The Sanctuary of Artemis at Sardis: Preliminary Report, 2002–2012

Excavations at the Sanctuary of Artemis in Sardis revealed significant architectural transformations spanning Lydian, Persian, Hellenistic, and Roman periods. The study clarified that while the site showed signs of activity during the Lydian period, no deposits were found, leaving its chronology ambiguous. Key findings include the identification of a calcareous tufa altar (LA 1) and a sandstone basis from the Persian period, later incorporated into a Hellenistic temple. This temple, built around these structures, was uniquely designed to maximize space but lacked a traditional colonnade on its west front due to proximity to the altar. In the Roman period, the temple was split into two cellas, and work began on an eastern colonnade, with ceramic evidence suggesting construction in the mid-first century C.E. The study also documented the removal of Hellenistic columns in late antiquity, possibly to accommodate colossal statues of the imperial family.

Cahill, N., & Greenewalt, C. H. (2016). The Sanctuary of Artemis at Sardis: Preliminary Report, 2002–2012. American Journal of Archaeology, 120(3), 473–509. https://doi.org/10.3764/aja.120.3.0473