Temple of Artemis of Vravrona at Attica, Greece
The sanctuary of Artemis at Brauron (Ancient Greek Βραυρών; Modern Greek Βραυρώνα — Vravrona or Vravronas) is an early sacred site on the eastern coast of Attica near the Aegean Sea in a small inlet. The inlet has silted up since ancient times, pushing the current shoreline farther from the site. A nearby hill, c. 24 m high and 220 m to the southeast, was inhabited during the Neolithic era, c. 2000 BCE, and flourished particularly from Middle Helladic to early Mycenaean times (2000–1600 BC) as a fortified site (acropolis).[1] Occupation ceased in the LHIIIb period, and the acropolis was never significantly resettled after this time. There is a gap in the occupation of the site from LHIIIb until the 8th century BCE.[2] Brauron was one of the twelve ancient settlements of Attica prior to the synoikismos of Theseus, who unified them with Athens. The cult of Artemis Brauronia connected the coastal (rural) sanctuary at Brauron with another (urban) sanctuary on the acropolis in Athens, the Brauroneion, from which there was a procession every four years during the Arkteia festival. The tyrant Pisistratus was Brauronian by birth, and he is credited with tranferring the cult to the Acropolis, thus establishing it on the statewide rather than local level. The sanctuary contained a small temple of Artemis, a unique stone bridge, cave shrines, a sacred spring, and a pi-shaped (Π) stoa that included dining rooms for ritual feasting. The unfortified site continued in use until tensions between Athens and the Macedonians the 3rd century BCE caused it to be abandoned. After that time, no archaeologically significant activity occurred at the site until the erection of a small church in the 6th century CE. Votive dedications at the sanctuary include a number of statues of young children of both sexes, as well as many items pertaining to feminine life, such as jewelry boxes and mirrors. Large numbers of miniature kraters (krateriskoi) have been recovered from the site.
Size: 2848px × 4272px
Location: Vravrona, Temple of Artemis, Attica, Greece
Photo credit: © PANAGIOTIS KARAPANAGIOTIS / Alamy / Afripics
License: Royalty Free
Model Released: No
Keywords: ancient, antiquity, archaeological, archehology, archeological, architecture, artemi, artemis, athens, attica, attika, attiki, brabrona, building, classic, classical, columns, culture, destination, dimeter, dimitra, doric, europe, god, goddess, greece, greek, heritage, historic, hunting, landmark, mediterranean, monument, mystic, nature, order, outdoors, park, pillars, place, prosperty, religion, religius, retro, revival, sacred, site, structure, temple, touristic, travel, vavrona, vravrona, vravronia
