International team uncovers long-sought sanctuary of Poseidon near Samikon, Greece

Archaeologists have recently uncovered the entire length of the Temple of Poseidon at Samikon in the Western Peloponnese, Greece. This year's excavations brought forth new findings of the temple, revealing structures that had previously left no trace. The researchers succeeded in uncovering the 28-meter-long and nearly 9.5-meter-wide temple in its entirety, a monumental building significantly larger than originally assumed.

One of the most important discoveries of this year's excavation is a bronze plaque, which probably once adorned a temple wall. Examination of the bronze plaque by the archaeologists revealed that one side of the bronze plate has a large inscription. The plaque is in a very fragile condition and had to be recovered in a block with the surrounding earth. However, an elaborate restoration of the fragile tablet is needed before the writing will be completely legible. Birgitta Eder, head of the Austrian Archaeological Institute's branch of the Academy of Sciences in Athens, explained in a press release: "First X-ray images show parts of an extensive inscription." The archaeologist hopes to gain valuable insights into the history and use of the sanctuary from the text.

The temple itself is an archaic double temple, probably dating from the 6th century BC. It is divided into two large rooms, each articulated by central interior pillars and a forecourt with two columns. The temple consisted of two large interior rooms, or halls, each with a forecourt. Tiles were laid inside the building, covering the original level of use. The temple roof was apparently removed around 300 BC and deposited inside the building. At that time, the temple was likely abandoned.

Fragments of an archaic marble vessel were found on the floor of the second room of the temple. The so-called Perirrhanterion was only found in fragments but once formed a marble basin with a diameter of about one meter. The vessel was used for ritual cleansing. The "Perirrhanterion" was already repaired in antiquity with iron clamps. Along with the fragment discovered in 2022, the vessel can now be restored almost in its entirety, and the experts were able to nearly completely reconstruct the basin.

After removing the dense vegetation north of the temple, the archaeologists were able to document the course of a powerful double-walled wall that possibly marked the sacred district of Poseidon and probably served as protection against the then nearby lagoons. The wall seems to be the northern end of the enclosure of the sanctuary of Poseidon. The archaeologists revealed a robust wall, first identified by Wilhelm Dorpfeld at the beginning of the 20th century, which presumably marked the boundary to the sea and protected the building from floods.

According to ancient Greek geographer Strabo, the sanctuary of Poseidon was a cult center of the cities of Triphylia, and it was located near the sea under the acropolis of Samiko. Strabo described the Poseidon sanctuary as a "grove with wild olive trees." Due to Strabo's relatively precise description, a team of Austrian, German, and Greek researchers was able to discover hints of a temple-like ground plan beneath the ancient fortress of Samikon in 2021 using geophysical investigations. The sanctuary of Poseidon at Samikon was discovered in 2021 at the hills of Kleidi, below the fortress of Samikon, in a landscape dominated by lagoons and coastal swamps.

For over 100 years, the cult site near the hills of Kleidi was searched. The search for the sanctuary of the sea god Poseidon lasted more than 100 years, with earlier researchers believing that the site of Kleidi could potentially be the location of the ancient sanctuary. An international team with Austrian participation has uncovered the monumental ancient sanctuary in Greece. A Greek-Austrian research team, with support from Germany, has been conducting excavations as part of a five-year research project of the Austrian Archaeological Institute and the Department of Antiquities of Elis.

The sanctuary was likely the center of religious and ethnic identity for the communities of Triphylia in the west of the Peloponnesian peninsula, representing the religious and ethnic center of the significant league of cities in the region. The sanctuary of Poseidon at Samikon played "for centuries a central importance in the region," as Birgitta Eder from the Austrian Archaeological Institute of the Austrian Academy of Sciences stated. This settlement lasted for several centuries and allowed control of the path through the swamps.

While the site today lies a few kilometers from the Mediterranean coast, the sanctuary of the sea god was much closer to the sea in the past. Due to its exposed and secure location, a settlement was established there already in Mycenaean times. The temple's location and structure suggest it was an important place of communication and held regional significance.

The discoveries at the Temple of Poseidon offer valuable insights into ancient Greek history and architecture. The archaeologists hope to gain further understanding of the sanctuary's history and use from the inscription on the bronze plaque. Once restored, the plaque and reconstructed vessel will contribute significantly to the knowledge of the religious practices and daily life in ancient Triphylia.

Sources: GreekReporter.com, der Standard, science.ORF.at

This article was written in collaboration with generative AI company Alchemiq