55-68

The sanctuary of Eucleia at Vergina

• Σαατσόγλου-Παλιαδέλη, Χρυσούλα

In the summer of 1982, systematic excavation began —subsequent to a brief trial dig and almost at the same time as identification of the theatre of Aigae— of a point inside the fortified settlement 80 metres to the north of the theatre. It very soon revealed a set of finds of the greatest importance for the topography, town planning and history of the ancient city.By 1996, archaeological remains of public buildings of the late Classical and Hellenistic periods had come to light, together with an impressive set of marble sculptures of the fourth century BC. These included a complete marble statue of a peplophoros with its inscribed base, the head of a young man, the head of a young woman, and the greater part of a colossal marble snake.The two twin-chambered temples, the altar, the colonnade and the large peristyle to their west were largely destroyed in the second century BC, while the erection on the ruins of the earlier buildings of later flimsy structures demonstrates that this part of the settlement continued to be used down to the middle of the first century AD.The finding of two marble bases with identical inscriptions on which the name of the goddess Eucleia has survived in perfect condition allowed this building to be identified as the Sanctuary of Eucleia and consequently as part of the Agora of Aigae, since we know that this Panhellenic deity was closelyconnected with the agoras of ancient Greek cities. The identification of the Eurydice Sirra, dedicator of the statues, with the wife of Amyntas III, king of Macedonia in the first half of the fourth century BC, makes the site a highly significant one, confirms its identification with the Agora of the ancient city, and provides one more piece of archaeological evidence for identification of the archaeological site at Vergina with the old capital of the Macedonians. And if in the head of the marble statue dedicated by Eurydice in the Sanctuary of the goddess at Vergina is actually a portrait of the queen herself, then we can clearly see the contribution made by the royal statue to the history of fourth - century sculpture.The recent identification within the boundaries of the Sanctuary of two roads, one of which leads in the direction of the theatre, will be of considerable assistance in tracing out the town planning system of the ancient city and in selecting the sites towards which archaeologists will now turn their attention. However, the most important task for the immediate future is to restore the architectural traces of the Sanctuary of Eucleia and open them to visitors. Such a site would inform visitors about the significance of the excavations being carried out in this part of the Vergina archaeological site and about its contri­bution to our knowledge of the history, religion and art of the ancient Mace­ donians as reflected in the ruined material remains of the cradle of their cuiture as it comes to light on the northern slopes of the Pieria mountains.

• History and Archaeology

• Ανασκαφές (Αρχαιολογία)
• Χριστιανικές αρχαιότητες

Βεργίνα, συνέδρια

Περιέχει εικόνες