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Excavation

  • Siris Herakleia
  • Policoro
  • Siris Herakleia
  • Italy
  • Basilicate
  • Province of Matera
  • Policoro

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Credits

  • The Italian Database is the result of a collaboration between:

    MIBAC (Ministero per i Beni e le Attività Culturali - Direzione Generale per i Beni Archeologici),

    ICCD (Istituto Centrale per il Catalogo e la Documentazione) and

    AIAC (Associazione Internazionale di Archeologia Classica).

  • AIAC_logo logo

Summary (English)

  • This campaign aimed to investigate the extension and layout of the Hellenistic sanctuary of Demeter, particularly its western area, study the typologies of the votive deposits and identify the various phases of the pre-Heraklean sanctuary, specifically the Sirian phase and that following the Achean conquest.

    In the western part of the sanctuary the walls of two Hellenistic rooms were excavated, their link to the rest of the sanctuary needs further clarification.

    During the Hellenistic period the sanctuary must have extended for at least 90m from east to west, almost reaching the area of the so-called agora and the temple of Dionysius, situated at only 70m to the west.
    In the central area of the site a votive deposit of the 4th century B.C. was revealed by the presence of a lens of burnt earth, charcoal and bone, surrounded by a circle of cobbles and small stones. On the north side of the deposit several votive vessels were found together with a terracotta figurine of a worshipper or priest accompanied by a sacrificial animal, a dog. This figurine is similar to another found at the sanctuary which represents a worshipper or priest holding a dove. Dogs and doves are known to have been sacrificed to Aphrodite, who, as attested by the Aphrodite “tondo” found at the sanctuary, was worshipped here together with Demeter.

    Trenches excavated in the central area of the site revealed an occupation level dating to the first half of the 6th century B.C. In one trench the remains of a votive deposit came to light, resting on a layer of cobbles and gravel. This was composed of a krateriskos and a one-handled cup in an upside down position and fragments of iron, perhaps the remains of a grill and a knife. The excavation needs to be deepened further in order to bring to light the foundations of these structures, which were not examined during the previous excavations carried out by Neutsch.

  • Maria Luisa Nava - Soprintendenza per i Beni Archeologici della Basilicata 

Director

Team

  • Brinna Otto - Università di Innsbruck
  • Michael Tschurtschenthaler - Univ. Innsbruck Institut fur Klassische Archeologie Leopold-Franzens

Research Body

  • Universitá di Innsbruck, Austria (Ist. archeologia classica)

Funding Body

  • Università di Innsbruck

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