Apparently, archaeologists have found the lost temple of Poseidon

An archaeological mission to search for the legendary temple of Poseidon of Samos reported that they found the ruins of a huge building in the place indicated in ancient sources.

The discovery of an international group of archaeologists is reported by heritage dailyreferring to the Greek Ministry of Culture and Sports. Excavations were carried out in the ancient city of Samikum, a large metropolis of Hellas in the middle and late periods of its existence. It was located on the Kleidi hill, not far from modern Kato Samiko (Peloponnese).

It is this place, according to experts, described in the writings of the famous historian Strabo. In his “Geography” he described the location of the temple of Poseidon of Samos as follows:

Then there is Mount Trifilia, which offers a view of Mastitia from Pisatis. Then another river called Chalkis, and a spring called Krouni, and a settlement called Chalkis, and after them Samikum, where is the most revered temple of Poseidon of Samos. Around the temple is a sacred area full of wild olive trees. The inhabitants of Masistum used to take care of him. And they also proclaimed a day of truce, called “Samian”. But all Trifilyans participate in the upkeep of the temple.

At that time, this temple was one of the most revered, and this is the most complete description of its location. The idea to find it arose in 2017, when geophysical surveys were carried out for the first time in the vicinity of Samikum. Radar surveys were also carried out later, but only in 2022 did archaeologists begin field work.

During the excavations, in the foothills not far from the city itself, a building of the form traditional for an ancient temple was discovered. To date, the foundation has been excavated, the parameters of which allowed scientists to determine the size of the temple itself: its width was 9.4 meters, length – 28 meters.

Members of the archaeological team also managed to find a “pronaos” – an architectural element typical of Greek temples. They also found two temple rooms, paved with a dense tiled layer. A marble bowl for cult use and fragments of a roof dating back to the archaic period were also found.

According to competent experts, the unique find of archaeologists is the lost temple of Poseidon of Samos. However, while it is difficult to reliably confirm this assumption, further excavations will help in this.

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