1. Journal of Ancient History 2 (293)
  2. The Southern Temenos of Olbia Pontica (Preliminary Results)

The Southern Temenos of Olbia Pontica (Preliminary Results)

Rusyayeva Anna S.

The article presents preliminary results of the study of the third sacral zone of Olbia Pontica. Archaeological research has revealed several periods of its construction and existence, the earliest one belonging to the first quarter of the 5th century BC and including a temple in antis and several bothroi. The temple was built of stone and adobe, covered with imported tiles from Miletus and decorated with painted terracotta elements. The majority of several dozens of graffiti found in the bothroi and in the cultural layer are dedicated to Aphrodite. The temenos was enclosed within streets in the north and in the west. The second period temenos was situated to the north of the first. It appeared in the last quarter of the 5th century BC and existed till the end of the classical time. It includes such cult objects as a temple in antis, altars and bothroi of various types. As it is shown by most of the dedicatory graffiti found there, the central cult of this temenos was also that of Aphrodite. The temples of both these periods are rather small, as they were built on the edge of a terrace. The temple of the classical period is very similar in layout to the contemporary temple of Aphrodite in Histria.

Keywords: Olbia Pontica, Aphrodite, temenos, temple, altar, bothros.
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