Αρχαιολογικά ευρήματα επι της κορυφής του Ολύμπου Άγιος Aντώνιος
Προβολή/ Άνοιγμα
Ημερομηνία
1967Γλώσσα
el
Εκδότης
Υπηρεσία Αρχαιοτήτων και Αναστηλώσεως
Λέξη-κλειδί
Βιβλιογραφικά στοιχεία
Αρχαιολογικόν Δελτίον, 1967, Τόμος 22, Μελέται/Μέρος Α’, 6-14.
Πρόσβαση
ελεύθερη
Τίτλος περιοδικού
Αρχαιολογικόν Δελτίον
Επιτομή
One of the highest summits of Mt Olympus is the Aghios Antonios peak
(Φ= 40°03', Λ= 22°2Γ, H = 2817 m). This peak is smoothly rounded and covered with
schistose fragments, with an underlying layer of soil varying from 0,30 to 1,50 meters
depth. Trees and shrubbery vegetation stop in this area of Olympus at the height of
2000 to 2100 meters.
In the year 1961 our Meteorological Institute of the University of Thessaloniki decided
to erect an alpine type meteorological station on the Aghios Antonios peak of Mount
Olympus, and to this purpose a two-storey building has been erected there.
During the excavation works of the same year and the formation of the surrounding
area in the summers that followed, till 1965, several archaeological findings have been
collected exactly on this peak, either lying on the ground surface, or in small depths·
These archaeological findings are recorded in detail in the adjoined lists, and consist of
parts of stone slabs and stelai, fragments of ceramic vases, coins, and a few iron nails.
The greatest part of those finds and all the coins have been found in a layer ranging at
some places from 0,30 to 1,50 m depth, and consisting of a mixture of earth and solid
rests of organic burnings (char) and a great deal of bones, which evidently must come from
the immolation of great numbers of sheep and goats. Samples from this soil together with
all the finds, except for the larger and heavier pieces, have been taken to the archaeological
Museum of Thessaloniki.
All our findings up to this date (October 1965) are included in the three adjoined lists,
that is:
List I contains fourteen stone finds from Olympus (OL 1 - OL 14).
List II contains specimens from the great number of ceramic fragments and other
small items.
List III contains those coins that were found in a sufficiently good condition.
Considering the finds listed here, we note that these stone stelai, regardless of the cheap
material they are made of, are to our opinion quite important. From the letters deciphered
on Nos. OL 1, OL 2 and OL 6 we presume that these are votive stelai to Olympian Zeus.
The word ΙΕΡΗ TEYONTOS on N° OL 6, together with the thick layer of char
and animal bones found on the spot, gives proof that an organized worship of the
Olympian Zeus was held on the Aghios Antonios peak of Mt Olympus, at least during the
hellenistic and early Christian years; this aspect is also confirmed by the shape of the
inscribed letters and the coins.
Further on there are extracts from ancient and modern writers given regarding the
matter of the existence or non-existence of a sanctuary on the summits of Mt Olympus.
From these we draw the conclusion that no definite statements have been formulated on
this matter till today.