Scientists discover lost Temple of Poseidon and it's even bigger than expected

The Temple of Poseidon was once lost but scientists have discovered the structure dedicated to the Ancient Greek God of water.

In 2022, archaeologists from the Austrian Archaeological Institute and the Greek Ministry of Culture were able to identify the ancient structure in Elis, Greece which they believe to be the lost Temple of Poseidon of Samikon, described by the ancient Greek geographer Strabo.

And it's even bigger than expected as the temple is approximately 28 meters in length and nearly 9.5 meters wide.

Layout-wise, it's pretty unique as the structure contains two main rooms, a vestibule, as well as what is thought to be a rear hall.

“We are looking at an Archaic temple consisting of two main rooms…the ground plan of the temple is unusual. So far we know of no comparable buildings," said Birgitta Eder, head of the Athens branch of the Austrian Archaeological Institute.

OeAW-OeAI/Marie Kräker

This is considered to be one of the most significant recent finds when it comes to ancient Greek sanctuaries.

So what were the two main rooms of the temple used for?

One theory is that the temple was a place of shared worship for two deities or perhaps a central place to conduct meetings for local cities which were in alliance with one another in regard to religion and culture - this was called the Triphylian League.

Further information has been learned about the temple, thanks to extra excavations this year.

“In the second half of the 4th or first half of the 3rd century BCE, the Archaic temple from the 6th century BCE was remodelled. In the process, the old roof tiles were evenly applied as a subfloor for the new floor. They served as insulation against groundwater and to stabilize the floor. Something that still works today," said Erofili-Iris Kolia, director of the Ephorate of Antiquities of Elis.

While Eder noted how the sanctuary “played a central importance in the region” for centuries as a communication and religious hub for Triphylian cities.

OeAW-OeAI/Marie Kräker

How were archaeologists able to estimate when this remodelling took place?

Additional adjustments to the temple could be dated back to Archaic and early Hellenistic periods due to experts finding pottery on-site which helped to confirm the time period.

Are there any artefacts which provide more information about the ruins?

A bronze plaque with an inscription was discovered, it was too fragile to recover by itself so the team had to also take with it the surrounding earth.

“Initial X-ray images show parts of an extensive inscription,” Eder explained, and once the details of the inscription are restored it could give us more insight into how the temple was used as well as its history.

What do we know about the temple's location?

Back in the day, ancient historian Strabo described how the Temple of Poseidon was located within a "grove of wild olive trees," and experts found this matched up with where they found the ancient ruins.

It is thought the location wasn't purely for religious reasons, but given how close it is to the coast, near the ancient fortress of Samikon, historians reckon it was also a strategic position too.

In particular, the team discovered remains of a double-walled structure north of the temple were found in the early 20th century by Wilhelm Dörpfeld which may have been used as a flood barrier to protect the temple from flood lagoons close by.

Are future excavations of the sanctuary planned?

Short answer - yes. The team which consists of Austrian, German, and Greek experts are seeking to uncover further details of the structure such as altars, treasure houses, or pathways to get further insight into the ancient ruins.

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