13 September 2025 The Future is the Product of the Past

Countless Votive Offerings Discovered at Ancient Sanctuary on Greek Island Kythnos

Archaeologists excavating a hilltop temple complex on the Cycladic island of Kythnos (commonly called Thermia) Greece have unearthed more than 2,000 intact votive offerings dedicated by ancient worshippers.

Greece’s Culture Ministry said Wednesday statement said the finds from work this year included more than 2,000 intact or almost complete clay figurines, mostly of women and children but also some of the male actors, as well as tortoises, lions, pigs, and birds.

Several ceremonial pottery vessels discovered are associated with Demeter, the ancient Greek goddess of agriculture, and her daughter Persephone, to whom the excavated sanctuary complex was dedicated.

The ancient city of Kythnos, one of the earliest settlements in the Cycladic Islands, was continuously inhabited from the 12th century B.C. to the 7th century A.D. On the northern portion of the plateau, which has a view of the ocean, the sanctuary complex was constructed. The earliest building, which was built in stages, dates back to the seventh century B.C. Up until the fourth century A.D., the temple complex was in continuous use.

Photo: Greece Culture Ministry

The artifacts were discovered in the scant ruins of two small temples, a nearby long building that may have served as a temple storeroom, and a nearby pit where older offerings were buried to make room for new ones.

The excavation by the Greece’s University of Thessaly and the Culture Ministry also found luxury pottery imported from other parts of Greece, ornate lamps, and fragments of ritual vases used in the worship of Demeter and Persephone at Eleusis, an ancient Athens suburb.

An aerial view of the hilltop ancient sanctuary in Xylokastro, on the Aegean Sea island of Kythnos. Photo: Grece Culture Ministry
An aerial view of the hilltop ancient sanctuary in Xylokastro, on the Aegean Sea island of Kythnos. Photo: Grece Culture Ministry

It is unclear how closely the site on Kythnos was linked to Eleusis, one of the most important religious centers in ancient Greece, where the goddesses were worshiped during secret rites open only to initiates who were forbidden to speak of what they saw. The sanctuary at Eleusis is known to have owned land on the island.

Kythnos in Roman times was a place of political exile. The excavations are set to continue through 2025.

Cover Photo: Grece Culture Ministry

Related Articles

Remarkable Roman Villa Full of Strange Artifacts Discovered from a Bronze Age Site in England

3 April 2024

3 April 2024

Archaeologists have uncovered a “richly decorated” remarkable Roman villa complex during excavations at Brookside Meadows in Grove, a village in...

Anthropologists say humans have been using personal ornaments to communicate about themselves without the fuss of conversation – for millennia

24 September 2021

24 September 2021

Anthropologists believe that for millennia, individuals have used personal decorations to communicate about themselves without the hassle of dialogue. They...

2,000-year-old Celtic hoard of gold ‘rainbow cups’ discovered in northeastern Germany

13 January 2022

13 January 2022

Archaeologists have found an ancient Celtic coins treasure consisting of 41 gold coins in a field in Brandenburg, a state...

Japan-Persia Ancient Ties

20 June 2021

20 June 2021

Japanese and Persian ancient ties go back to the 7th century. Silk Road connected Japan with countries and regions far...

Nearly 300-million-year-old Oldest known fossilized reptile skin found in Oklahoma cave resembles that of modern crocodiles

17 January 2024

17 January 2024

Paleontologists say they’ve identified and described the oldest fossilized reptile skin ever found. A team of paleontologists from the University...

Iconic Double Arch collapsed after an ancient pyramid in America, Tribes Link Fall With ‘Bad Omen’

10 August 2024

10 August 2024

Two ancient North American structures collapsed within just nine days of one another. The iconic Double Arch, also known as...

DNA from 20,000-year-old deer-tooth pendant reveals woman who wore it

4 May 2023

4 May 2023

A pendant made of a deer tooth that was exposed to DNA about 20,000 years ago has yielded clues about...

Archaeologists uncovered a 3,500-year-old Egyptian Royal Retreat in the Sinai Desert

5 May 2024

5 May 2024

An Egyptian mission uncovered the ruins of a 3,500-year-old “royal fortified rest area” at the Tel Habwa archaeological site in...

Nine Ancient Patolli Games Found in Mexico

10 September 2024

10 September 2024

In recent rescue excavations in Mexico by archaeologists from the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) nine patolli engravings...

13th-Century skeletons Unearthed in Annaea Mound

8 May 2021

8 May 2021

At the historical Kadıkalesi archaeological site in Turkey’s western Aydin province’s Kuşadası district, a total of five skeletons thought to...

A Remarkable Discovery from a Gaza Shipwreck: Olive Pits from 1100 Years Ago

10 March 2025

10 March 2025

The recent underwater excavations off the coast of Türkiye have unveiled an extraordinary find that has captivated scientists: olive pits...

Ancient Humans Used Indigo Plant 34,000 Years Ago: First Evidence of Non-Food Plant Processing Found in Georgia

3 September 2025

3 September 2025

34,000-year-old indigo plant residues found in Georgia’s Dzudzuana Cave reveal that prehistoric humans processed plants for more than just food....

The earliest Buddha statues in China found in northwestern Shaanxi

10 December 2021

10 December 2021

The two copper-tin-lead alloy Buddha statues discovered in northwestern Shaanxi Province became the earliest Buddha statues of this kind unearthed...

Archaeologists Uncover Exceptional Roman Mausoleum Near Lyon, Modeled After Augustus’ Tomb

23 August 2025

23 August 2025

Archaeologists in France have unearthed a remarkably well-preserved Roman mausoleum in Saint-Romain-en-Gal, near Lyon, that was modeled on the famous...

Ancient Hittite Bronze Helmet Unearthed: A Rare Glimpse into the Warrior Culture of a Forgotten Empire

5 June 2025

5 June 2025

3,300-Year-Old War Helmet Reveals the Power, Beliefs, and Craftsmanship of the Hittite Civilization A rare 3,300-year-old bronze helmet discovered in...