This
post is based primarily on Don's notes, occasionally supplemented with MT's
notes from our cruise in 2019. When information from other sources is added—for
further explanation to readers or to satisfy our own curiosity—that is set off
in a text box (as this one).
Most
of the photos that accompany this post are from Don’s camera (with a caption
indicating the time it was taken); those from MT’s iPhone are indicated by “MT”
placed at the beginning of the photo caption. Photos from any other source (such
as the public domain Wikimedia Commons), occasionally used for clarification,
indicate that source in the caption.
We
woke at 6 am. The Viking Daily newsletter gave the weather forecast “Sunny,
88°F / 31°C.”
MT Monday, August 5, 2019, 6:54 AM –Viking Star: Sunrise on the Ionian Sea.
MT 7:02 AM –Viking Star: Sunrise on the Ionian Sea.
7:23 AM –Viking Star: Sunrise on the Ionian Sea, from
Deck 2 bow, as we approached the port of Katakolon.
7:25 AM –Viking Star: Sunrise on the Ionian Sea,
from Deck 2 bow, as we approached the port of Katakolon.
The Viking Daily Newsletter and the
Viking Cruise Documents described Katakolon as follows:
“A typical, quaint Greek port,
seaside Katakolon is huddled around a pretty harbor dotted with colorful
fishing boats. Nearby, the fertile valleys of the western Peloponnese are a
bounty of olive groves, vineyards and orchards, and lead to the legendary city
of Olympia—classical birthplace of the modern-day Olympic Games—in the shadow
of Mt. Kronos. The well-kept ruins here transport visitors back to the days of
the earliest athletes who competed for nothing less than the favor of the gods.
The remains of the temples with their massive columns, the Palaestra, or
wrestling school, the Gymnasium all evoke the glory of the Games, and the
Olympia Archaeological Museum features statues that once overlooked the site.”
Katakolon, or Katakolo
(Greek: Κατάκολο), is a quiet seaside town (pop. 513) located on a headland overlooking
the Ionian Sea on the western side of the Peloponnese peninsula of southern Greece.
The small village of Agios Andreas, which in ancient times was the natural
harbor for ancient Olympia, lies northwest of Katakolo. In the Middle Ages,
Katakolo was the site of the fortress of Pontikon or Pontikokastro, which the
Frankish rulers of the Principality of Achaea called Beuvoir or Belveder.
The remains of that fortress still stand on a hilltop northeast of the modern
port, but the castle is mostly ruined. Katakolo became a port in 1857 and is now
a popular stop for cruise ships, offering an opportunity for passengers to
visit the site of Olympia, about a 30-minute drive from the port. This makes it
the second busiest port in all of Greece, after Pireaus (Athens).
Olympia (Greek: Ολυμπία), or Ancient
Olympia (Greek: Αρχαία Ολυμπία), is a small town (pop. 972) in the
Municipality of Olympia (pop. 13,409) on the Peloponnese peninsula, facing the
Ionian Sea. Despite the name, it is nowhere near Mount Olympus in northern
Greece, where the Twelve Olympians, the major deities of Ancient Greek religion,
were believed to live. It is famous for the nearby Archaeological Site of
Olympia where the ancient Olympic Games were held every four years from the 8th
century BC to the 4th century AD. From about the 10th century BC, the site was also
a place of worship, primarily dedicated to Zeus. and drew visitors from all
over the Greek world. The sanctuary of Olympia became a center for the worship
of Zeus, the father of the twelve
Olympian gods.
At 8:00, we went to the meeting place for the optional shore excursion “Syrtaki, Greek Food & Ancient Olympia.”
The Viking Cruise Documents
describe the 5-hour optional tour “Syrtaki, Greek Food & Ancient Olympia”
as follows:
“A Celebration of Greek Culture
“Immerse yourself in the ancient
history, delicious cuisine and customary dance of Greece. Drive with your guide
into the fertile valleys of the western Peloponnese, where the ancient city of
Olympia rests upon a dramatic mountain plain. Here you can walk among the
remains of the temple of Zeus, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World,
the stadium, which once held 45,000 spectators, and many other of the earliest
Olympic venues. Later, you will continue to the Touris club, where hotel’s
owner Mrs. Vasso welcomes you into her restaurant and invites you to participate
in a cooking demonstration of traditional Greek cuisine. After, you will sample
the food you have prepared together with a variety of other local specialties.
During lunch, you can also learn a few steps of the nation’s syrtaki dance,
made famous by the movie ‘Zorba the Greek,’ a wonderful way to celebrate your
Greek discoveries.”
From the meeting place, we left right away on the bus for tour group number 1 on our way to the Archaeological Site of Olympia.
One of our entrance tickets, with the stub for “SITE” removed.
Viking map of Archaeological Site of Olympia with key to the red callouts: 5 = Wrestling School (Palaestra), 6 = Gymnasium, 7 = Mt. Kronos, 8 = Olympia Archaeological Museum (0.3 mi/500 m off map), 9 = Temple of Zeus, 10 = Temple of Hera, 11 = Philippeion, 12 = Stadium. 13 = Leonidaion, 14 = Theokoleon, 15 = Bouleuterion, 16 = Metroon. Shown on the map, but not included in the key are “Roman Baths” [Kronion Thermae] and Prytaneion (both to right of path, across from Gymnasium), Pelopion (just south of Temple of Hera), Nymphaeum of Herodes Atticus [not labeled, but just to east of Temple of Hera], Treasuries (just north of Metroon), and “Echo Hall” [Echo Stoa] (long rectangle on east side of Sanctuary complex).
The Archaeological Site of
Olympia held over 70 significant buildings, and ruins of many of these
survive, although the main Temple of Zeus survives only as stones on the
ground. The Altis, as the sanctuary was
originally known, consisted of a somewhat disordered arrangement of buildings,
the most important of which are the Temple of Zeus, the Temple of Hera (or
Heraion/Heraeum), the Pelopion, and the area of the great altar of Zeus, where
the largest sacrifices were made. To the north of the sanctuary are the
Prytaneion and the Philippeion, as well as the array of treasuries representing
the various city-states. The Echo Stoa lies to the east of the treasuries, with
the hippodrome and later stadium to the east of that. To the south of the
sanctuary is the South Stoa and the Bouleuterion, whereas the Palaestra, the
workshop of Pheidias, the gymnasion, and the Leonidaion lie to the west. The
site has been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Legend:
Northwest: 1 = Propylon, 2 = Prytaneion,
3 = Philippeion, 4 = Temple of Hera, 5 = Pelopion, 6 = Nymphaeum of Herodes
Atticus, 7 = Metroon, 8 = Treasuries, 9 = Crypt (arched way to the stadium), 10
= Stadium, 11 = Echo Stoa, 12 = Building of Ptolemy II and Arsinoe II, 13 =
Hestia stoa, 14 = Hellenistic building, 15 = Temple of Zeus, 16 = Altar of
Zeus, 17 = Ex-voto of Achaens, 18 = Ex-voto of Mikythos, 19 = Nike of Paeonius,
20 = Gymnasion, 21 = Palaestra, 22 = Theokoleon, 23 = Heroon. 24 = Pheidias’
workshop and paleochristian basilica, 25 = Baths of Kladeos, 26 = Greek baths,
27/28 = Hostels, 29 = Leonidaion, 30 = South baths, 31 = Bouleuterion, 32 =
South stoa, 33 = Villa of Nero
Treasuries: I = Sicyon, II =
Syracuse, III = Epidamnus (?), IV = Byzantium (?), V = Sybaris (?), VI = Cyrene
(?), VII = Unidentified, VIII = Altar (?), IX = Selinunte, X = Metapontum, XI =
Megara, XII = Gela
The earliest evidence of building activity on the site dates from around 600 BC, when the Temple of Hera was built. The Treasuries and the Pelopion were built in the 6th century BC; the secular structures and athletic arenas were also under construction during this period, including the bouleuterion. The first stadium was constructed around 560 BC and consisted of just a simple track. The stadium was remodeled around 500 BC with sloping sides for spectators and shifted slightly eastward. The Temple of Zeus was built in the mid-5th century BC; its size, scale, and ornaments were beyond anything previously constructed on the site. The Greek Baths and further sporting facilities, including the final iteration of the stadium, and the hippodrome (for chariot-racing) were constructed. The Prytaneion was built at the northeast side of the site in 470 BC. The Metroon was constructed near the Treasuries around 400 BC. The erection of the Echo Stoa, around 350 BC, separated the sanctuary from the area of the games and stadium. The South Stoa was built at the southern edge of the sanctuary at approximately the same time. The late 4th century BC saw the erection of the Philippeion. Around 300 BC, the largest building on the site, the Leonidaion, was built to house important visitors. Due to the increasing significance of the games, further athletic buildings were constructed, including the Palaestra (3rd century BC), Gymnasion (2nd century BC), and bath houses (ca. 300 BC). In 200 BC, a vaulted archway was erected linking the entrance of the stadium to the sanctuary. During the Roman period, the games were opened up to all citizens of the roman Empire. A program of new buildings and extensive repairs, including to the temple of Zeus, took place. New Roman baths replaced the older Greek ones in 100 AD. In 150 AD, the Nymphaeum (or Exedra) was built, and an aqueduct was constructed in 160 AD. The Temple of Zeus was apparently destroyed around 426 AD, during the persecution of pagans in the late Roman Empire. The workshop of Pheidias was turned into a basilica, and the site was inhabited by a Christian community. Two earthquakes devastated the place in the mid-6th century. Repeated floods ensured that the settlement was finally abandoned in the early 7th century.
As we entered the sanctuary complex at its northwest side, we first came to what seem to be the Kronion Baths.
9:07 AM – Olympia: ruins of Kronion Baths to our left
from the entrance.
“KRONION
THERMAE
“(2nd
cent. B.C. – 5th cent. A.D.)
“Large
building complex with many architectural phases and functions. Over the central
court and baths of the Hellenistic period, rooms with impressive mosaics were
constructed in Roman times. It was destroyed by an earthquake at the end of the
3rd cent. A.D. The last repair dates back to the 5th cent. A.D. During that
period Thermae functioned as a place for agricultural activities.” The English
part of captions are “General Plan of the Sanctuary of Olympia” (top left, with
“You Are Here” highlighted to right of entrance at top), “Kronion Thermae” (top
right photo), “Kronion Thermae. Plan” (center), and “Kronion Thermae. Mosaic
floor” (bottom left).
The Kronios Thermae (Kronios
Baths) at Olympia are a complex of Roman baths near Kronios Hill (Mount
Kronos), close to the sanctuary and north of the Prytaneion. Built on the former
site of Hellenistic (Greek) baths sometime during the Imperial Period (1-375
AD), it remained in use until the 6th century AD. After destruction caused by
an earthquake in the 3rd century AD, the building was used again after the 5th
century as a ceramics workshop with a kiln and tanks for washing clay, while
facilities for processing agricultural goods, was well as a wine press, were
also discovered.
On the west side of the path (our right) was the Gymnasion.
9:07 AM – Olympia: south end of ruins of Gymnasion to
right of entrance; our guide said it showed how deep the ruins were.
9:15 AM – Olympia: sign for Gymnasion with text in
Greek, English, and German; English text at right reads as follows:
“GYMNASION
(2nd cent. B.C.)
“Large
rectangular building (120x220m) with central court enclosed by colonnade. It
was training area for practice in foot race, javelin and discus throwing. A
monumental vestibule (‘propylon’) was added to the SE corner of it at the end
of the 2nd cent. In context of the project ‘Enhancement of the Gymnasion-Construction
of a new entrance at the archaeological
site of Olympia’ part of the eastern stoa to the north and the central court
were revealed, providing to the visitor a better understanding of the form of
the ancient building. The northern part of the building remains still
unexplored.” English part of captions are “General plan of the Sanctuary of
Olympia” (top left, with “You Are Here” highlighted for southern half of this
building), “Gymnasion” (drawing at top right), “Gymnasion. Propylon. Sketch
drawing of corinthian columns supporting the entablature” (center), “Gymnasion.
Model” (bottom left), and “Gymnasion. Plan” (bottom right).
A gymnasium (Greek: γυμνάσιον, gymnasion) functioned as a training facility
for competitors in public games and for communal bathing. It was also a place
for socializing and engaging in scholarly and philosophical pursuits. The name
comes from the Ancient Greek term gymnós meaning “naked.” Only adult
male citizens were allowed to use the gymnasia. Athletes competed nude, which
was said to encourage aesthetic appreciation of the male body and to be a
tribute to the gods.
Since Olympia had no resident
population, the Gymnasion and the adjoining Palaestra would not have
included spaces for lectures or intellectual discourse and would have been used
primarily by competitors in the sanctuary games.
9:14 AM – Olympia: north end of ruins of excavated
part of Gymnasion to right of path near entrance.
9:08 AM – Olympia: south end of Gymnasion and ruins
of Palaestra to right of path.
9:14 AM – Olympia: south end of Gymnasion and ruins
of Palaestra to right of path.
Continuing southward, on the right (west) side of the path, we came to the Palaestra.
9:12 AM – Olympia: ruins of Palaestra to right of
path (telephoto 72 mm).
A palaestra (Greek: παλαίστρα) was the site of ancient Greek wrestling schools.
Events requiring little space, such as boxing and wrestling, were practiced
here. A palaestra functioned both independently and as part of public gymnasia;
a palaestra could exist without a gymnasium, but no gymnasium could exist without
a palaestra.
The Palaestra at Olympia
is part of the gymnasium at the sanctuary. It is a square building 66m x 66 m
that dates from the end of the 3rd or beginning of the 2nd century BC. Like all
palaestra, it is centered on a large courtyard covered with sand for use as a
boxing or wrestling surface. Along all four sides are rooms that open into porticoes.
The building was entered through the south side through two separate doorways,
each with Corinthian columns. On the north side is a doorway that leads
directly to the rest of the adjoining gymnasium space.
9:16 AM – Olympia: ruins of Palaestra to right of
path.
9:16 AM – Olympia: ruins of Prytaneion.
“PRYTANEION
(5th cent. B.C.)
“Rectangular
edifice restored on several occasions down to the latter Roman times. It was
the seat of the dignitaries of the sanctuary (‘prytaneis’), who were responsible for the sacrifices carried
out at the altars. In the interior of the building was also housed the hearth
of the goddess Hestia, where the sacred and everlasting flame was lit. Here the
guests of honour and the visitors at the Olympic Games were feasted.” The
English part of the captions read: “General plan of the sanctuary of Olympia”
(at top, with “You Are Here” highlighted to right of path near entrance) and
“Prytaneion. Model” (at bottom).
A prytaneion (Ancient
Greek: Πρυτανεῖον) was the seat of the prytaneis
(executive), and so the seat of government in ancient Greece. The term is used
to describe any of a range of ancient structures where officials met (normally
relating to the government of a city), but the term is also used to refer to
the building where the officials and winners of the Olympic games met at
Olympia. In general, in ancient Greece, each state, city, or village had its
own central hearth and sacred fire, the prytaneum, representing the unity
and vitality of the community. The building that contained this holy fire of
the Hestia, the goddess of the hearth, was also called the prytaneum.
At Olympia, the Pryrtaneion
was where the priests and magistrates lived.
It stands to the northwest of the Temple of Hera and was used for celebrations
and feasts by the winners of the Olympic Games. It also housed the Altar of
Hestia, where the original Olympic flame once burned.
9:16 AM – Olympia: ruins of Prytaneion with capitals
on ground and columns of Palaestra in background at left.
9:16 AM – Olympia: ruins of Prytaneion – one of the
capitals on ground (telephoto 119 mm).
9:17 AM – Olympia: columns in ruins of Palaestra.
9:17 AM – Olympia: columns in ruins of Philippeion.
9:19 AM – Olympia: our guide Barbara showing the group
a picture of the Philippeion, with MT in foreground.
9:19 AM – Olympia: columns in ruins of Philippeion
and part of our group.
9:20 AM – Olympia: another view of columns in ruins
of Philippeion, with sign in foreground.
“The
partial restoration of Philippeion, finished in 2005, was executed by the German
Archaeological Institute.
“It
included some architectural members, which were brought back to Greece from the
Pergamon Museum (Berlin). The undertaking was realized by the generous
sponsoring of the foundation ‘A.G. Leventis’.” The English part of the captions
read: “General plan of the sanctuary of Olympia” (at top left, with “You Are
Here” highlighted in a circle at top near entrance),”Philippeion. Plan” (under
drawing at top right), “Philippeion. Before restoration” (right photo center),
“Philippeion. During restoration work” (bottom right photo), and “Philippeion.
After partial restoration” (bottom left photo).
The Philippeion (Greek: Φιλιππεῖον) in the sanctuary of Olympia was an Ionic circular
memorial in limestone and marble, a tholos (round temple) that contained ivory
and gold statues of the family of Philip II of Macedon (382-336 BC): Philip
himself, is son and successor Alexander the Great, Olympias, Amyntas III, and
Eurydice I. It was made in celebration of Philip’s victory at the battle of
Chaeronea (338 BC) and was the only structure inside the sanctuary dedicated to
a human. The temple consisted of an outer colonnade of Ionic order with 18
columns. Inside, it had 9 engaged half-columns of the lavishly-designed
Corinthian order. It had a diameter of 15m.
9:20 AM – Olympia: closer view of columns in ruins
of Philippeion.
9:25 AM – Olympia: other (sunny) side of colonnade
of Philippeion.
Continuing to the east, along the north side of the Sanctuary, we came to the Temple of Hera.
9:25 AM – Olympia: Temple of Hera, with single
intact column on this corner.
The Temple of Hera, or Heraion,
is the oldest temple at Olympia and one of the oldest Doric temples in Greece. It
was built in approximately 590 BC, but was destroyed by an earthquake in the
early 4th century AD. It is dedicated to Hera, queen of the Greek gods. It was
originally a joint temple of Hera and Zeus, chief of the gods, until a separate
temple was built for him. It was at the altar of this temple, oriented
east-west, that the Olympic flame was lit and carries to all parts of the world.
The torch of the Olympic flame is lit in its ruins to this day.
It is the oldest peripteral
temple at Olympia, meaning that it has a single row of columns on all sides. It
had a peripteros—a colonnaded perimeter—of 6 by 16 columns that were
originally wooden because those were the materials available at the time. A long-standing
theory holds that the columns were only gradually replaced with stone ones as
the wood rotted out, and due to other natural and man-made events. In the 2nd
century AD, one of the interior columns was still oak. The elongated proportions,
longer and narrower than the common architecture of the previous ear, are a
common feature of early Doric architecture. As the replacement of columns took
place at widely differing times between the Archaic and roman periods, the
replacements were carved under the influence of their respective contemporary
styles and differ in their proportions and detail, especially in the capitals.
Another theory holds that the columns are so different because various
workshops erected different stone columns in the same time frame.
9:31 AM – Olympia: Temple of Hera – our guide
Barbara showing us drawing of how heavy stones were transported for building the
temple (telephoto 119 mm).
9:31 AM – Olympia: Temple of Hera – our guide Barbara
showing us another drawing of how heavy stones were transported for building
the temple (telephoto 56 mm).
9:31 AM – Olympia: Temple of Hera – our guide
Barbara showing us another drawing of how heavy stones were transported for
building the temple (telephoto 56 mm and Cropped).
9:34 AM – Olympia: Temple of Hera – polished of shell
limestone corner showing shells.
9:34 AM – Olympia: Temple of Hera – close-up of shell
limestone with imbedded shells; MT in background.
MT 9:43 AM – Olympia: Temple of Hera – three columns
at east end, with colonnade of Philippeion in background.
Ruins of Pelopion with Temple
of Hera in background (By Davide Mauro - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=69273725).
* A propylon (from
Ancient Greek: prós, meaning “before” and púlē, “gate”) is an
outer monumental gateway standing before a main gateway (as of a temple)—a porch,
vestibule, or entrance of an edifice.
** A precinct (from
Medieval Latin precinctum, meaning “enclosure or boundary line”) is the
area within the walls or perceived boundaries of a particular building or
place.
*** A tumulus (Latin
for “mound” or “small hill”) is an ancient, artificial hillock or mound
(especially as a burial mound over a grave).
**** A cenotaph (from
Greek: kenos, meaning “empty” and taphos, “tomb”) is a monument
to someone buried elsewhere.
Pelops was the son of
Tantalus, who was the son of Zeus and a nymph. Thus, like other heroes in Greek
mythology, Tantalus had both a hidden, divine parent and a mortal one. Tantalus
was initially known to have been welcomed to Zeus’ table in Olympus. Most
famously, Tantalus offered up his son, Pelops, as a sacrifice. He cut him up into
pieces, boiled him, and served him up as a stew in a banquet for the gods in
order to test their omniscience. The gods became aware of the nature of the
menu and refused to touch it, except for Demeter, who absentmindedly ate part of
the boy’s shoulder. Zeus ordered Clotho, one of the three Fates, to bring the
boy to life again. She collected the parts of the body, boiled them in a sacred
cauldron, and reassembled them, replacing his missing shoulder with one wrought
of ivory. The revived Pelops grew to be an extraordinarily handsome youth, and
Poseidon took him to Mt. Olympus to teach him to drive a chariot. Having grown
to manhood, Pelops wanted to marry Hippodamia, daughter of Oenomaus, King of
Pisa. (Pisa was a small town just 1 km east of Olympia and perhaps an
independent district in the Peloponnese that included Olympia.) Oenomaus,
fearful of a prophecy that he would be killed by his son-in-law, had already challenged
18 suitors of his daughter to a chariot race and killed them after defeating
them. Pelops went to his former mentor Poseidon, who gave him a chariot drawn
by winged horses. Still unsure of himself, Pelops convinced Oenomaus’ saddler
to sabotage the king’s chariot so that the wheels fell off during the race, and
the king was killed. Pelops married Hippodamia and became king of Pisa. He founded
a dynasty that included his famous grandsons Agamemnon and Menelaus. After his
victory, Pelops organized chariot races as thanksgiving to the gods and as
funeral games in honor of King Oenomaus. His hero cult developed into the
foundation myth of the Olympic Games; especially the chariot races are
attributed to him.
The inhabitants of Pisa claimed to be the original organizers of the Olympic Games. The capital of the region of Elis is also called Elis and was located about 40 km northwest of Olympia. Elis was considerably larger than Pisa and was therefore thought better capable of organizing the Games. Pisa and Elis fought over possession of the famous site on the Peloponnese peninsula, until in the 6th century BC the town of Pisa was destroyed, and its lands were incorporated into the region of Elis, covering the entire northwest of the Peloponnese. The Pan-Hellenic organization of the Hellanodikai (organizers and judges of the Olympic Games) was established, with Elis at its head. The Eleans organized the Games from 568 BC on. The city of Elis was intimately involved in the administration of Olympia, and thus also the ritual sacrifices that flanked the Games were performed as part of the cults of Zeus and Pelops. The cults of the hero and the god were inextricably linked. The socio-athletic event of the Games was not only politically but religiously based in the precinct of Pelops and the altar of Zeus. The entrance to the precinct of Pelops was from the west, and the altar to Zeus was approached from the stadium (from the east).
The Eleans considered Pelops as
superior to other heroes, as Zeus was superior to the other gods. Pelops gave
his name to the Peloponnese Peninsula.
Moving on farther to the south, we came to the Temple of Zeus.
9:36 AM – Olympia: Temple of Zeus – sunny side of the
one standing column.
The Temple of Zeus was built
probably starting around 470 BC, when there was a war between Elis and Pisa,
two neighboring powers in the area of Olympia. Finally, Elis was defeated, and,
as a penalty, the town gave the funds for building a magnificent temple outside
the stadium of Olympia. It almost 13 years to complete the temple, until 457
BC. When it was completed, the Spartans gifted a golden tripod for placing it
on the top of the gable. This gesture by the Spartans was to celebrate their
victory over Athens in the battle of Tanagra in that year. The architect was named
Libon, and he made the entire design of the temple following the Doric style.
The entire temple was made of local shell limestone and covered with white stucco.
Statue of Zeus sanius (By User: Bgabel at wikivoyage shared, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commoby Pheidias –
artist’s reconstruction based on ancient description by Pauns.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=23023596).
Chryselephantine sculpture (From
Greek χρυσός, chrysós meaning “gold” and
ελεφάντινος, elephántinos meaning “ivory”)
is a sculpture made of gold and ivory. Chryselephantine cult statues enjoyed
high status in Ancient Greece. They were built around a wooden frame, with this
carved slabs of ivory attached, representing flesh, and sheets of gold leaf
representing the garments, armor, hair, and other details.
“TEMPLE
OF ZEUS (470-457 B.C.)
“Doric,
peripteral temple with six columns at the narrow and thirteen columns at the
long sides (64.12x27.68 m, and h. 20.25m). It was the model (‘canon’) of the Doric
order temple. Libon the Elean was the architect of the monument. In the cella was
positioned the colossal gold-and-ivory made cult statue of Zeus (h. 12m), one
of the seven wonders of the ancient world fashioned by the renowned Athenian
sculptor Pheidias. The two pediments were decorated with marble sculptures
depicting mythological scenes: East pediment: The contest between Pelops an
Oinomaos, West pediment: the fight between Lapiths and Centaurs. The labours of
Hercules were depicted on the twelve interior slabs (‘metopae’). The temple was
destroyed by earthquakes of 522 an 551 A.D.” The English part of the captions
read: “General plan of the sanctuary of Olympia” (top left, with “You Are Here”
highlighting the large rectangle in the center), “Temple of Zeus. Plan” (center
left), “Temple of Zeus. Model” (bottom left photo), “Temple of Zeus (aerial
photo at top right), “Reconstruction of the façade” (drawing at center right),
“Temple of Zeus. Perspective reconstruction of the cella with the chryselephantine
statue of Zeus: (lower right).
The adjective peripteral
means “having a single row of pillars on all sides.”
A cella (or naos)
is the central cult structure of a Greek temple. It usually contained a cult
statue of a deity.
9:36 AM – Olympia: Temple of Zeus – the one standing
column; at right, on its side, is one of the cross-section column drums of
which columns were made.
The column shafts of Greek temples
were normally made of several separately cut column drums. The term drum
(or barrel) is used to describe the individual circular sections placed,
one on top of another, to construct the shaft of a column.
The columns of the Temple of Zeus
were made of local shell limestone.
9:35 AM – Olympia: Temple of Zeus – fallen column
drums of which columns were made.
MT 9:32 AM – Olympia: Temple of Zeus – fallen column
drums of which columns were made.
“Reconstruction
of the NW corner column of the temple of Zeus was carried out for the 2004
Olympics by the German Archeological Institute with the generous sponsorship of
the A.G. Leventis Foundation and the Association of Friends of the German
Archaeological Institute, the Theodor Wiegand Gesellschaft. Reconstruction of the
opisthodomos of the temple of Zeus was carried out in 2011-2012 by the German
Archaeological Institute, with the generous sponsorship of the A.G. Leventis
Foundation.”
The
English part of the captions read: “General plan of the sanctuary of Olympia”
(top left, with “You Are Here” highlighting the large rectangle in the center),
“Temple of Zeus. The opisthodomos after the restoration and the restored corner
column” (lower left corner), and “Temple of Zeus. The NW corner column after
the reconstruction” (right side).
An opisthodomos is
the back room of a temple, which usually served as a storage space for cult
equipment.
9:38 AM – Olympia: Temple of Zeus – fallen column
drums of which columns were made, with the reconstructed column at far end.
9:38 AM – Olympia: Temple of Zeus – fallen column drums
of which columns were made, with the reconstructed column at far end.
9:39 AM – Olympia: Temple of Zeus – steps at east
end.
The map of the Sanctuary of Olympia
shown earlier in this post showed the Altar of Zeus (number 16), north
of the Temple of Zeus (15), east of the Temple of Hera (4) and the Pelopion (5),
and directly south of the Nymphaeum of Herodes Atticus (6).
Plan of the sanctuary of
Olympia (By User:Bibi Saint-Pol - Own work. Data from N. Kaltsas, Olympia,
Athens, 2004 (3rd ed.), fig. 14, p. 16–17., Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2126055 Cropped).
Models of the Sanctuary on historical marker signs later in this post show a truncated conical structure at about that same spot that probably represents the Altar of Zeus.
Monday, August 5, 2019, 9:57
AM (Cropped) – Olympia: Model of Sanctuary showing Altar of Zeus between the
Nymphaeum of Herodes Atticus (top left) and the Temple of Zeus (roof at
bottom).
The Altar of Zeus was by far the most important of the 69 altars in the Sanctuary. In ancient Greek society, the altar was not only a feature of a temple setting, but it was principal in animal sacrifice (an activity that designated an area as being sacred to the gods). The Altar of Zeus at Olympia was not constructed of stone like most altars in antiquity. Rather, it was simply an enormous raised mound of organic material, such as bones and ash that accumulated from hundreds of years of sacrifices to Zeus. That explains why this altar was never recovered by the German archaeologists who excavated at the site of Olympia. No trace of it has survived, although large quantities of ash and bronze votives discovered inside the ruins of the nearby Pelopion may have come from this altar. Its location is based on modern plans that are purely hypothetical. Most would place it east of the Temple of Hera and the Pelopion. The altar was destroyed under Theodosius I, who abolished the Olympic Games, and under his grandson, Theodosius II.
Olympia: artist’s
reconstruction of Altar of Zeus (By Davide Mauro – Own Work at https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Zeus_altar_in_Olympia.jpg).
An account by Pausanias, who saw the impressive altar in the 2nd century AD, describes the altar in detail, saying that it “is about equally distant from the Pelopion and the sanctuary of Hera, but it is in front of them.” He says it was a circular or elliptical structure, approximately 22 ft (about 7 m) high, consisting of a platform and the altar proper. The platform was 3 m high with stone steps on the sides. On the platform stood a conical altar, 9.5 m in diameter, made of the ashes of the sacrificed animals. A narrow staircase carved into the ash led to the top. Blood sacrifices in honor of Zeus were performed daily. The sacrifice took place on the platform, and the thighs of the sacrificial animal were then taken by the priests to the top of the altar to be burned. On the 9th day of the month of Elaphion (late March), the sanctuary soothsayers (mageiros) would bring ash from the altar of Hestia inside the Prytaneion, mix it with water from the river Alphaeios, and use it to coat the Altar of Zeus. On the third day of the Olympic Games, a great sacrifice took place on this altar, a hekatombe: one hundred (given by the people of Elis, the city responsible for the Games) oxen were killed in the presence of the athletes, Hellanodika (judges), and spectators. The rest of the meat from the sacrifices was kept for a great feast.
From there, the group went eastward to the nearby “Ex-voto of Achaeans” near where the famous statue of Nike had stood.
9:40 AM – Olympia: our guide Barbara, with red “paddle”
for “Viking Star 1” tour group, at the circular “Ex-voto of Achaeans,” lecturing
about the Nike of Paeonius statue (its pedestal in background); MT standing at
right.
An ex-voto (from
Latin ex, meaning “out of, in accordance with,” and voto,
ablative of Latin votum, meaning “a vow”) us short for the Latin term ex
voto suscepto (“from the vow made”). It refers a votive offering to a
divinity in fulfillment of a vow.
Achaea or Achaia is the
northernmost region of the Peloponnese, occupying a strip of coast on the Gulf of
Calydon.
During Barbara’s talk, Don won a prize, a brochure from the “Ancient Agora – Museum of the Stoa of Attalos” in Athens, for knowing about a victory over the Spartans. He must have read about it in his guidebook for Greece.
9:40 AM – Olympia: our guide Barbara, with red
“paddle” for “Viking Star 1” tour group, at the circular “Ex-voto of Achaeans,”
lecturing about the Nike of Paeonius statue (its pedestal in background, above
the head of MT, now sitting at right).
9:44 AM – Olympia: pedestal of the Nike of Paeonius (telephoto
156 mm).
The Nike of Paeonius was
erected around 420 BC, a few years after the Athenian allies defeated the
Spartans at the Battle of Sphacteria in 425 BC. The inscription reads that it
was “dedicated by the Messenians and Naupaktians as a tithe of the spoils of
their enemies.” The Messenians and Naupaktians, allies of the Athenians, were
careful not to mention “their enemies,” the Spartans, by name, for fear of the
Spartans. However, the placement of this dedicatory statue at Olympia,
considered Spartan ground, is most often interpreted by scholars as a
deliberate and assertive act of dominance. This sculpture of Nike, the goddess
of victory, may be understood as political propaganda, since at least a century
earlier, the Spartans had erected a statue of Zeus in the sanctuary,
commemorating a victory over the Messenians. The inscription goes on to say:
“Paionios of Mende made it, who also won the competition to make the acroteria
of the temple.”
Paeonius, also spelled
Paeonios or Paionios, was a Greek sculptor who probably had worked with
Pheidias on the decoration of the Temple of Zeus. However, the only work that
can be positively attributed to him is the statue of Nike (cs. 420 BC)
discovered at Olympia. The statue was excavated by the German School in
1875-76. The statue was restored from many fragments but is lacking some significant
parts (including Nike’s wings); it is
now on display in the in Archaeological Museum of Olympia.
Nike by Paeonius, in Archaeological
Museum of Olympia (By Roccuz [1] - Own work, CC BY-SA 2.5 it, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=701456).
Then we headed up to the north wall of the sanctuary, for the Nymphaeum (or Nymphaion) of Herodes Atticus.
9:48 AM – Olympia: Nymphaeum of Herodes Atticus–
lower part of fountain (telephoto 81 mm).
“NYMPHAION
(2nd cent. A.D.)
“Monumental
fountain – aqueduct donated by Herodes Atticus and his wife Regilla to the
Sanctuary. The niches of the semicircular, two-storey building were adorned
with statues of Herodes Atticus, of the emperors Antoninus Pius, Hadrian,
Marcus Aurelious [sic!], and members of their families.” The English part of
captions: “General Plan of the sanctuary of Olympia” (bottom left with “You Are
Here” highlighting the semicircular wall on the north side), ”Nymphaion. Marble
bull, offering of Regilla to the Sanctuary” (center left), “Nymphaion.
Reconstruction of the two-storey façade” (drawing across top left to right),
“Nymphaion. Three-dimentioned [sic!] reconstruction” (drawing at bottom right).
Nymphaeum of Herodes Atticus
– 3-dimensional drawing of reconstruction, showing where the bull was located (By
Davide Mauro - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=69228223).
The Nymphaeum of Herodes Atticus, also known as the Exedra of Herodes Atticus, is located at the west end of the terrace of the Treasuries. It was built in the 2nd century AD (ca. 160 AD). This is an ornamental fountain that collected the waters of a large aqueduct originating from a spring 4 km away in the nearby mountains. It consisted of a rectangular basin and a larger semicircular one, the curved wall of which contained 15 evenly spaced columns and niches containing statues of members of the Roman Imperial Antonine dynasty and of the family of Herodes Atticus. The water poured first into the semicircular basis and then, from bronze spouts, into the lower rectangular basin. It was then piped throughout the sanctuary.
Nymphaeum of Herodes Atticus in
2010, with Mount Kronos in background (By John Karakatsanis from Athens, Greece
- Ancient Olympia, Greece, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=22798641).
A nymphaeum or nymphaion was a monument consecrated to the nymphs, especially those of springs. These monuments were originally natural grottoes, sometimes arranged as a supply of water. Subsequently, artificial grottoes took the place of natural ones.
9:50 AM – Olympia: Nymphaeum of Herodes Atticus –
our guide Barbara with red “paddle” for “Viking Star 1” tour group and holding pictures
of a reconstruction of the semicircular wall with niches and probably Temple of
Hera in other hand; the Nymphaeum in background.
9:51 AM – Olympia: Nymphaeum of Herodes Atticus fountain
– view from southeast.
9:52 AM – Olympia: Nymphaeum of Herodes Atticus
fountain – view from more to east.
9:48 AM – Olympia: Temple of Hera, east end viewed
from Nymphaeum of Herodes Atticus fountain.
9:52 AM – Olympia: Temple of Hera, east end viewed
from Nymphaeum of Herodes Atticus fountain, with three whiter columns of
colonnade of Philippeion behind it.
Just south of the east end of the Nymphaeum of Herodes Atticus, we came to Hera’s Altar.
9:51 AM – Olympia: Hera’s Altar, east of Temple of
Hera, with part of Nymphaeum of Herodes Atticus to the north behind it; a
column of the Treasuries in background at far right.
MT 9:43 AM – Olympia: ruins of Hera’s Altar.
9:52 AM – Olympia: Hera’s Altar; steps on east end
of Temple of Hera at top left.
Then we came to what were called Prehistoric Buildings.
9:53 AM – Olympia: Prehistoric Building– apsidal
house II next to a sign that told about it.
“PREHISTORIC
BUILDING (2150-2000 B.C.)
“W.
Dörpfeld and F.Weege in 1908 uncovered a number of aspidal buildings belonging
to a prehistoric settlement. The apsidal houses had stone foundations and date
to an advanced to late phase of the Early Helladic III period. Apsidal house
II, which contained very many finds, is visible today. Among them were many
bases with foreign incised decorative motifs showing a connection with the
CETINA culture of the Dalmatian Coast.” The English part of captions: “General
Plan of the sanctuary of Olympia” (at top with “You Are Here” highlighting small
square near east end of Nymphaeum but still west of Metroon); “Prehistoric
building (2150-2000 B.C.)” (drawing at bottom left), and “Finds from
prehistoric apsidal building III” (bottom right).
The only apsidal building
still visible is situated southeast of the Temple of Hera, below the archaic
and classical levels of the temple The surviving lower course of the walls is
of irregular stone, while the upper part of the walls was probably of
perishable materials. Pottery finds date the building to the end of the Early
Hellardic III period (2150-2000 BC) and indicate contacts with the Cetina
culture on the Dalmatian coast.
The adjective apsidal
means “of or related to an apse.” In architecture, an apse is a
semicircular or polygonal termination or recess in a building, usually vaulted
and used especially at the end of a choir in a church. In Aegean (Greek) prehistoric
archaeology, apsidal describes a room or building with an apse—that is,
a semicircular wall or recess—opposite its main entrance; apsidal long-houses
(with a shallow porch, fronted by a pair of columns, leading by means of a
central doorway into the building’s main room) are, along with rectangular
long-houses, the chief forms of residential architecture of the Early and
Middle Helladic Greek mainland. The apsidal buildings can be freestanding or
built in groups.
9:53 AM – Olympia: Prehistoric Building– apsidal
house II from other side.
Continuing eastward, we came to the Metroon.
9:54 AM – Olympia: ruins of Metroon, with part of
Treasuries on terrace at right.
“METROON
(4th cent. B.C.)
”Doric,
peripteral temple (10.562x20.27 m), with six columns at the narrow and eleven
at the long sides. It was dedicated to the Mother of Gods, Rhea or Kybele.
During Roman times the temple was used as a cult place in honor of the Roman
emperors and the cella was adorned with their statues.” The English part of
captions: “General Plan of the sanctuary of Olympia” (at top left with “You Are
Here” highlighting a rectangle just south of the Treasuries), “Metroon.
Reconstruction of the SW view” (top right), “Metroon. Reconstruction of the
façade” (center right), “Metroon. Plan” (bottom right), and “Metroon. Model” (bottom
left).
A metroon (Ancient
Greek: Μητρῷον, Mētrō̂on, or Mētrō̂ion), from the Ancient
Greek μητέρα [mitéra], meaning “mother,” was a temple
dedicated to a mother goddess. They were often dedicated to Cybele, Demeter, or
Rhea.
The Metroon at Olympia
was erected in the late 4th or early 3rd century BC, immediately below the
terrace that housed the Treasuries. The titaness Rhea, mother of the Olympian Gods,
was venerated in Ancient Greek religion; Asian and Thracian influences later
caused the cult to change into the cult of Cybele (Kybele). This Doric-style
temple was built at a site that had pre-existed as a place of worship, perhaps
since prehistoric times, dedicated to the mother-related deities Gaea (Mother
Earth) and Eileithyia (goddess of childbirth). During the early Imperial Roman
Period, the cult of the Emperor Augustus was established, and an oversized
monumental statue of the emperor as Zeus with a thunderbolt and scepter was placed
in the temple.
Then our tour group headed eastward toward the Stadium.
9:55 AM – Olympia: our guide Barbara, MT, and others
of our tour group approaching the entrance to the stadium, with the “Crypt”
(arched entrance to the stadium) in the background.
9:55 AM – Olympia: the “Crypt” (arched entrance to
the stadium); MT in foreground; note also the two historical marker signs among
the Bases of Zanes (telephoto 119 mm).
Before entering the tunnel leading to the Stadium, we saw the partially reconstructed Building of Ptolemy II and Arsinoe II off to the right of the path.
9:56 AM – Olympia: single column of Building of Ptolemy
II and Arsinoe II, to right of path to entrance of stadium (mild telephoto 30
mm).
The Building of Ptolemy II and
Arsinoe II is a partial restoration of a monument built in 270 BC. It is
located on the east side of the Sanctuary, in front of the Echo Stoa. The monument
consisted to two columns and, according to an inscription on the base, was
constructed by the admiral Kallicrates in honor of the then ruler of Egypt,
Ptolemy II Philadelphius and his second wife Arsinoe II (who was also his
sister). Over the centuries, earthquakes and other destructive forces had left
the votive monument in ruins, but now the northern column has been restored to
its full height, allowing visitors a better understanding of how the site
looked in its original form. The project was begun in 2009 and took 8 years to
complete in 2017.
9:57 AM – Olympia: single column of Building of Ptolemy
II and Arsinoe II, to right of path to entrance of stadium.
We also passed the Bases of Zanes.
9:57 AM – Bases of Zanes, with the sign about them and
the “Crypt” in the background.
“BASES
OF ZANES (4th-1st cent. B.C.)
“The
Zanes (plural form of the name Zeus), were bronze statues of Zeus placed on the
sixteen survived bases. They were erected with the fines imposed on athletes
who had committed the offence of cheating. The inscriptions on the bases named
the athlete and the nature of the infringement, for which he was penalised. The
position of the Zanes along the way to the Stadion was a warning to all competitors.”
The English part of captions: “General Plan of the sanctuary of Olympia” (at
top left with “You Are Here” highlighting an elongated strip across from the
Treasuries on the south side of the path leading to the stadium), “Bases of
Zanes. General view” (top right), and “Bases of Zanes, Model” (bottom, showing
the line of statues across the path from the Treasuries, between the Metroon
and the tunnel leading eastward to the Crypt; note the model of the two columns
of the Building of Ptolemy II and Arsinoe II at the far right).
9:57 AM (Cropped) – part of sign for “Bases of
Zanes” with Model showing the line of statues across the path from the
Treasuries, between the Metroon and the tunnel leading eastward to the Crypt.
Before entering the Stadium, we came to the historical marker sign for it.
“STADIUM
(middle of the 5th cent. B.C.)
“The
present (final) position of the Stadium is that of Classical times. (Track
dimensions between the stone starting and finishing lines: 192.27x28.50 m.).
The embankments did not have stone seats, except for the preserved platform (’exedra’)
for the judges at the Olympic games (‘Hellanodikae’) on the south one. On the
north embankment still visible is the altar of Demeter Hamye. The capacity of
the Stadium is estimated to 45,000 spectators. A monumental entrance (’Krypte’)
was erected at the west side of it in the late Hellenistic period.” The English
part of captions: “General Plan of the sanctuary of Olympia” (at top left with
“You Are Here” highlighting the long rectangle at top right of diagram),
“Stadium” (top right), “Stadium. Reconstruction of the platform for the
‘Hellanodikae’.” (center left), “Stadium. Plan” (center right), “Stadium. Monumental
entrance (‘Krypte’)” (bottom left), and “Stadium. General view” (bottom right).
9:58 AM – “Crypt” entrance to Stadium.
The Crypt (Greek: Krypte) is
a long, narrow, vaulted passageway (tunnel) connecting the Sanctuary and Stadium,
an early example of the use of vaulting by the Greeks. It was built at the end
of the 3rd century BC as a narrow, roofed corridor through which the competitors
and judges entered the Stadium from its northwest corner. Originally, this entrance
was totally covered, but now it has only a small section of the roof remaining.
“Crypt” entrance to Stadium (By
Joanbanjo - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=19822908).
Why is this called “Crypt”? The English term crypt is defined as “a chamber (such as a vault) wholly or partly underground.” It comes from the Latin crypta (meaning “vault”), which originally designated any vaulted building partly or entirely below ground level (such as sewers, stalls for horses and chariots in a circus, or farm storage cellars). It was natural, therefore, for the early Christians to call their catacombs “crypts,” and, when churches came to be erected over the tombs of saints and martyrs, subterranean chapels, known as crypts, were built around the actual tomb. Thus, in Late Latin, crypta came to refer to a stone chamber beneath the floor of a church or other building, which typically contains coffins, sarcophagi, or religious relics; it also served as a “vault” for storing important and/or sacred items. However, crypta is also the female form of Latin crypto (meaning “hidden”). The earliest known origin of both was in the Ancient Greek κρύπτω (krupto/krypto), the first person singular indicative of the verb “to conceal, to hide.” So, the Greek noun κρύπτη (krypte) originally meant a hiding place, natural or artificial, suitable for the concealment of persons or things, or an underground room or covered passage.
9:58 AM – going through “Crypt” entrance to Stadium.
9:59 AM – Stadium - our tour group, including MT,
approaching starting line.
The Stadium (Greek: Stadion)
at Olympia was a holy place for the ancient Greeks, where all the sports
activities were dedicated to the god Zeus. Originally, the stadium was
constructed so that spectators could view the events from the slopes of Mount
Kronos. However, the stadium was gradually moved farther eastward, and it was
eventually placed outside the Sanctuary. The spectators, men only, were seated
on removable wooden stands mounted on the embankments around the stadium. In
the middle of the south side, there was a paved marble enclosure where the
judges sat. The altar on the north embankment was dedicated to the goddess
Demeter, and the priestess of the goddess was the only woman allowed to watch
the Olympic Games.
The ancient Olympic Games started
in 776 BC and happened for five days
every four years for a continuous 1,169 years. However, with the decline of the
Greek cities, especially after the victory of the Romans in the 2nd century BC,
the Games gradually lost their prestige and importance, and they were last held
in 393 AD. In that year the Roman Emperor Theodisius I banned the Games in
order to promote Christianity.
The English word stadium
comes from the Latin stadium (a measure of length, a race course, commonly
one-eighth of a Roman mile; translated in Early English Bibles as furlong).
The Latin, in turn, comes from Ancient Greek στᾰ́δῐον, stádion (a measure of length, a running
track [especially the track at Olympia, which was one stadium in length], and
the place where the race was held and observed by spectators. Throughout Greece,
a stadion could vary in different locations from 177 m in length at
Delphi to 192 m at Olympia.
The track at Olympia is 30 to 34 m
wide. It served mainly for running races that determined the fastest person in
the world. The track was made of hard-packed clay as traction for the
contestants in the running events. A white block was placed on one end of the
track where the athletes would line up at the start of the race, so they would
all run the same distance.
The ancient Stadium also used to
host the Heraean Games or Herraia, which were games for women,
held every four years at Olympia in honor of the goddess Hera. Around the same
time as the Olympic Games (or perhaps separated from them by 2 years), young
girls competed in a single footrace in which the stadion was one-sixth
shorter than that for the equivalent men’s race (corresponding to the average shorter
stride of women). According to the 2nd-century writer Pausanius, the competitors
were not naked, as in the men’s competitions, but wore a short tunic cut above
the knees, which left the right shoulder and breast bare. Pausanius gave two
stories of the origin of the Herraia: one was that it was founded by Hippodamia
and that the first games were held out of gratitude to Hera to celebrate her
marriage to Pelops; the other is that it was to settle a dispute between Elis
and Pisa.
9:59 AM – Stadium – part of our tour group,
including MT (at left), at starting line.
10:00 AM – Stadium – starting line; altar of Demeter
on north (left) embankment and judges’ platform on south (right) embankment.
The starting and finishing lines
are still visible. The distance between them was a stadium (about 192 m
or 630 ft). The finishing line was marked by a cippus, a small, low column
acting as a goal or a marker around which runners ran if the race consisted of
more than one length of the stadium, The starting line, with space for 20 runners
at a time, was marked by several cippi.
A cippus (plural cippi)
is a small, low pillar, round or rectangular, used by the ancient Greeks and
Romans for various purposes, such as for indicating the distances of places,
for a landmark, or for sepulchral inscriptions (gravestones). Cippi were set up
by the ancient Romans for military purposes, such as a milestone or boundary
post.
10:02 AM – Stadium – part of our group, including
our guide Barbara (at left), at starting line.
MT 9:56 AM – Stadium – MT and Don at starting line.
MT 9:56 AM – Stadium – MT running and Don walking
back toward starting line; altar of Demeter on north embankment at left.
Olympia: Altar of Demeter (By
NeilEvans at English Wikipedia - Transferred from en.wikipedia to Commons.,
Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1697640).
On the north embankment still visible
is the Altar of Demeter Hamye (or Chamye), made of white marble. Seated
or standing on this altar, the priestess of Demeter would watch the Olympic Games,
the only woman allowed to do so.
MT 9:56 AM – Stadium – MT running and Don walking back
toward starting line; altar of Demeter on north embankment at left.
9:56 AM – Stadium – MT arriving back at starting
line.
10:05 AM – Stadium – Don starting to run from the
starting line.
MT 9:58 AM – Stadium – Don starting to run from the
starting line.
MT 9:59 AM – Stadium – Don running.
10:06 AM – Stadium – Don running.
MT 10:00 AM – Stadium – Don running (VIDEO).
MT 10:01 AM – Stadium – MT running (VIDEO); apparently,
she was moving so fast that the picture is a blur.
MT 10:01 AM – Stadium – Don and MT running (VIDEO);
later one of our daughters added the opening of the “Chariots of Fire” theme
song to the combined slow-motion videos.
10:10 AM – Stadium – Don finishing his run, nearing
the starting line.
MT 10:04 AM – Stadium – Don finishing his run, back
at the starting line; Altar of Demeter on north embankment (at left) and
judges’ platform on south embankment (at right).
After introducing us to the Stadium, our guide Barbara gave us free time to explore the Archaeological Site on our own. We just needed to meet back at the bus by 10:40.
10:12 AM – Stadium – view from terrace near entrance;
Altar of Demeter on north embankment (at left) and judges’ platform on south embankment
(at right).
Near the Stadium, we stopped at the Treasuries on a terrace along the north wall of the Sanctuary.
“TREASURIES
(6-5 cent. B.C.)
“Small
temple-like buildings donated by the greek [sic!] city-states and their
colonies in South Italy and Sicily (Magna Graecia) to the Sanctuary. Only five
out of twelve ruined Treasuries are identified with certainty: those of Sikyon,
Selinous, Metapontion, Megara and Gela.” The English part of captions: “General
Plan of the sanctuary of Olympia” (at top left with “You Are Here” highlighting
large rectangular area at the northeast corner of the Sanctuary, near the
Stadium), “Treasuries. Reconstructed part of the entablature” (top right),
“Treasuries, Model” (bottom left, also showing the Nymphaeum to left of the
Treasuries, the Metroon temple in front of them, the Zanes along the other side
of the path in front of them, and the Building of Ptolemy II and Arsinoe II
across the path at far right), and “Treasuries. Plan” (bottom right, with
individual treasuries marked in Greek alphabetic order A through N).
Olympia: Treasuries (By Elisa.rolle -
Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=57630832).
The Treasuries (Greek:
thesauroi) at Olympia were a series of small temple-shaped buildings located on
a long terrace on the north side of the Sanctuary. All but two were erected by
Greek colonies to store valuable votive offerings dedicated to Olympia(some
were items won in war, but most of it was money). The Treasuries were built on
a natural terrace at the foot of Mount Kronos. The miniature buildings
consisted of a single room preceded by a small entrance hall with two columns. The
best preserved and earliest treasury discovered is that of Syracuse. It was
built to celebrate the victory over Carthage in 480 BC. From west to east, the
treasuries were dedicated by Sicyon, Syracuse, Byzantion, Sybaris, Cyrene,
Selinus, Metapontium, Megara, and Gela.
10:13 AM –Treasuries, now on right side of path
leaving Stadium.
10:13 AM – view, from Treasuries, of the single
reconstructed column of Building of Ptolemy II and Arsinoe II across the path.
10:14 AM – view, from Treasuries, of Hera’s Altar
and east end of Temple of Hera (telephoto 81 mm).
MT 10:10 AM – Temple of Hera – Don by column near
steps at east end.
10:18 AM – Temple of Hera – view of interior from
east end toward west; single column at southwest corner and colonnade of
Philippeion in background.
10:18 AM – Temple of Hera – MT by single column at southwest
corner, with colonnade of Philippeion in background.
MT 10:14 AM – Philippeion – MT and Don by colonnade.
At 10:40, we had to be back on the bus. On the bus, MT asked our guide Barbara to write our names in Greek on the back of our tickets for the Archaeological Site.
MT 10:45 AM – on the backs of our tickets, Barbara
wrote in Greek: Donald Marathoner and then Mary-Theresa’s name in upper- and
lower-case.
The address of the Touris Club
is Ancient Olympia, Olympia, Greece, just a few meters from the center of the
town of Ancient Olympia. It is run by a
second generation of the Touris family, who started the 6-acre estate club in
1980. The chefs use local produce and prepare everything in-house. The virgin
olive oil is from their own olives, and seasonable fruits and vegetables are
grown locally.
The first part of the “Greek Food” part of this excursion was “to participate in a cooking demonstration of traditional Greek cuisine.”
First, a group of ladies prepared Tzatziki sauce.
MT 11:03 AM – Olympia: Touris Club – MT and other
women from our tour group grating cucumbers to make Tzatziki, with a cook (in
black) demonstrating how to do it.
Tzatziki is a creamy Greek
yogurt sauce with cucumbers and fresh garlic. This versatile sauce is the
perfect accompaniment to many Mediterranean dishes. You can also slather it on
sandwiches or use it as a dip with warm pita and your favorite vegetables.
The first step in making tzatziki
is to grate the cucumber and then drain it well over a mesh sieve.
Then you mix the ingredients by
hand in a large bowl. First, combine the garlic with white vinegar, extra
virgin olive oil, and a pinch of salt. Add the drained cucumber. Finally, stir
in the strained yogurt and stir the mixture until everything is well combined.
(The Touris Club recipe also included carrots.)
MT 11:03 AM – Olympia: Touris Club – MT and other
women from our tour group grating cucumbers to make Tzatziki, with a cook (in
black) demonstrating how to do it.
MT 11:05 AM – Olympia: Touris Club – MT and other
women mixing other ingredients with grated cucumber for Tzatziki.
11:12 AM – Olympia: Touris Club – MT and other women
adding yogurt to other ingredients for Tzatziki.
11:13 AM – Olympia: Touris Club – MT and other women
still mixing the ingredients for Tzatziki.
11:05 AM – Olympia: Touris Club – MT and other women
still mixing the ingredients for Tzatziki.
11:14 AM – Olympia: Touris Club – the cook, MT, and
other women proudly displaying the finished Tzatziki sauce, in bowls ready to
serve.
MT 11:06 AM – Olympia: Touris Club – the cook, MT,
and other women proudly displaying the finished Tzatziki sauce, in bowls ready
to serve.
11:17 AM – Olympia: Touris Club – bowl of Tzatziki
sauce on our table.
Then, another group of men and women prepared Kolokithokeftedes (vegetarian fried appetizer with zucchini bits) with feta.
11:30 AM – Olympia: Touris Club – another group preparing
Kolokithokeftedes.
Kolokithokeftedes are zucchini fritters
typically served with feta cheese. Kolokithi means zucchini (or
gourdes), and keftedes means meatballs (or fritters). They are a perfect
pairing of zucchini, feta cheese, and fresh herbs like oregano, parsley, dill, or
mint. (The Touris Club recipe included onion, dill, parsley, eggs, and toasted
bread.) The first step is to grate and strain the zucchini, then add the feta,
herbs, eggs, breadcrumbs, pepper, and salt. Then roll the mixture into round walnut-size
balls and place on a tray. Pour some breadcrumbs into a shallow bowl and roll
each ball to coat it all around. They fry in 1/3 inch of oil until golden brown
in a frying pan (they can also be deep-fried). The fritters can also be flattened
with a spatula and fried like European potato pancakes. They are usually served
with creamy tzatziki.
11:30 AM – Olympia: Touris Club – that group preparing
Kolokithokeftedes while the cook (in black) placed
them on trays.
MT 11:32 AM – Olympia: Touris Club – a plate of
fried Kolokithokeftedes at our table.
11:43 AM – Olympia: Touris Club – recipes for Kolokithokeftedes,
cheese pie (Tiropita), stuffed cabbage leaves, and Tzatziki, at our table.
Olympia: Touris Club – recipes for Kolokithokeftedes and cheese pie (Tiropita),
at our table.
11:43 AM – Olympia: Touris Club – recipes for
stuffed cabbage leaves and Tzatziki, at our table.
11:44 AM – Olympia: Touris Club – “Touris Club –
Cooking Class” on back of recipes, at our table.
11:52 AM – Olympia: Touris Club – dining room during
cheese pie lesson.
12:00 PM – Olympia: Touris Club – one cheese pie
left on serving plate, at our table (telephoto 119 mm).
When we got to taste all the things made during the cooking lessons, we thought that was all of the Greek we would be tasting. However, the description of this excursion in the Viking Cruise Documents said: “After, you will sample the food you have prepared together with a variety of other local specialties.” So we were surprised by a huge buffet meal (at the far end of the dining area from where we were sitting) with a true variety of Greek dishes.
While we were eating, we were treated to a group of folkloric dancers demonstrating the syrtaki dance.
Syrtaki or sirtáki
(Greek: συρτάκι)
is a popular dance of Greek origin that is not a tradition that comes from
Greek history, but out of Hollywood. The dance was originally choreographed for
the 1964 film Zorba the Greek. It is said that Anthony Quinn, who played
Zorba in the movie, had injured his leg and could not perform the original
choreography planned for the final scene, and he had to drag his leg in order
to shoot the scene. So the choreography was changed to accommodate him. However,
the dance has been embraced by the people and is included in the repertoire of
many Greek folk dancing troupes. It is a mixture of the slow and fast rhythms
of the hasapiko dance. The name sirtáki comes from the Greek word
syrtos (Greek: συρτόσ), from σύρω (τον χορό), which means
“drag (the dance)”—a common name for a group of traditional Greek dances of
so-called “dragging” style, as opposed to pidikhtós (πηδηχτός), a hopping or leaping style. Despite that, sirtaki
incorporates elements of both syrtos (in its slower part) and pidikntós
(in its faster part). Sirtaki is danced in a line or circle formation with
hands held on neighbors’ shoulders. Line formation is more traditional. The
dance begins with slower, smoother actions, gradually transforming into faster,
vivid ones, often including hops and leaps.
12:25 PM – Olympia: Touris Club – folkloric dancers
(some of our group was still at the buffet at the far end of the room).
12:25 PM – Olympia: Touris Club – folkloric dancers.
12:26 PM – Olympia: Touris Club – folkloric dancers.
MT 12:19 PM – Olympia: Touris Club – folkloric
dancers.
12:26 PM – Olympia: Touris Club – folkloric dancers.
MT 12:20 PM – Olympia: Touris Club – folkloric
dancers.
MT 12:21 PM – Olympia: Touris Club – folkloric
dancers.
12:29 PM – Olympia: Touris Club – folkloric dancers.
12:29 PM – Olympia: Touris Club – folkloric dancers.
12:30 PM – Olympia: Touris Club – folkloric dancers.
12:30 PM – Olympia: Touris Club – folkloric dancers.
12:30 PM – Olympia: Touris Club – folkloric dancers.
Then, the two men did a different dance.
12:31 PM – Olympia: Touris Club – folkloric dancers.
MT 12:25 PM – Olympia: Touris Club – folkloric
dancers (mild telephoto 57 mm).
12:32 PM – Olympia: Touris Club – folkloric dancers.
12:32 PM – Olympia: Touris Club – folkloric dancers,
with high kick.
12:32 PM – Olympia: Touris Club – folkloric dancers,
with splits.
12:33 PM – Olympia: Touris Club – folkloric dancers,
other man with high kick.
12:33 PM – Olympia: Touris Club – folkloric dancers,
other man with splits.
Then four dancers appeared, in different costumes.
12:41 PM – Olympia: Touris Club – folkloric dancers.
12:41 PM – Olympia: Touris Club – folkloric dancers.
12:43 PM – Olympia: Touris Club – folkloric dancers.
Then the two men continued, in same costumes.
12:48 PM – Olympia: Touris Club – folkloric dancers.
12:49 PM – Olympia: Touris Club – folkloric dancers.
12:50 PM – Olympia: Touris Club – folkloric dancers.
12:50 PM – Olympia: Touris Club – folkloric dancers.
12:50 PM – Olympia: Touris Club – folkloric dancers.
Then the dancers invited people from our tour group to join them on the dance floor and started the dance with breaking of plates.
Usually, breaking plates in
praise of a musician or dancer is considered part of kefi, the irrepressible
expression of emotion and joy. Breaking plates is also an act that implies
abundance, as in “we have so many plates we can break them.” It is similar to
lighting a fire with a piece of paper money. However, breaking plates is now
considered a dangerous practice due to flying shards and perhaps also because
of intoxicated tourists who have poor aim and may hit dancers or musicians. It
is officially discouraged, and Greece actually requires a license for establishments
that want to allow it. Nowadays, specially-produced plaster plates are used. Modern
Greeks hold the custom in disdain, and nobody breaks plates as a sign of kefi
anymore. It belongs to foreigners’ stereotypical image of Greece.
12:55 PM – Olympia: Touris Club – folkloric dancers
and people from our group with shards of plates on floor.
MT 12:49 PM – Olympia: Touris Club – folkloric dancers
and people from our group with shards of plates on floor (telephoto 78 mm).
12:55 PM – Olympia: Touris Club – folkloric dancers
and people from our group with shards of plates on floor.
After sweeping up the plate shards, the two men dancers performed a dance where they locked their feet together.
1:01 PM – Olympia: Touris Club – men locking feet
together.
1:01 PM – Olympia: Touris Club – men locking feet
together.
1:03 PM – Olympia: Touris Club – folkloric dancers
dancing the syrtaki.
1:03 PM – Olympia: Touris Club – folkloric dancers
dancing the syrtaki.
1:03 PM – Olympia: Touris Club – folkloric dancers
dancing the syrtaki.
1:03 PM – Olympia: Touris Club – folkloric dancers
dancing the syrtaki.
1:04 PM – Olympia: Touris Club – folkloric dancers
dancing the syrtaki.
1:13 PM – Olympia: Touris Club – exterior, as our
group headed for bus.
The Viking Daily newsletter had said we all needed to be back on board the Viking Star by 1:30 as it prepared to sail for our next port, Thira, Nisos, Thira, Santorini (261 nautical miles).
At 4 pm, Don went to the Port Talk for Santorini in the Theater.
Around 6 pm, we went to the Explorers’ Desk on Deck 1 to get help with our reservation for transport to our hotel after debarkation at Athens. Since we were staying extra days in Athens, but not with a Viking extension, we had booked our own flights and ground transportation. The Viking agent called them and changed the time from noon to 10 am, but they still insisted on being able to contact us personally by phone (although we had no cell phone service in Greece) and not at the ship’s number. So we cancelled that reservation (free cancellation until midnight 5 Aug) and would just use a taxi from the port.
Then we went to the World Café/Pool Grill for a light supper.
Then
we both watched the first part of the Port Talk (until it had covered
our optional shore excursion) on the TV in our
room.
