Pre-Hellenic Altars Found in Sicily

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1022, 12 July 1930, Page 28

Pre-Hellenic Altars Found in Sicily

Relics of Seventh Century B.C. Excavations at Girgenti, Sicily, the ancient Acragas of the Greeks, described by Pindar as "the most beautiful city of mortals,” have brought to light a sacred area of temples that date to an even earlier period than that of the city’s colonisation by the Greeks from Gela in 582 B.C. The Greeks brought wealth and luxury to this part of Sicily. But it is on an earlier occupation that the present excavations have thrown light. There have been cleared temples unlike any ever discovered here, including one that has been identified as dating to the seventh century before Christ. The discovery of this sacred area is considered a most important one, as here in those days special rites were performed on altars of unique construction. Although in the district cleared fragments of statues and ancient remains had been found in the past, it was not clearly known that so much remained covered just below the ground level. Up to the time of the excavations in this stretch of ground between the Temples of the Dioscuri, the sons of Zeur, and the Greek pool, there were almond trees. Excavations never had been undertaken there. Soundings were first made. At a depth of 13 inches were discovered two altars, one round and the other square, of unique workmanship, dating to a remote pre-Hellenic age, where undoubtedly some special rite had been performed. Around them was a wall that closed off from view, except to a few, the sacrificial mystery.

Some months after this first discovery excavations brought to light a round edifice with another altar, and both the building and the altar were of special construction and shape, unlike anything ever found before in Girgenti. Other altars, both round and square, of different sizes, were cleared. They formed what must have been a sacred area dedicated to a special cult. When the excavations reached the vicinity of the Greek pool there were cleared the foundations of two large edifices, also dedicated to this strange cult. They stood not quite parallel. The first consisted of two rooms facing east and west, while the second had two altars, one round, near which was a well, and a second with a monolithic altar, square in shape, with a deep concave space excavated in the rock.

In the second area was discovered still another round altar made of blocks and faced with a circular construction. Close to these altars were discovered innumerable votive offerings, consisting of statuettes of a female divinity, vases off archaic make and thousands of lamps. Close by were cleared other square altars without any dividing wall, evidence that the rite was open to all. Close to these altars was a corridor where some mystery was performed. There was no roof over this sanctuary, and it is quite unlike any shrine or sanctuary ever excavated at Girgenti. These altars and temples -were in no way similar to those of Hellenic construction, and for this reason are of double interest to students of archaic architecture.

It was when the excavations were resumed this year that an even more important discovery was made. An ! area measuring more than 1,000 feet ; was cleared. First there were found i foundations of a temple that, from the ; votive objects they contained, is I judged to h<ive been built in the ‘ seventh century before Christ. The central area is separate from the remainder of the building of three rooms built lengthwise, not intercommunicating except from a corridor which runs tlie whole length. From each there is a door. In the first, toward the west, is a square altar with its base jutting out and decorated with a bevelled design. In front of the entrance of what must have been a sacred area, to the east, is another altar measuring seven feet square. In the centre is a bevelled basin in which were placed the sacrifices. Toward the south, at the same elevation as the first pair of altars, was a small temple dating to archaic days, and similar to the famous temple erected to Prinias at. Crete, as well as the sanctuary at Graggera. This structure, is the only one of its kind in Girgenti, and for that reason merits special study. By its side is another temple, only part of which has been excavated. It must have been erected later, as the date of its construction is approximately the sixth century. Of equal importance to the edifices are the innumerable objects that were found close by the buried temples and altars. There are vases and statuettes all appertaining to the cult of the gods and goddesses of the lower world, Hades—Hecate, Demeter, and Persephone. There are terra-cottas, minute bronzes, objects of Eastern and Phoenician manufacture, glassware, glass paste, as well as pottery made in Sicily prior to the Greek occupation, dating, experts say, to the second Orzi period, corresponding to the Bronze Age, and extending down to the days of Greek colonisation. Excavations in Girgenti so far have not brought to light the Greek theatre for which archaeologists have been searching for many years.