3 April 2025 The Future is the Product of the Past

Poseidon Temple in Greece Larger than Previously Assumed

New excavations at Kleidi-Samikon in Greece’s Western Peloponnese show that the temple, discovered in 2022, is more monumental than previously assumed.

In 2022, a team of archaeologists from the Austrian Archaeological Institute of the Austrian Academy of Sciences and the Ephorate of Antiquities of Elis of the Greek Ministry of Culture succeeded in uncovering a building that probably was located within the famous sanctuary of Poseidon and may even be identified as a temple of the sea god and earthshaker. As described by the ancient author Strabo, it is located near the sea below the ancient fortress of Samikon.

It is a large 28-meter-long structure from the 6th century BC that was remodeled in the second half of the 4th century BC. The current discoveries provide further evidence that this temple was a cult building within the famous sanctuary of Poseidon, which was an important religious center in the region.

During the excavations in autumn 2023, more parts of the temple were uncovered. It became apparent that the dimensions are larger than the initial evaluation of the geophysical investigations had allowed to expect. What was initially interpreted as a vestibule turned out to be a second room. Overall, it is a building about 28 m long and more than 9 m wide consisting of two interior rooms, a vestibule and a rear hall or shrine.

3D model of the excavated area of the temple at Kleidi-Samikon, view from south, in the foreground the foundations of the temple front, in the middle the excavated column base. Photo: © OeAW-OeAI/Marie Kräker
3D model of the excavated area of the temple at Kleidi-Samikon, view from south, in the foreground the foundations of the temple front, in the middle the excavated column base. Photo: © OeAW-OeAI/Marie Kräker

Double Temple or Temple with Two Halls?

Birgitta Eder, archaeologist and head of the Athens branch of the Academy’s Austrian Archaeological Institute: “We are looking at an Archaic temple consisting of two main rooms. A central row of two columns, which we found in the first hall and which supported the large roof covered with tiles, belongs to this phase. We may assume that there were also such columns in the second room. In any case, the ground plan of the temple is unusual. So far we know of no comparable buildings.”

The function of the two rooms is still unclear. Perhaps it was a double temple, in which two deities were worshipped, or it is two rooms one behind the other, one of which could have served as a meeting place for the amphictyony of the cities of the Triphylian region. This was a loose association of cities on a religious-cultural basis in order to protect and administer a sanctuary.

Drone photo of the 2023 excavation at the Poseidon sanctuary of Kleidi-Samikon. Photo: © OeAW-OeAI/Marie Kräker
Drone photo of the 2023 excavation at the Poseidon sanctuary of Kleidi-Samikon. Photo: © OeAW-OeAI/Marie Kräker

Two Construction Phases Detectable

The research also shows that the temple has two construction phases. Erofili-Iris Kolia, director of the Euphoria of Elis: “In the second half of the 4th or first half of the 3rd century BC, the Archaic temple from the 6th century BC was remodelled. In the process, the old roof tiles were evenly applied as a subfloor for the new floor. They served as insulation against groundwater and to stabilise the floor. Something that still works today. In those places where tiles are missing, the ground is damp and muddy.” These dates correspond to the finds of pottery, which can be assigned to the Archaic and Late Classical to Early Hellenistic periods.

In the coming years, the team wants to find out more about the dimensions of the sanctuary. Here, the continuous cooperation with geoarchaeologists from the University of Mainz and geophysicists from the University of Kiel is of importance. The ancient author Strabo describes the Poseidon sanctuary as a “grove of wild olive trees”. Thus, the question remains exciting as to whether other temple buildings, altars, treasure houses, a processional route or treasuries for dedications are still hidden under the earth.

Cover Photo: Drone photo of the 2023 excavation at the Poseidon sanctuary of Kleidi-Samikon. Photo: ÖAW-ÖAI/Marie Kräker

Related Articles

Name of Iranian city identified on 1800-year-old Sassanid clay seal

9 April 2024

9 April 2024

In a stunning archaeological find, the name “Shiraz” was identified on a clay sealing from the Sassanid era written in...

“Human evolution” Migration out of Africa was affected by climate constraints.

25 August 2021

25 August 2021

The story of modern man’s migration from Africa still remains unclear in many aspects. Why did people migrate? Is it...

Bronze Age Wedge Tomb Discovered on the Dingle Peninsula maybe Even Older

22 April 2021

22 April 2021

A wedge tomb recently discovered on the Dingle Peninsula of Ireland was described by archaeologists as “quite unusual”. Wedge tombs...

HS2 archaeologists discover Romanization of Iron Age village in Britain

12 January 2022

12 January 2022

Archaeologists have uncovered a vast Roman trading town on Britain’s HS2 high-speed rail route. Evidence found during a dig of...

Archaeologists Discovered the Largest Inscription Ever Found in Sri Lanka

10 February 2024

10 February 2024

Archaeologists discovered the largest inscription ever found in Sri Lanka. The largest inscription ever discovered in Sri Lanka was found...

A cave in Argentina houses the oldest known pigment-based rock art in South America

15 February 2024

15 February 2024

An astounding collection of almost 900 rock paintings, dating back approximately 8,200 years, has been discovered in northwestern Argentina. The...

Zeus Temple’s entrance was found in western Turkey’s Aizanoi Ancient City

31 July 2021

31 July 2021

During recent digs, the monumental entrance gate of the Zeus Temple sanctuary in the ancient city of Aizanoi, located in...

Royal-Memorial Inscription Attributed to King Sargon II Discovered in Western Iran

25 April 2021

25 April 2021

In western Iran, Iranian archaeologists discovered a part of a royal memorial inscription attributed to the Neo-Assyrian king Sargon II....

High-status Macedonian tomb discovered in ancient Aegae, Central Macedonia

2 April 2024

2 April 2024

In the ancient city of Aegae (present-day Vergina) in Imathia, Central Macedonia, during the construction of the sewerage network, tomb...

Archaeologists Discovered 8,200-year-old Eyeliner in Türkiye’s Yeşilova Höyük

16 September 2024

16 September 2024

During the archaeological excavations in Yeşilova Höyük (Yeşilova Mound) in Bornova district of Izmir, an 8,200-year-old kohl made of stone...

Stone reliefs describing the Persian-Greek wars were found in the ancient city of Daskyleion in northwestern Turkey

16 August 2021

16 August 2021

A relief depicting a fifth-century BC battle between the Greeks and Persians was discovered in the ancient city of Dascylium...

2700-year-old Ancient Blacksmith Workshop Unearthed in Oxfordshire

6 February 2024

6 February 2024

Archaeologists have uncovered a “master blacksmith’s” Iron Age workshop in South Oxfordshire, a local government center in the ceremonial county...

Archaeologists discover 1200-year-old Wari temple complex in Peru

24 February 2023

24 February 2023

Archaeologists from the University of Illinois Chicago have uncovered a temple complex constructed by the Wari Empire 1,200 years ago...

Rare African Script Offers Clues to the Evolution of Writing Systems

4 February 2022

4 February 2022

The world’s very first invention of writing took place over 5000 years ago in the Middle East, before it was...

Archaeologists Discover 40,000-Year-Old Evidence of Neanderthal Habitation in Ghamari Cave, Iran

13 March 2025

13 March 2025

Iranian archaeologists have made a groundbreaking discovery in Ghamari Cave (also known as Qamari Cave), located near Khorramabad in Lorestan...