The Athens Greek Religion Seminar
invites you to a talk by
Riccardo di Cesare, Università degli Studi di Foggia & Germano Sarcone, Scuola Normale Superiore:
The sanctuary of the Archaic acropolis at Hephaestia (Lemnos): new data on cult and ritual practices in their context
Tuesday, April 23, 2024, 17.00h (Athens) in a hybrid format with live presence at the Swedish Institute at Athens, Mitseon 9, and online via Zoom.
To participate, please register at: https://www.sia.gr/en/events.php?eid=409#ParticipationForm
ALL WELCOME!
ABSTRACT
At Hephaestia (Lemnos), the Italian Archaeological School of Athens has discovered and excavated an Archaic sanctuary located on the acropolis of the pre-Athenian settlement, inhabited by the local Lemnian population, characterized by a ThracianNorthern Aegean material culture. Starting in 2018, new ongoing research is resuming the old excavations to provide new documentation of the site and study the finds in their context. From the Early Iron Age the site was occupied by a settlement, known from archaeological strata and materials. The sanctuary, dedicated to a female Goddess, was built in ca. 675-650 BC and functioned until ca. 500 BC. It comprised two buildings and an open space. The first had a small shrine with a low altar and a room serving as a repository for numerous offerings, as well as service rooms for storage and preparing food. The second consisted of three side-by-side rooms, one of which with benches, a paved platform and a small shrine. Gatherings took place here, involving the collective consumption of wine and ritual activities, linked to the presence of water. The votive offerings consist of local and imported ceramics, terracotta idols and figures of Sirens and Sphinxes, spinning and weaving tools, models of buildings and fountains, painted terracotta plaques, and weapons. A number of vessels found in multiple examples were used during ceremonies. The sanctuary offers a glimpse into the religious life of the Archaic Lemnian society, connecting it with a broader network of commercial, cultural and artistic contacts.