Numerous offerings from ancient Greek believers found on Kythnos

The Greek Ministry of Culture said on Wednesday that archaeologists excavating the sanctuary

on a hilltop on the island of Kythnos in the Aegean Sea, they found “countless” offerings left by the faithful Greeks over many centuries.

The ministry said in a statement that this year’s finds included more than 2000 intact or almost intact clay figurines, mostly women and children, a few men, as well as turtles, lions, pigs and birds.

Several ceremonial pottery vessels found during excavations are associated with worship. Demeterthe ancient Greek goddess of agriculture, and her daughter Persephone, to whom the complex of excavated sanctuaries was dedicated.

Seaside district of Vryokastro on Kythnos was the ancient capital of the island, inhabited without interruption between the 12th century BC and the 7th century AD, when it was abandoned in favor of a safer location during pirate raids.

The artifacts came from the meager ruins of two small temples, a long building nearby that may have served as a temple storeroom, and a nearby pit where old offerings were buried to make room for new ones. The sanctuary was used for about a thousand years, starting from the 7th century BC.

It is not clear to what extent the site on Kythnos was associated with Eleusis – one of the most important religious centers of Ancient Greece, where goddesses were worshiped during secret rites. They were open only to the initiates, who were forbidden to speak of what they saw. It is known that the sanctuary at Eleusis owned land on the island.

Kythnos Island in a group of islands Cyclades was first settled about 10,000 years ago. Its copper deposits have been mined since the 3rd millennium BC, and it was a place of political exile during Roman times.

Excavations will last until 2025, notes AP.

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