Apotropaia and Phylakteria. Confronting Evil in Ancient Greece, Oxford Archaeopress., 2024
This paper discusses the meaning of two clay roundels with gorgoneion depictions found in a found... more This paper discusses the meaning of two clay roundels with gorgoneion depictions found in a foundation deposit in the sanctuary of Artemis Limnatis in ancient Messene. And, while the gorgoneion undoubtedly possesses meaning as an apotropaic symbol, it seems that in sacred contexts, it also marks the transition from childhood to adulthood and would be considered an appropriate votive offering to deities who symbolized this transition. The artefacts will be reviewed here within their archaeological contexts in order to best understand their use, function and social value.
The miniature pottery from the sanctuaries in ancient Messene in the Peloponnese will be presente... more The miniature pottery from the sanctuaries in ancient Messene in the Peloponnese will be presented and discussed in the paper in order to reveal the use of miniature pottery as appropriate to specific rituals and, possibly, to specific cults. The assemblage from the sanctuary of Demeter on the Mount Ithome in Messene prompted the study of the context, in which miniature pottery can be generally found, and, consequently, its use and significance as regards ritual praxis. I argue that the presence of miniature pottery seems to constitute a characteristic feature of specific rituals and cult practices within a sacral, as well as a profane context. It seems they were made specifically for ritual use.
This short paper presents the results of an archaeological investigation undertaken in 2016 by Wa... more This short paper presents the results of an archaeological investigation undertaken in 2016 by Wardell Armstrong on land at Fitz Park, near Cockermouth, Cumbria. The work revealed evidence of an Iron Age oval enclosure overlain by a Romano-British field system. This paper takes into account and briefly summarises for the first time the unpublished investigations in the wider area around Derventio Roman fort and the Romano-British civilian settlement revealed through excavation during 2010-2014.
A. Haug – A. Müller (eds.), Hellenistic Architecture and Human Action. A Case of Reciprocal Influence, 2020
Shortly after the founding of Messene in 369 BCE, the sanctuary of Artemis Limnatis was establish... more Shortly after the founding of Messene in 369 BCE, the sanctuary of Artemis Limnatis was established on the south-eastern flank of Mount Ithome on a prominent rock spur. Based on the latest results of research carried out in the sanctuary, the article outlines the topography within the sanctuary and obtains a fresh look at how the different buildings were situated in the temenos and integrated into the natural landscape. Key questions are how the materiality of the architectural space altered the natural terrain and how the materially defined space of the sanctuary interrelated with the human action (worshipper/visitors approaching and moving within the sanctuary).
Les Carnets l'ACoSt Association for Coroplastic Studies, 2020
This work-in-progress focuses on the terracottas from the sanctuary of Artemis Limnatis on Μount ... more This work-in-progress focuses on the terracottas from the sanctuary of Artemis Limnatis on Μount Ithome in ancient Messene. The assemblage includes mostly Artemis figurines of a type similar to the iconography of Artemis Bendis in Attica, but also of Hekate and Enodia in Thessaly. Apart from the terracotta figurines from the sanctuary, terracottas from the other sanctuaries in the city, such as the sanctuary of Artemis Orthia, also are briefly discussed.
The excavated temenos of Eileithyia and the Kouretes on the slope of Mount Ithome,
in ancient Mes... more The excavated temenos of Eileithyia and the Kouretes on the slope of Mount Ithome, in ancient Messene, promted the study of the association between the deities worshipped in the sanctuaries of the city and the related votive offerings. Although this paper focuses on the cult of Eileithyia and the Kouretes and the associated finds, it also explores the other excavated sanctuaries, i.e. that of the neighbouring Artemis Limnatis, the sanctuary of Demeter and Dioskouroi, of Artemis Orthia and the Asklepieion in the centre of the ancient city. It seems, that the material evidence from the above sanctuaries, which include a vast number of terracotta figurines as well as vessels, statues, inscriptions and various finds, is generally characteristic of the specific nature of the worshipped deities and of the different religious practices in the sanctuaries of ancient Messene.
This note is a condensed version of a forthcoming study to appear in Popular religion and ritual ... more This note is a condensed version of a forthcoming study to appear in Popular religion and ritual in Prehistoric and ancient Greece and the east Mediterranean, edited by G. Vavouranakis, K. Kopanias, K. Kanellopoulos and Y. Papadatos, Oxbow, 2017. It focuses on handmade figurines of the Classical period with mold-made, mask-like faces that were brought to light at the Cave of the Nymphs in Lechova, Corinthia. An examination of their iconographic characteristics in relation to other representations of similar iconography, as well as literary sources mentioning the use of masks in ritual, shed light on their use in initiation rites.
Apotropaia and Phylakteria. Confronting Evil in Ancient Greece. Oxford Archaeopress., 2024
The belief in the existence of evil forces was part of ancient everyday life and a phenomenon dee... more The belief in the existence of evil forces was part of ancient everyday life and a phenomenon deeply embedded in popular thought of the Greek world. Fear of such malevolent powers generated the need for protection and we find clear traces of these concerns in both textual and archaeological sources. From the beginnings of literature, textual sources mention ghosts and other daemonic beings that needed appeasement, and other ways of repulsing evil and attracting protection. Repeatedly, we meet rituals of an apotropaic or prophylactic character conducted as part of everyday and family life, as for example on the occasion of a birth, marriage or death, as well as other practices, which focused on the protection of the community as a whole. Archaeology reveals an abundance of material objects thought to have had the power to ensure benevolent, and avert evil forces. Traces of ritual practices necessary to generate prosperity, avert personal disaster, protect, heal and even acquire some abstract goal are manifest in the form of various protective amulets. The present volume is the outcome of a conference held in Athens in 2021 and addresses the apotropaia and phylakteria from different perspectives such as literary sources, archaeological material and iconography.
Apotropaia and Phylakteria. Confronting Evil in Ancient Greece, Oxford Archaeopress., 2024
This paper discusses the meaning of two clay roundels with gorgoneion depictions found in a found... more This paper discusses the meaning of two clay roundels with gorgoneion depictions found in a foundation deposit in the sanctuary of Artemis Limnatis in ancient Messene. And, while the gorgoneion undoubtedly possesses meaning as an apotropaic symbol, it seems that in sacred contexts, it also marks the transition from childhood to adulthood and would be considered an appropriate votive offering to deities who symbolized this transition. The artefacts will be reviewed here within their archaeological contexts in order to best understand their use, function and social value.
The miniature pottery from the sanctuaries in ancient Messene in the Peloponnese will be presente... more The miniature pottery from the sanctuaries in ancient Messene in the Peloponnese will be presented and discussed in the paper in order to reveal the use of miniature pottery as appropriate to specific rituals and, possibly, to specific cults. The assemblage from the sanctuary of Demeter on the Mount Ithome in Messene prompted the study of the context, in which miniature pottery can be generally found, and, consequently, its use and significance as regards ritual praxis. I argue that the presence of miniature pottery seems to constitute a characteristic feature of specific rituals and cult practices within a sacral, as well as a profane context. It seems they were made specifically for ritual use.
This short paper presents the results of an archaeological investigation undertaken in 2016 by Wa... more This short paper presents the results of an archaeological investigation undertaken in 2016 by Wardell Armstrong on land at Fitz Park, near Cockermouth, Cumbria. The work revealed evidence of an Iron Age oval enclosure overlain by a Romano-British field system. This paper takes into account and briefly summarises for the first time the unpublished investigations in the wider area around Derventio Roman fort and the Romano-British civilian settlement revealed through excavation during 2010-2014.
A. Haug – A. Müller (eds.), Hellenistic Architecture and Human Action. A Case of Reciprocal Influence, 2020
Shortly after the founding of Messene in 369 BCE, the sanctuary of Artemis Limnatis was establish... more Shortly after the founding of Messene in 369 BCE, the sanctuary of Artemis Limnatis was established on the south-eastern flank of Mount Ithome on a prominent rock spur. Based on the latest results of research carried out in the sanctuary, the article outlines the topography within the sanctuary and obtains a fresh look at how the different buildings were situated in the temenos and integrated into the natural landscape. Key questions are how the materiality of the architectural space altered the natural terrain and how the materially defined space of the sanctuary interrelated with the human action (worshipper/visitors approaching and moving within the sanctuary).
Les Carnets l'ACoSt Association for Coroplastic Studies, 2020
This work-in-progress focuses on the terracottas from the sanctuary of Artemis Limnatis on Μount ... more This work-in-progress focuses on the terracottas from the sanctuary of Artemis Limnatis on Μount Ithome in ancient Messene. The assemblage includes mostly Artemis figurines of a type similar to the iconography of Artemis Bendis in Attica, but also of Hekate and Enodia in Thessaly. Apart from the terracotta figurines from the sanctuary, terracottas from the other sanctuaries in the city, such as the sanctuary of Artemis Orthia, also are briefly discussed.
The excavated temenos of Eileithyia and the Kouretes on the slope of Mount Ithome,
in ancient Mes... more The excavated temenos of Eileithyia and the Kouretes on the slope of Mount Ithome, in ancient Messene, promted the study of the association between the deities worshipped in the sanctuaries of the city and the related votive offerings. Although this paper focuses on the cult of Eileithyia and the Kouretes and the associated finds, it also explores the other excavated sanctuaries, i.e. that of the neighbouring Artemis Limnatis, the sanctuary of Demeter and Dioskouroi, of Artemis Orthia and the Asklepieion in the centre of the ancient city. It seems, that the material evidence from the above sanctuaries, which include a vast number of terracotta figurines as well as vessels, statues, inscriptions and various finds, is generally characteristic of the specific nature of the worshipped deities and of the different religious practices in the sanctuaries of ancient Messene.
This note is a condensed version of a forthcoming study to appear in Popular religion and ritual ... more This note is a condensed version of a forthcoming study to appear in Popular religion and ritual in Prehistoric and ancient Greece and the east Mediterranean, edited by G. Vavouranakis, K. Kopanias, K. Kanellopoulos and Y. Papadatos, Oxbow, 2017. It focuses on handmade figurines of the Classical period with mold-made, mask-like faces that were brought to light at the Cave of the Nymphs in Lechova, Corinthia. An examination of their iconographic characteristics in relation to other representations of similar iconography, as well as literary sources mentioning the use of masks in ritual, shed light on their use in initiation rites.
Apotropaia and Phylakteria. Confronting Evil in Ancient Greece. Oxford Archaeopress., 2024
The belief in the existence of evil forces was part of ancient everyday life and a phenomenon dee... more The belief in the existence of evil forces was part of ancient everyday life and a phenomenon deeply embedded in popular thought of the Greek world. Fear of such malevolent powers generated the need for protection and we find clear traces of these concerns in both textual and archaeological sources. From the beginnings of literature, textual sources mention ghosts and other daemonic beings that needed appeasement, and other ways of repulsing evil and attracting protection. Repeatedly, we meet rituals of an apotropaic or prophylactic character conducted as part of everyday and family life, as for example on the occasion of a birth, marriage or death, as well as other practices, which focused on the protection of the community as a whole. Archaeology reveals an abundance of material objects thought to have had the power to ensure benevolent, and avert evil forces. Traces of ritual practices necessary to generate prosperity, avert personal disaster, protect, heal and even acquire some abstract goal are manifest in the form of various protective amulets. The present volume is the outcome of a conference held in Athens in 2021 and addresses the apotropaia and phylakteria from different perspectives such as literary sources, archaeological material and iconography.
In dem Buch behandele ich insgesamt 401 Statuetten und Fragmente aus Ton, die auf Ägina gefunden ... more In dem Buch behandele ich insgesamt 401 Statuetten und Fragmente aus Ton, die auf Ägina gefunden wurden. Der Großteil der Stücke stammt aus dem Aphaia-Heiligtum, die übrigen aus Rettungsausgrabungen der Ephorie (Kulturministerium). Einige weitere Statuetten kommen aus dem Apollon-Heiligtum. Allgemein lassen sich bei den Terrakotten aus Ägina drei große Kategorien unterscheiden: menschliche Figuren, Tierfiguren und Varia. Die beiden Erstgenannten lassen sich weiter in jeweils eine Gruppe aus handgeformten und matrizengeformten Figuren einteilen. Die Datierung der Terrakotten basiert ausschließlich auf stilistischen Kriterien, da die stratigraphischen Befunde zu allen Stücken und damit gesicherte Hinweise auf ihre zeitliche Einordnung fehlen. Zuerst werden die unterschiedlichen Typen der Terrakotten ausführlich behandelt. Dann werden die auf Ägina gefundenen Terrakotten unter dem Gesichtspunkt der Ikonographie und des Herstellungsortes ausgewertet. Zuletzt, wird in einem Anhang der Kult im Aphaia Heiligtum mit den dort gefundenen Terrakotten in Beziehung gesetzt. Den größten Teil der auf Ägina gefundenen Terrakotten bilden Importe aus verschiedenen Orten, darunter Ostionien, Athen und Korinth. Nur ein kleiner Teil lässt auf eine äginetische Herkunft schließen. Bei diesen handelt es sich um eine einheitliche Gruppe, die hauptsächlich aus handgeformten Terrakotten besteht. Sie umfasst menschliche Figuren, eine große Zahl von Tierfiguren, viele Schiffsmodelle sowie ein Salbgefäß in Form einer weiblichen Büste. Diese kommen fast alle aus dem Aphaia-Heiligtum. Ferner sind auch einige matrizengeformte Stücke als äginetisch zu identifizieren. Die lokal hergestellten Stücke sind als Versuch der Einheimischen zu betrachten, in archaischer Zeit die lokale Nachfrage hauptsächlich des Aphaia-Heiligtums zu befriedigen. Neben den sicherlich teureren handgeformten und matrizengeformten importierten Stücken, die auf Ägina von äginetischen Händlern an Pilger verkauft wurden, gab es diese billigen, einfachen und schnell gearbeiteten Weihgeschenke, die ausschließlich für die lokale Nutzung gedacht waren. Bei ihrer Herstellung wurde die Koroplastik anderer Orte imitiert. Es lässt sich jedoch nicht von einer auf Ägina allgemein verbreiteten Terrakottenproduktion sprechen, denn es handelt sich lediglich um eine auf eine kurze Zeitspanne beschränkte und fast vollständig auf das Aphaia-Heiligtum begrenzte Produktion.
A set of terracotta figurines from a sacred context can constitute a group with specific meaning.... more A set of terracotta figurines from a sacred context can constitute a group with specific meaning. And while individual votive figurines from sanctuaries may be considered as indicative of personal expressions by the dedicants, a coherent and repeated set reflects a collective and recurring practice, made by groups of individuals in a period of time. This type of regionally recurrent sets of figurines may provide reliable and strong indications of the character and attributes of the worshipped deity. The majority of the finds, and especially the terracotta figurines, that have been unearthed in sanctuaries of Demeter are finds one expects to see in sanctuaries of the goddess i.e. can be considered as typical of her cult. They have proven to be very helpful for the identification of the worshipped deity, even in cases where the literary and epigraphical evidence are missing or are inadequate. In most sanctuaries of Demeter, there have come to light figurines of hydriaphoroi, together with figurines of women holding a piglet, of kourotrophoi, usually found together with figurines of children, mostly boys, of young women with symbolic objects or attributes related to fertility and sexuality, of Baubo, protomes and figurines of young men. They are usually found together with other characteristic finds, such as miniature clay hydrias and kernoi. The miniature hydrias are, beyond almost any doubt, a typical find from the sanctuaries of Demeter, and their impressively large number cannot but reflect the special connection this deity has with the vessel as a container for transporting water. All the above figurines form a relatively homogenous set and, from the 5th century BC onwards, they are characteristic finds of the worship of Demeter, as evidenced by assemblages from South Italy, Sicily, Ionia and the Greek mainland. They constitute conscious votive choices made by visitors to the sanctuary. The sanctuaries of Demeter are therefore, in many cases, similar to each other in terms of the types of votive offerings and cultic practices. These offerings repeat or echo traits of the basic persona of the goddess revealed in the Thesmophoria festivals, namely as one concerned with female and animal fertility and the productivity of the land.
Artemis was a deity much beloved and widespread throughout the Peloponnese, and in the city of an... more Artemis was a deity much beloved and widespread throughout the Peloponnese, and in the city of ancient Messene. Pausanias mentions the statues made by Damophon of Artemis Phosphoros (IV, 31.10) and Artemis Laphria (IV, 31.10), while inscriptions attest to the worship of Artemis Limnatis and Artemis Orthia, whose sanctuaries have been securely identified and excavated. Two more votive inscriptions with invocations to Artemis Enodia and Soteira, from the 3rd century BC have also come to light. On the mountain of Ithome, on the outskirts of the city (but within the vast walls of the city) she takes the sobriquet of Limnatis, while in the city centre that of Orthia. Her sanctuary in the northwest corner of Asklepieion was one of the first to be established immediately after the foundation of the city, before it was moved in the 2nd century BC into the western wing of the Asklepieion complex. The existence of two sanctuaries of Artemis in the same area, one within the narrow limits of the city and the other at its periphery is not rare. Sometimes the goddess showed the same cult characteristics in both sanctuaries, i.e. she was essentially the same deity, who was worshipped both in the centre of the city and in the periphery, with the second sanctum having an epithet that described the surrounding area or the place name. And while the cult of Artemis in the centre of the city is characterized (in terms of its archaeological finds) by an obvious tendency for display with the commissioning of statues of young maidens and priestesses of the deity-at least as far as the later sanctuary in the west wing of the Asklepieion is concerned-the finds from her sanctuary on Mount Ithome is more in the character of a deity of nature, beloved by all strata of the population, one who satisfies in a more substantial way the ritual needs of the entire population. But despite the differences in the material evidence it seems that the core of her character is more or less similar. Taking into account the archaeological and epigraphical evidence but also the undoubtedly social and political significance of the goddess for Messene, the contribution aims at highlighting the faces of the messenian Artemis in the city from its foundation in 369 BC to the Roman period.
Τα ειδώλια από τη Λέχοβα αποτέλεσαν αφορμή για τη μελέτη αντίστοιχων ευρημάτων όχι μόνο ειδωλίων ... more Τα ειδώλια από τη Λέχοβα αποτέλεσαν αφορμή για τη μελέτη αντίστοιχων ευρημάτων όχι μόνο ειδωλίων αλλά και απεικονίσεων μορφών που φέρουν προσωπεία ανθρωπόμορφα και ζωόμορφα. Στην παρούσα μελέτη θα παρουσιαστούν με συντομία και θα αξιολογηθούν μεμονωμένα και με βάση τα στυλιστικά τους χαρακτηριστικά τα ειδώλια από τη Λέχοβα, ενώ θα παρατεθούν συνοπτικά και παρόμοια ευρήματα μορφών με προσωπεία από τον ελληνικό χώρο που χρονολογούνται τους ιστορικούς χρόνους. Τέλος, θα γίνει μια πρώτη απόπειρα ερμηνευτικής προσέγγισης της χρήσης τους.
THE ATHENS GREEK RELIGION SEMINAR, Tuesday January 18, 2022, at 17h Athens time (limited live pre... more THE ATHENS GREEK RELIGION SEMINAR, Tuesday January 18, 2022, at 17h Athens time (limited live presence and via Zoom link).
Maria Spathi, Society of Messenian Archaeological Studies
"Who was the Deity worshiped? Revisiting a Sanctuary on Messenian Mount Ithome"
ABSTRACT The small prostyle temple on the southern slope of Mount Ithome was until recently identified with the sanctuary of Eileithyia and the Kouretes which was seen by the second-century AD traveller Pausanias (IV, 31, 9) during his visit in the ancient city of Messene.
The temple was built after Epameinondas refounded the city in 369 BC. The site was systematically excavated between 2006 and 2013 and revealed numerous finds. The presentation offers an overview of the material evidence from the excavation, that includes pottery, hundreds of terracottas and miniature vases, mostly hydriskai, inscriptions, metal finds and the cult statue. The detailed study of the above finds offers insights into the character of the worshiped deity and allow us to reconstruct ritual practices that were taking place continuously from the early Hellenistic to the Roman period. It also reveals a deity responsible for the well-being and growth of vegetation, animals and people, mostly young women, and raises the question of her identification.
In this presentation I will discuss all the indications that lead to the revision of the deity worshiped, based not only on the finds from the excavation in the sanctuary but also from the other sanctuaries in the city as well as on the topography, i.e. the location of the temple inside the fortification wall but away from the city center together with the shrine of Zeus Ithomatas on the mountain´s summit and the neighbouring sanctuary of Artemis Limnatis.
The sanctuaries on Mount Ithome in ancient Messene. The interrelation of natural space, cult and ... more The sanctuaries on Mount Ithome in ancient Messene. The interrelation of natural space, cult and politics. The city of ancient Messene in the southwest Peloponnese was founded in 369 BC and marked the end of Sparta´s long-standing predominance in the wider region of Messenia. Mount Ithome was considered a symbol of Messenian resistance-but also a traditional place of worship since the cult of Zeus Ithomatas on Ithome's peak can be traced to before the new city's founding. The sanctuary of Artemis Limnatis and that of Demeter were founded on its southern slope in Early Hellenistic times shortly after the foundation. All three were far from the city centre but within the vast fortification wall that also encompassed a large area of cultivated and pastoral land. A key question is how the natural terrain, the cultic traditions of the wider region and the political circumstances and pursuits of the newly founded city affected the foundation of the above sanctuaries and cults on the south slope of Mount Ithome. In other words, the aim of this presentation will be to present all three sanctuaries and highlight the parametres that promted the foundation of the sanctuaries of Artemis Limnatis and Demeter shortly after the foundation of the city.
Σειρά συναντήσεων για τη συζήτηση αρχαιολογικών μελετών σε εξέλιξη Η ΗΩΣ ξεκινά δημιουργικά τον χ... more Σειρά συναντήσεων για τη συζήτηση αρχαιολογικών μελετών σε εξέλιξη Η ΗΩΣ ξεκινά δημιουργικά τον χειμώνα του 2019, εγκαινιάζοντας μία σειρά παρουσιάσεων αρχαιολογικών μελετών που βρίσκονται σε εξέλιξη. Οι παρουσιάσεις σχολιάζονται από συν-ομιλητή/συν-ομιλήτρια προκειμένου να δημιουργηθούν τα κατάλληλα μονοπάτια για τη συζήτηση που θα ακολουθήσει. Οι Δι-εργασίες ανοίγουν με την παρουσίαση της δρ. Μαρίας Σπαθή, Πανεπιστήμιο Würzburg με θέμα: Ιερά της Αρχαίας Ιθώμης Συν-ομιλήτρια: Ειρήνη Πέππα-Παπαϊωάννου ομότ. καθηγ. Κλασικής Αρχαιολογίας-ΕΚΠΑ
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Papers by Maria Spathi
Read online open access at https://www.sidestone.com/books/hellenistic-architecture-and-human-action
in ancient Messene, promted the study of the association between the deities worshipped
in the sanctuaries of the city and the related votive offerings. Although this
paper focuses on the cult of Eileithyia and the Kouretes and the associated finds, it
also explores the other excavated sanctuaries, i.e. that of the neighbouring Artemis
Limnatis, the sanctuary of Demeter and Dioskouroi, of Artemis Orthia and the
Asklepieion in the centre of the ancient city. It seems, that the material evidence from
the above sanctuaries, which include a vast number of terracotta figurines as well as
vessels, statues, inscriptions and various finds, is generally characteristic of the specific
nature of the worshipped deities and of the different religious practices in the sanctuaries
of ancient Messene.
Books by Maria Spathi
The present volume is the outcome of a conference held in Athens in 2021 and addresses the apotropaia and phylakteria from different perspectives such as literary sources, archaeological material and iconography.
Read online open access at https://www.sidestone.com/books/hellenistic-architecture-and-human-action
in ancient Messene, promted the study of the association between the deities worshipped
in the sanctuaries of the city and the related votive offerings. Although this
paper focuses on the cult of Eileithyia and the Kouretes and the associated finds, it
also explores the other excavated sanctuaries, i.e. that of the neighbouring Artemis
Limnatis, the sanctuary of Demeter and Dioskouroi, of Artemis Orthia and the
Asklepieion in the centre of the ancient city. It seems, that the material evidence from
the above sanctuaries, which include a vast number of terracotta figurines as well as
vessels, statues, inscriptions and various finds, is generally characteristic of the specific
nature of the worshipped deities and of the different religious practices in the sanctuaries
of ancient Messene.
The present volume is the outcome of a conference held in Athens in 2021 and addresses the apotropaia and phylakteria from different perspectives such as literary sources, archaeological material and iconography.
Den größten Teil der auf Ägina gefundenen Terrakotten bilden Importe aus verschiedenen Orten, darunter Ostionien, Athen und Korinth. Nur ein kleiner Teil lässt auf eine äginetische Herkunft schließen. Bei diesen handelt es sich um eine einheitliche Gruppe, die hauptsächlich aus handgeformten Terrakotten besteht. Sie umfasst menschliche Figuren, eine große Zahl von Tierfiguren, viele Schiffsmodelle sowie ein Salbgefäß in Form einer weiblichen Büste. Diese kommen fast alle aus dem Aphaia-Heiligtum. Ferner sind auch einige matrizengeformte Stücke als äginetisch zu identifizieren.
Die lokal hergestellten Stücke sind als Versuch der Einheimischen zu betrachten, in archaischer Zeit die lokale Nachfrage hauptsächlich des Aphaia-Heiligtums zu befriedigen. Neben den sicherlich teureren handgeformten und matrizengeformten importierten Stücken, die auf Ägina von äginetischen Händlern an Pilger verkauft wurden, gab es diese billigen, einfachen und schnell gearbeiteten Weihgeschenke, die ausschließlich für die lokale Nutzung gedacht waren. Bei ihrer Herstellung wurde die Koroplastik anderer Orte imitiert. Es lässt sich jedoch nicht von einer auf Ägina allgemein verbreiteten Terrakottenproduktion sprechen, denn es handelt sich lediglich um eine auf eine kurze Zeitspanne beschränkte und fast vollständig auf das Aphaia-Heiligtum begrenzte Produktion.
The majority of the finds, and especially the terracotta figurines, that have been unearthed in sanctuaries of Demeter are finds one expects to see in sanctuaries of the goddess i.e. can be considered as typical of her cult. They have proven to be very helpful for the identification of the worshipped deity, even in cases where the literary and epigraphical evidence are missing or are inadequate. In most sanctuaries of Demeter, there have come to light figurines of hydriaphoroi, together with figurines of women holding a piglet, of kourotrophoi, usually found together with figurines of children, mostly boys, of young women with symbolic objects or attributes related to fertility and sexuality, of Baubo, protomes and figurines of young men. They are usually found together with other characteristic finds, such as miniature clay hydrias and kernoi. The miniature hydrias are, beyond almost any doubt, a typical find from the sanctuaries of Demeter, and their impressively large number cannot but reflect the special connection this deity has with the vessel as a container for transporting water.
All the above figurines form a relatively homogenous set and, from the 5th century BC onwards, they are characteristic finds of the worship of Demeter, as evidenced by assemblages from South Italy, Sicily, Ionia and the Greek mainland. They constitute conscious votive choices made by visitors to the sanctuary. The sanctuaries of Demeter are therefore, in many cases, similar to each other in terms of the types of votive offerings and cultic practices. These offerings repeat or echo traits of the basic persona of the goddess revealed in the Thesmophoria festivals, namely as one concerned with female and animal fertility and the productivity of the land.
Maria Spathi, Society of Messenian Archaeological Studies
"Who was the Deity worshiped? Revisiting a Sanctuary on Messenian Mount Ithome"
ABSTRACT
The small prostyle temple on the southern slope of Mount Ithome was until recently identified with the sanctuary of Eileithyia and the Kouretes which was seen by the second-century AD traveller Pausanias (IV, 31, 9) during his visit in the ancient city of Messene.
The temple was built after Epameinondas refounded the city in 369 BC. The site was systematically excavated between 2006 and 2013 and revealed numerous finds. The presentation offers an overview of the material evidence from the excavation, that includes pottery, hundreds of terracottas and miniature vases, mostly hydriskai, inscriptions, metal finds and the cult statue. The detailed study of the above finds offers insights into the character of the worshiped deity and allow us to reconstruct ritual practices that were taking place continuously from the early Hellenistic to the Roman period. It also reveals a deity responsible for the well-being and growth of vegetation, animals and people, mostly young women, and raises the question of her identification.
In this presentation I will discuss all the indications that lead to the revision of the deity worshiped, based not only on the finds from the excavation in the sanctuary but also from the other sanctuaries in the city as well as on the topography, i.e. the location of the temple inside the fortification wall but away from the city center together with the shrine of Zeus Ithomatas on the mountain´s summit and the neighbouring sanctuary of Artemis Limnatis.
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