Olympia the archeologyIn the western Peloponnese, in the beautiful valley of the river Alpheios, flourished the most glorious temple of ancient Greece,Olympia was dedicated to the father of the gods, Zeus. Lies in the foothills southwest of Saturn overgrown hill, between the river and Pruning Alpheios, which bind to this region. Despite the isolated position near the west coast of the Peloponnese, Olympia in Greece was established as the most important religious and athletic center. Here were born the main games of ancient Greece, the Olympics, made every four years in honor of Zeus, a Greek institution with radiation and glare from antiquity until today. The beginning of worship and mythical confrontations that took place at Olympia lost in the mists of time. Local legends about the powerful king of the famous Pelops, and the river god Alfeio show strong links with the sacred East and the West. The oldest finds in the area of Olympia found in southern foot of the hill, Saturn, where it developed the first prehistoric temples and cults. A large number of shells, dating back to the Final Neolithic period (4th millennium BC), found in the north struck the stage. Traces of habitation and three periods of the Bronze Age have been identified in the wider region of Alteos and the New Museum. Early in the period II (2800-2300 BC) built a large tomb, discovered in the lower strata of Pelops, and the Early period III (2150-2000 BC) built the first arched buildings of the village. According to ancient tradition, the 11th century BC in the region of Olympia Aetolians are installed with Oxylo leader, who founded the state of Elis. Towards the end of the Mycenaean era probably formed primitive and the oldest temple, dedicated to local deities and πανελλήνιες. Around the 10th-9th century. BC began to shape the Altis, the sacred grove that was planted with wild olive, pine, trees, poplar and oak. Then introduced the worship of Zeus, Olympia and the place of residence became a place of worship. For some time in the sanctuary there was built, only the Altis, which was protected by enclosure, in which were altars for sacrifices to the gods and the tomb of Pelops. The numerous votive offerings, mostly figurines, bronze vessels and tripods were placed in the countryside, on twigs of trees and altars. In the Geometric period dating and first figurines depicting Zeus, the main sanctuary. In 776 BC reorganized in honor of the Games, from Ifito, king of Elis, from Kleostheni of Peas and Likourgos of Sparta, who established and the sacred truce. The telountan Olympia every four years and soon became universal in nature. The Archaic period began the great development of the sanctuary, as the thousands of tributes, weapons, statuettes, and many other vessels, and then built the first monumental buildings: the Temple of Hera, the Prytaneion the Bouleuterion the treasures and first stage. The edge of the sanctuary continued to classical times, when erected the magnificent temple of Zeus (470-456 BC), baths, galleries, treasures, auxiliary buildings, and the stage, which moved east two archaic, except Holy Alteos. Many were the tributes offered by the faithful. The statue and thousands of other valuable works were all over the sacred site of Alteos lost, since the sanctuary sylithike several times in antiquity, especially in the Roman era. During the Hellenistic era continued the construction of buildings mainly secular in nature, such as the gymnasium and the temple, and in Roman times were alterations to existing buildings. Also strongly built, luxury homes and the aqueduct. The temple was plundered, so the excellent tributes to kosmisoun Roman villas. The operation continued normally the first Christian years on Constantine the Great. 393 AD were the last Olympic Games and later the Byzantine Emperor Theodosius A, banned by decree of permanent marriage, and on B Theodosius, made the final destruction of the temple (426 AD). In mid-5th century. AD up in deserted buildings already developed a small Christian village, and the workshop of Pheidias was converted to an Early Christian basilica. Two major earthquakes in 522 and 551 AD caused the final destruction of the temple, as we then collapsed buildings were still standing, among them the temple of Zeus. In the following centuries the area covered by the flooding of rivers and Pruning Alpheios and landslides from the hill of Cronus and the Olympia came in forgetting the ruins covered by epichosi 5-7 meters. The echo was named the 1766 and just found the location of the ancient temple. The first excavation at the site conducted in 1829 by the French Scientific Mission to the Peloponnese, led by General N. J. Maison. Then we discovered part of the temple of Zeus and which parts of the metopes decorating, many of which were transferred to the Louvre Museum. The systematic investigation of the sanctuary began in 1875 by the German Archaeological Institute and continued with interruptions until today. The most recent surveys, the last decade were in the southwest building, under the direction of Professor of |
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