Samos, Griechenland: Heraion und Heilige Straße

Archaeological excavations at the Pythagoreion and Heraion of Samos have uncovered four distinct layers beneath the Great Altar, with the oldest dating back to 640/30 BC. These layers reveal a rich tapestry of votive offerings, pottery, and remnants of cultic rituals, including items sourced from Egypt and the Levant, highlighting the sanctuary's significance as a hub of cultural exchange in antiquity. Additionally, investigations north of the Sacred Road have identified the northeast limit of a prehistoric settlement spanning the 4th to 2nd millennia BC, with findings including destroyed levels from the Late Chalcolithic and Early Bronze Age II, as well as three phases of Middle Bronze Age fortification walls. This research sheds light on the long-term evolution of the site's religious and urban landscape.

Henke, J.-M., Kouka, O., & Niemeier, W.-D. (2017). Samos, Griechenland: Heraion und Heilige Straße. e-Forschungsberichte, Faszikel 1 (2015). https://doi.org/10.34780/0A79-DSR9