Lost Temple of Poseidon

After 2,600 years, the lost Temple of Poseidon has been found, and it is even bigger than expected.

It seemed obvious that there would be a temple dedicated to Poseidon, the ancient Greek god of water. But the temple was lost for a long time and re-discovered recently. The ruins were found in Elis, Greece, and identified as the Temple of Poseidon of Samikon, which was described by the ancient Greek geographer Strabo. Archeologists now say the temple is even larger than they thought.

Scientists had searched for the lost temple for over a century in the area’s marshlands and found it in 2022. It sits in Samikon in the Peloponnese peninsula. It is hoped the discovery would shed light on the political and economic importance of the 6th century BC amphictyony, which is an association of neighboring states to defend a common religious center. The temple formed the center of the town’s cultural and religious identity.

Excavations in 2023 revealed more parts of the temple, indicating the size of the temple was larger than initial investigations had predicted. The building now measures around 28 meters long and over 9 meters wide. It has two interior rooms, a vestibule and a rear hall or shrine. The function of the two rooms is unclear. Some suggest it could be a double temple, where two deities were worshipped. Or one room could be a meeting room to discuss important matters.

This Archaic temple consists of two main rooms. A central row of two columns was found in the first hall supported a large roof covered with tiles. There may have also been similar columns in the second room. The ground plan of the temple is unusual, and archeologists know of no comparable buildings so far.

Research shows there were two construction phases. In the second half of the 4^th or first half of the 3^rd century BC, the original temple was remodeled. As part of the process, the old roof tiles were applied as a subfloor for the new floor, where they served as insulation against groundwater and to stabilize the floor. Where tiles are missing, the ground is damp and muddy. These dates correspond to pottery found at the site, such as drinking cups and roof tiles.

The excavations are part of a five-year project. Strabo, an ancient Greek geographer, had suggested the temple would be near the coast, in a grove of wild olive trees, with lagoons, coastal marches and swamps. Because of his writings, and technological advancements, researchers found the temple 2,600 years after it was built.

The team wants to find out more about the sanctuary and its dimensions. Are other temple buildings, altars, houses, a processional route or treasuries still hidden under the earth?