Temple of Aphaia: Difference between revisions

|native_name = {{lang|el|Ναός Αφαίας|italic=no}} {{in lang|el}}

|location = Agia Marina, [[Attica (region)|Attica]], [[Greece]]

|built = Circa {{circa|500 BC}}

The '''Temple of Aphaia''' ({{lang-el|Ναός Αφαίας}}) or '''Afea'''<ref>The name Afea appears on all the local signs, Afea being the name of a Cretan woman of unsurpassed beauty. After escaping an unwelcome marriage on Crete, she was rescued by a fisherman from Aegina. In payment for this he also proposed an unwelcome marriage. So Afea headed out of Aghia Marina towards the mountain top where she vanished at the current site of the temple, where it is said that the fisherman established a shrine believing Afea to have been taken by the gods.</ref> is an [[Ancient Greece|Ancient Greek]] temple located within a [[Panhellenic sanctuary|sanctuary complex]] dedicated to the goddess [[Aphaea|Aphaia]] on the Greek island of [[AiginaAegina]], which lies in the [[Saronic Gulf]]. Formerly known as the Temple of [[Jupiter Panhellenius(god)|Jupiter]] Panhellenius, the great[[Doric order|Doric]] temple is now recognized as having been dedicated to the mother-goddess Aphaia. It was a favoritefavourite of the neoclassicalNeoclassical and romanticRomantic artists such as [[J. M. W. Turner]]. It stands on a c. 160&nbsp;m peak on the eastern side of the island approximately 13&nbsp;km east by road from the main port.<ref>The main port and the main city are named ''AiginaAegina'', after the island. The Temple of ''Aphaia'' is 9.6&nbsp;km east of this city. The sanctuary is also 29.5&nbsp;km southwest of the [[Acropolis]] of Athens, which is visible across the gulf on a clear day.</ref>

[[Aphaea|Aphaia]] (Greek {{lang|grc|Ἀφαία}}) was a [[Greek mythology|Greek goddess]] who was worshipped exclusively at this sanctuary. The extant temple of c. {{circa|500&nbsp;BC}} was built over the remains of an earlier temple of c. {{circa|570&nbsp;BC}}, which was destroyed by fire c. {{circa|510&nbsp;BC}}. The elementsElements of this destroyedolder temple were buried in the infill for the larger, flat terrace of the later temple, and are thus well preserved. Abundant traces of paint remain on many of these buried fragments. There may have been another temple in the 7th&nbsp;century&nbsp;BC, also located on the same site, but it is thought to have been much smaller and simpler in terms of both plan and execution. Significant quantities of Late Bronze Age figurines have been discovered at the site, including proportionally large numbers of female figurines ([[Kourotrophos|''kourotrophoi'']]), indicating – perhaps – that cult activity at the site was continuous from the 14th&nbsp;century&nbsp;BC, suggesting a [[Minoan civilization|Minoan]] connection for the cult.<ref name=PW>Pilafidis-Williams argues that the character and relative proportions of the finds leads to the conclusion that the deity worshipedworshipped was a female fertility/agricultural goddess.</ref> The last temple is of an unusual plan and is also significant for its [[pedimental sculpturessculpture]]s, which are thought to illustrate the change from [[Archaic period in Greece|Archaic]] to [[Classical Greece|Early Classical]] technique. These sculptures are on display in the [[Glyptothek]] of Munich, with a number of fragments located in the museums at AiginaAegina and on the site itself.<ref>The important Bronze Age archaeological site of Kolona is northwest of AiginaAegina (the main city) along the coast, and a museum is located at this site. The museum at AiginaAegina was the first institution of its kind in Greece, but most of the collection (other than a collection of bas relief panels from Delos) was transferred to Athens in 1834 (''EB''), where it can be seen in the [[National Archaeological Museum of Athens]]. The museum on the site contains a restoration of the Early Archaic temple entablature and pediment, as well as copies of elements of the pedimental sculpture of the Late Archaic temple set into restored sections of the pediment.</ref>

On ''AiginaAegina'' as one goes toward the mountain of Pan-Greek Zeus, the sanctuary of ''Aphaia'' comes up, for whom [[Pindar]] composed an ode at the behest of the Aeginetans. The Cretans say (the myths about her are native to Crete) that Euboulos was the son of Karmanor, who purified [[Apollo]] of the killing of the Python, and they say that Britomaris was the daughter of Zeus and Karme (the daughter of this Euboulos). She enjoyed races and hunts and was particularly dear to Artemis. While fleeing from Minos, who lusted after her, she cast herself into nets cast for a catch of fish. [[Artemis]] made her a goddess, and not only the Cretans but also the Aeginetans reverence her. The Aeginetans say that Britomaris showed herself to them on their island. Her epithet among the Aeginetans is ''Aphaia'', and it is ''Diktynna'' on Crete.

</ref> The temple was made known in Western Europe by the publication of the ''Antiquities of Ionia'' (London, 1797). In 1811, the young English architect [[Charles Robert Cockerell]], finishing his education on his academic [[Grand Tour]], and Baron [[Otto Magnus von Stackelberg (archaeologist)|Otto Magnus von Stackelberg]] removed the fallen fragmentary pediment sculptures. On the recommendation of Baron [[Carl Haller von Hallerstein]], who was also an architect and, moreover, a protégé of the art patron Crown Prince Ludwig of Bavaria, the marbles were shipped abroadstolen and sold the following year to the Crown Prince, soon to be King [[Ludwig I of Bavaria]]. Minor excavations of the east ''[[peribolos'']] wall were carried out in 1894 during reconstruction of the last temple.

Systematic excavations at the site were carried out in the 20th century by the German School in Athens, at first under the direction of [[Adolf Furtwängler]]. The area of the sanctuary was defined and studied during these excavations. The area under the last temple could not be excavated, however, because that would have harmed the temple. In addition, significant remains from the Bronze Age were detected in pockets in the rocky surface of the hill. From 1966 to 1979, an extensive second German excavation under [[:de:Dieter Ohly|Dieter Ohly]] was performed, leading to the discovery in 1969 of substantial remains of the older Archaic temple in the fill of the later terrace walls. [[Ernst-Ludwig Schwandner]] and Martha Ohly were also associated with this dig, which continued after the death of Dieter Ohly until 1988. Sufficient remains were recovered to allow a complete architectural reconstruction of the structure to be extrapolated; the remains of the entablature and pediment of one end of the older temple have been reconstructed in the on-site museum. Parts of the entablature and some columns of the temple have been restored during 1956-1960.

{{external media | width = 210px | alignfloat = right | video1 =[http://smarthistory.khanacademy.org/east-and-west-pediments-from-the-temple-of-aphaia-aegina.html smARThistory - East and West Pediments, Temple of Aphaia, Aegina]<ref name="smarth">{{cite web | title =East and West Pediments, Temple of Aphaia, Aegina | work = | publisher =smARThistory at Khan Academy | date = | url =http://smarthistory.khanacademy.org/east-and-west-pediments-from-the-temple-of-aphaia-aegina.html | accessdateaccess-date =December 17, 2012 }}</ref> }}

In its earliest phase of use during the [[Bronze Age]], the eastern area of the hilltop was an unwalled, open-air sanctuary to a female fertility and agricultural deity.<ref name=PW /> Bronze Age figurines outnumber remains of pottery. Open vessel forms are also at an unusually high proportion versus closed vessels. There are no known settlements or burials in the vicinity, arguing against the remains being due to either usage. Large numbers of small pottery chariots and thrones and miniature vessels have been found. Although there are scattered remains dating to the Early Bronze Age such as two [[Minoan seal-stones|seal stone]]s, remains in significant quantities begin to be deposited in the Middle Bronze Age, and the sanctuary has its peak use in the [[Helladic chronology#Late Helladic (LH)|LHIIIa2]] through [[Helladic chronology#Late Helladic (LH)|LHIIIb]] periods. It is less easy to trace the cult through the [[Greek Dark Ages|Sub-MyceneanMycenaean period]] and into the [[Geometric period|Geometric]] where cult activity is once more reasonably certain.

Furtwängler proposes three phases of building at the sanctuary, with the earliest of these demonstrated by an altar at the eastern end dating to c. 700&nbsp;BC. Also securely known are a cistern at the northeast extremity and a structure identified as a treasury east of the propylon (entrance) of the sanctuary. The temple corresponding to these structures is proposed to be under the later temples and thus not able to be excavated. Furtwängler suggests that this temple is the ''[[oikos]]'' (house) referenced in a mid-7th-century&nbsp;BC inscription from the site as having been built by a priest for Aphaia; he hypothesizes that this house of the goddess (temple) was built of stone [[Socle (architecture)|socles]] topped with mud brick[[mudbrick]] upper walls and wooden [[entablature]].<ref>Ohly disputes that there is sufficient evidence for this ''oikos'' structure.</ref> The top of the hill was slightly modified to make it more level by wedging stones into the crevices of the rock.

[[Image:Facade of the Older temple of Aphaia-temple-4, 570 BC, 176130.jpg|thumb|200px|left|Reconstructed entablature and pediment of the Temple of Aphaia I in the on-site museum.]]

Ohly detected a (stone socle and mudbrick upper level) ''peribolos'' wall enclosing an area of c. 40 by 45&nbsp;m dating to this phase. This ''[[peribolos'']] was not aligned to the axis of the temple. A raised and paved platform was built to connect the temple to the altar. There was a ''propylon'' (formal entrance gate) with a wooden superstructure in the southeast side of the ''peribolos''. A 14&nbsp;m tall column topped by a sphinx was at the northeast side of the sanctuary. The full study and reconstruction of the temple was done by Schwandner, who dates it to before 570&nbsp;BC. In his reconstruction, the temple is [[prostyle]]-[[tetrastyle]] in plan, and has a pronaos and – significantly – an [[adyton]] at the back of the [[cella]].

As is the case at the temples of Artemis at [[Brauron]] and Aulis (among others), many temples of Artemis have such back rooms, which may indicate a similarity of cult practice.<ref>Hollinshead disputes that there is sufficient evidence for the presence of an adyton in this temple, and she questions whether similarity of form among temples of Artemis must indicate similarity of cult practice. This feature was not retained in the late Archaic temple, so its centrality to the cult practice is open to question.</ref> The cella of the temple of Aphaia had the unusual feature of having two rows of two columns supporting another level of columns that reached the roof. The [[architrave]] of this temple was constructed in two courses, giving it a height of 1.19&nbsp;m versus the frieze height of 0.815&nbsp;m; this proportion is unusual among temples of the region, but is known from temples in Sicily. A [[triglyph]] and [[metope (architecture)|metope]] frieze is also placed along the inside of the pronaos.<ref>Schwandner wants this placement to refute the idea that triglyphs are meant to represent the ends of wooden beams.</ref> These metopes were apparently undecorated with sculpture, and there is no evidence of [[pedimental sculptural groupssculpture]]. This temple and much of the sanctuary was destroyed by fire around 510&nbsp;BC.

[[Image:AphaiaGreece-temple1173 -1 Temple of Athena.jpg|thumb|left|200px|View east from the opisthodomos of the Temple of Aphaia II showing the colonnades of the cella.]]

[[Image:Aphaia-temple-3Λεπτομέρεια τたうοおみくろんυうぷしろん Ναού Αφαίας 07.jpg|thumb|200px|left|Doric frieze and horizontal [[geison|geisa]] of the Temple of Aphaia II showing slotted triglyphs.]]

Bankel saysstates that the temple of Aphaia is more developed than the earlier phase of this structure, giving it a date of around 500&nbsp;BC. The metopes of this temple, which were not found, were slotted into the triglyph blocks and attached to backer blocks with swallowtail clamps. If they were wooden, their lack of preservation is to be expected. If they were stone, then they may have been removed for the ancient antiquities market while the structure was still standing.<ref>Bankel notes that c.&nbsp;80% of the triglyph blocks were damaged in a manner consistent with intentional breakage to remove the metopes.</ref> The altar was redone for this phase as well.

If still in use by the 4th- century, the temple would have been closed during the [[persecution of pagans in the late Roman Empire]].

[[Image:Aphaia pediment Laomedon E-XI Glyptothek Munich 85.jpg|thumb|right|270pxleft|Sculpture of a warrior from the east pediment of the Temple of Aphaia II.]]

The marbles from the Late Archaic temple of ''Aphaia'', comprising the sculptural groups of the east and west pediments of the temple, are on display in the [[Glyptothek]] of Munich, where they were restored by the Danish neoclassic sculptor [[Bertel Thorvaldsen]]. These works exerted a formative influence on the local character of [[Neoclassicism]] in Munich, as exhibited in the architecture of [[Leo von Klenze]]. Each pediment centered on the figure of Athena, with groups of combatants, fallen warriors, and arms filling the decreasing angles of the pediments. The theme shared by the pediments was the greatness of ''AiginaAegina'' as shown by the exploits of its local heroes in the two [[Trojan war]]s, one led by [[Heracles#Heracles' Trojansack of WarTroy|Heracles]] against [[Laomedon]] and a second led by [[Agamemnon]] against [[Priam]]. According to the standard myths, Zeus raped the nymph ''AiginaAegina'', who bore the first king of the island, [[Aiakos]]. This king had the sons [[Telamon]] (father of the Homeric hero [[Ajax the Great|Ajax]]) and [[Peleus]] (father of the Homeric hero [[Achilles]]). The Greek idolize heroes who fallen at war, to die on the battleground was a great honor it depicted courage and strength. When a hero died it was thought that they become immortal because they prove themselves to the Gods.<ref name="Spivey">{{cite book|last1=Spivey|first1=Nigel|title=Greek sculpture|date=2012|publisher=Cambridge Univ. Press|location=Cambridge [u.a.]|isbn=978-0521756983}}</ref> The sculptures preserve extensive traces of a complex paint scheme, and are crucial for the study of painting on ancient sculpture. The marbles are finished even on the back surfaces of the figures, despite the fact that these faced the pediment and were thus not visible.

[[Image:Aphaia pediment warrior W-VII Glyptothek Munich 79.jpg|thumb|right|270pxleft|Sculpture of a warrior from the west pediment of the Temple of Aphaia II.]]

[[File:Aphaia Eastern Pediment.jpg|thumb|right|370px|Colourful Reconstructionreconstruction of the Eastern pediment]]

The first [[Trojan war]], not the one described by [[Homer]] but the war of [[Heracles#Heracles' Trojansack Warof Troy|Heracles]] against the king of [[Troy]] [[Laomedon]] is the theme, with [[Telamon]] figuring prominently as he fights alongside Heracles against king Laomedon. This pediment is thought to be later than the west pediment and to show a number of features appropriate to the Classical period: the statues show a dynamic posture especially in the case of Athena, chiastic composition, and intricate filling of the space using the legs of fallen combatants to fill the difficult decreasing angles of the pediment. Part of the eastern pediment was destroyed during the [[Persian Wars]], possibly by a thunderbolt. The statues that survived were set up in the sanctuary enclosure, and those that were destroyed, were buried according to the ancient custom. The old composition was replaced by a new one with a scene of a battle, again with [[Athena]] at the center.<ref>Leaflet "The Sanctuary of Aphaia on Aegina", Greek Ministry of Culture, Archaeological Receipts Fund, Athens 1998.</ref>

[[File:Panorama of the west pediment of the temple of Aphaia Westernin Pedimentthe Glyptothek Munich n1.jpg|thumb|right|370px|ColourfulThe ReconstructionWestern ofpediment in the WesternGlyptothek pedimentas it is now]]

*[httphttps://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/architindex?entry=Aegina,Temple+of+Aphaia Perseus website: "Aegina, Temple of Aphaia"] Extensive photo repertory

[[Category:Greek temples|AphaeaAphaia]]