Samos

Samos: Hera-Heiligtum and ancient city

Sanctuary of Hera (primarily eighth - fifth centuries B.C.), ancient city of Samos including the once world-famous aqueduct of Eupalinos (sixth century B.C.) and Roman bath buildings; finds in the Archaeological Museum of Samos (housed in a new building since 1987) and from the Pythagoreion.

Location

The island of Samos is located in the eastern Aegean just off the coast of Asia Minor.

History

Settlement of the island was concentrated on the southeast coast; of archaeological interest are two sites - the ancient city and the sanctuary of Hera roughly 6 km to the west. Because of the availability of good harbors, Samos was already an important site in earlier times experiencing a high point during the Archaic period. This is also the period which has been in the forefront of our research efforts.
The ancient city, which in part is covered by the tourist village of Pythagorean, contains many visible monuments including the ancient city wall, the harbor with a considerable pier, and above all the aqueduct by Eupalinos with an almost 3 km long pipe, the middle section of which runs 1000 m through a mountain. In the sanctuary the remains of a column still stands and is all that is left of a temple which according to Herodotus was the largest temple in Greece at that time. 

Current Work

The present research is aimed at summing up our knowledge of the topography of the sanctuary as well as the renovation of various ancient complexes. 

Results

The DAI has been active on the island for a good 100 years. After the first examinations and excavations of the city, work has been concentrated on the Heraion where the initial work was carried out by the Berlin Museum. The sanctuary has proven to be an extremely productive excavation site. To explore are also the beginnings and first expression of the monumental Ionic architecture as well as Ionic sculpture. Additionally, the partially visible monuments have been more fully excavated. Objects carved from ivory and wood, which have been pulled from the marshy terrain of the sanctuary, deserve special mention and even more spectacular is a marble kouros measuring approximately 4.80 m in height excavated in 1980. All finds are on display at the Archaeological Museum of Samos at the capital of the island, Vathy. 

Contact

Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Wolf-Dietrich Niemeier

Klassische Archäologie
Telefon: + 30-210-33 07 400
Telefax: + 30-210-381 47 62
Email: sekretariat@athen.dainst.org
Further Email Addresses: allgref@athen.dainst.org

Bibliography

Previous results have been published in the Archäologischen Anzeiger (laufende Berichte), in the Mitteilungen des Deutschen Archäologischen Instituts, Athenische Abteilung (minor reports) as well as in the DAI publication Samos-Reihe, of which 17 volumes now have been produced.