto-phi figure and a lenticular seal depicting a bull were found in this hole . There was a second stove in the northwest, probably replacing the first. There was a base on the south wall, which is now mostly under the church. A ceremonial throne probably stood here. Parts of a Phi-B figure and animal figures were on a flat bank in the northeast. Here a hollow, which was probably intended for libations, was carved in the rock. Very few items were found on the floor of Building G. According to Eleni Konsolaki-Giannopoulou, Building G was a shrine to a female deity who was only worshiped seasonally. It shared with the sanctuary in room A, in which a male deity was worshiped, the inner courtyard, which was built over by the church. In today's church, too, Constantine the Great and his mother Helena are venerated as male and female saints.
In complex Y, to the east of room G, fabrics were made, as shown by the weaving weights found here . To the north of room G was building W that was separated from it by a street. Here you could only find simple pottery, which is why it was classified as a warehouse. In the west of the excavation site there is a building complex with a large inner courtyard K. Room E could be reached via room J, which was connected to the inner courtyard. It was paved with stone slabs. In the middle there was a round base for a wooden pillar that supported the roof. Shards of a larnax were scattered throughout the room . The tub-shaped ceramic vessel was probably used for cleaning before religious activities were performed. Room H, which joins room A in the east, was connected to room E in the north via a door. Later, however, this was walled up. Here, leftover food, utility and fine ceramics were found mainly from SH III B. Two fragments of Vaphio cups from SH II were found in a layer directly above the rock . A plaster-coated rectangular limestone measuring 9.5 cm by 5 was remarkable cm with a thickness of 2 cm with painting. Red ribbons have been preserved on the narrow side. An eight-shaped shield is depicted on the front in an oval area bordered with double lines. A standing female figure is shown next to it. All other rooms, which were grouped around the inner courtyard, served practical purposes, such as storage and food preparation. The inner courtyard was used as a burial place in Christian times.
Building Z, a large megaron, stood 11 meters north of Building W. The walls are 18 m long and 0.80 m high. You entered the building from the west. There was a central pillar in front of the entrance. A threshold was found at the entrance to the vestibule and the main room. There was a stone bench to the northeast of the vestibule. A stone made of andesite was also found in the anteroom, the surface of which was embedded in 5 circular hollows, a so-called kernos . In the middle of the main room, which was 6.5 m long and 4.50 m wide, there was a rectangular stove made of stone slabs. On this lay remains of food, ashes and saucepans. The pillars that supported the roof once rested on two round plinths next to the stove. There was a bank in the southeast corner. A room behind the main room had a ledge running around on three sides and was used for storage. The pottery found in the megaron dates from LH III A2 to LH III B1 Spät. The megaron was probably used for administrative purposes. The space around building Z remained undeveloped and offered space for ceremonies and religious and sporting events.
Sacrificial rites
Numerous animal bones were found in rooms A, B and C, indicating ritual sacrifice. In all three rooms together, bones from sheep and goats dominated with 60%. In room A alone, however, over 50% pork bones were found. In contrast to the other rooms, bones from young animals were found almost exclusively. In addition, all of the bones in Room A showed traces of burns. Presumably, complete young animals were brought into room A and cut up there. Parts with little meat were immediately burned on the altar while the other parts had the meat cut off and the bones burned. The meat was used for ritual feeding in the courtyard to the east. In rooms B and C, food was only prepared without burning the bones.
In the sanctuary of Agios Konstantinos important evidence of libation sacrifices in Mycenaean times was found. Especially in the southwest corner of room A, where the upturned top of a jug was found. The various libations were poured into these. The found kyliken, rhytes, cups, alabastra and ladles were used for this purpose. The pig's head hyton is significant. It is of high quality and is one of the oldest Mycenaean rhytes (SH III B). It was probably used for the sacrifice of blood. To prevent clotting, the blood was mixed with wine or vinegar. Alabastra were often used for honey mixed with water or wine. A conch was also found, the tip of which had been carefully removed. In addition to the classic use as a signal horn, the archaeologist Eleni Konsolaki discusses an interpretation as a libation vessel.
history
Methana is of volcanic origin and signs of activity did not only appear in the 3rd century BC. At the historical volcano Kameno Vouno , but certainly also in the period around 1600–1200 BC. The tsunami waves of the eruption of the Santorini volcano around 1635 BC may also have been caused . BC (based on scientific dating) in the region of the Saronic Gulf. This is also indicated by the myths about King Saron or the punishment of Hippolytus by Poseidon. The thermal springs and the occurrence of valuable volcanic mineral salts in the vicinity of the sanctuary could also have been a reason to build a sanctuary right here on an extensive platform.
The oldest individual finds come from the Middle Helladic , so that it can be assumed that it was already in the first half of the 2nd millennium BC. BC there was a settlement here. However, the sanctuary was not opened until the second half of the 14th century BC. BC (SH III A2) and was built around 1200 BC. Chr. (SH III B2) abandoned. In Christian times the place served as a cemetery and in modern times the church of Agii Konstantinos ke Eleni was built.
Surroundings
The discovery of the sanctuary encouraged research into the Mycenaean culture in the Troizen region , including the discovery of several domed tombs near Galatas , in which the tomb of the mythical hero Theseus could have been. Other potential sites for Mycenaean remains on Methana are in particular the Acropolis Oga near the village of Kypseli, the area around the acropolis of ancient Methana and the mountain area of the peninsula. Most of the superficially recognizable potential sites have not yet been extensively researched.
literature
- Eleni Konsolaki : A Mycenaean sanctuary on Methana . In: Peloponnesian sanctuaries and cults. Proceedings of the Ninth International Symposium at the Swedish Institute at Athens, June 11-13, 1994. Stockholm 2002. pp. 25-36.
- Eleni Konsolaki: New evidence for the practice of libations in the Aegean bronze age . In: Aegaeum 22 (2001) pp. 213-220. PDF
Web links
Individual evidence
- ^ A b Eleni Konsolaki: New evidence for the practice of libations in the Aegean bronze age . In: Aegaeum 22 (2001) p. 214.
- ↑ Μυκηναϊκό ιερό στα Μέθανα, in Αρχαιολογία και Τέχνες, vol. 121 (August 2016)
- ↑ Yannis Hamilakis, Eleni Konsolaki: " Pigs for the Gods: burnt animal scarifices as embodied rituals at a Mycenaean sanctuary " in Oxford Journal of Archeology vol. 23 (2004) pp. 135-151