Mythical or Real? Part 4

This week, we look into a famous temple and an infamous labyrinth.

6. Ain Dara (Solomon’s Temple), Syria – 1000 BCE

Armed conflict destroyed Ain Dara in northwestern Syria in 2018. In the 1980s, some archaeologists had identified it as the 3,000-year-old temple mentioned as Solomon’s Temple in the Bible. The ancient site shared more features with the temple described in the Book of Kings than any site uncovered before or since. It included walls carved in reliefs of lions and cherubs, a courtyard paved in flagstones, a monumental staircase guarded by sphinxes, and a multistory hallway. Even its location—on a raised platform overlooking a city—echoes the temple’s depiction in the Bible.

Although the bombing and plundering of the site prevents archaeologists from finding any more evidence of its history, some of its most important artifacts can be seen at the National Museum of Aleppo.

 

7. Kastelli (Minotaur’s Labyrinth), Greece – 2000 BCE

While building a new airport on the island of Crete, workers uncovered something unexpected. With a central circular building surrounded by eight stone rings intersected by walls, the site resembled the style of tomb constructed by the Minoan civilization around 2000 to 1700 BCE. But to anyone familiar with Greek mythology, it also looked like the Minotaur’s labyrinth.

The Minotaur was a ferocious creature with the head of a bull and the body of a man who was trapped in a maze built by the Greek architect Daedalus. Every seven years, Athens sacrificed seven young men and seven young women to the monster until Theseus, a prince of the city, volunteered to kill the creature. Marking his route with a ball of thread, Theseus made his way through the labyrinth, murdered the beast, rescued the not-yet-dead victims, then followed the thread back to safety.

Although archaeologists are still studying Kastelli, its architectural similarities to the mythical maze, combined with evidence of ceremonial offerings and communal feasting that was found at the site, suggest that it was part of the story’s origin.

Kastelli is not open to the public, but Knossos, the ancient palace that was previously believed to be the site of the Minotaur’s labyrinth, is.

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?

New Ancient Temple Found in Peru

In Peru, archaeologists have unearthed what they believe are a 4,000-year-old temple and theater, shining some light on the origins of complex religions in the region.

Last year, the local government of La Otra Banda, Cerro Las Animas, alerted scientists that looting had taken place near the northern Peruvian town of Zana. A team began studying the new site in June.

The team excavated a plot roughly 33 feet by 33 feet and found ancient walls made of mud and clay at just 6 feet deep. Surprised to find ancient structures so close to the modern surface, they dug deeper. They found a section of a large temple. But the most exciting find was a small theater with a backstage area and stairs that led to the stage. They postulate the stage could have been used to perform ritual performances.

One staircase was flanked by mud panels with an elaborately carved design of a mythological bird. The figure resembled other images dating to the Initial Period, around 2,000 to 900 BC, which gave clues about when the temple was built.

The Initial Period is when scientists have evidence of institutionalized religion in Peru. They still know little about how complex belief systems emerged in the Andes, but now they have evidence about some of the earliest religious spaces that were created in this part of the world.

Peru’s best-known archaeological site, Machu Picchu, was built by the Inca Empire in the 15^th century. This new site is 3,500 years older, and also predates the pre-Inca cultures of Moche and Nazca.

Scientists don’t yet have a name for these people. All they know at this point is from their houses, temples and funerary goods. It is believed their complex religious system was an important aspect of political authority.

The archaeologists also found several large murals painted on the walls. They collected paint samples to analyze in a lab, as well as for carbon dating to confirm the site’s age.

 

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/ancient-temple-and-theater-3-500-years-older-than-machu-picchu-discovered-in-peru/ar-BB1pO4fA?ocid=mailsignout&pc=U591&cvid=0fae904fd9754a41a8dbe596dac78bfb&ei=26