History
and Myths
The
area of Vravrona was first inhabited around 3500 BC, in the
Neolithic Age.
In
Bronze Age that follows an important fortified citadel is built on
the hilltop Chamolia, around 1200 BC, dating the Mycenaean cemetery
at the foot of the same hill (east of the museum).
The
Archaeological Museum of Vravrona was built in 1962 at the southeast
foot of the hill, 200 meters. about the archaeological site,
according to the plans of architect G.. Fotiadis.
The
lobby of the Archaeological Museum presents the history of the
excavations in the sanctuary of Artemis at Vravrona (1948-1963) and
works on the restoration of the Lodge, the
largest and best preserved building that came to light.
In
room one timeless settlements are displayed,
organized in the area of Vravrona from the prehistoric period
to the formation of the ancient municipality of Filaidon, religious
center of which was a temple of Artemis. Settlements in Pousi-monk to
Tower Vravrona, the seaside hill of Vravrona and the Mycenaean
cemetery on the hill Lapoutsi give a complete picture of the
prehistoric era of the end of the Neolithic Age to the Late Bronze
Age (6 to 2 mm. P. Ch.). From the municipality of Filaidon
exposed ancient from small archaic temple on the hill of Agios
Dimitrios and the cemeteries of Kapsala and Karababa. In the same
room presents the monuments of the sanctuary of Vravrona, dating
to the 5th century. BC .: the Doric Temple of Artemis, the Gallery,
the memorial of Iphigenia and the Holy House, which were built at
the northern foot of the hill, where the excavator was in the
mentioned sources "Kenirion Iphigenia", and also the square
horizontal bridge and the post-Byzantine church of Saint George
(15th c. AD). Also on display are finds from sites of the wider
region, the basilica and the medieval Tower Vravrona and from
neighboring temples of the ancient municipality of Alon Arafinidon
(Tauropolos Artemis Temple and small sanctuary beach in Artemida /
Loutsa).
In
Room 2 developed the foundation of the temple of Artemis, the
cult events in honor of the goddess and the properties with which
Artemis in Vravrona displayed. Most important exhibits are: The
marble "Relief of the Gods", which encapsulates
iconographic myth of the founding of the sanctuary, votive reliefs of
the 5th and 4th century BC with processions families prepared to make
sacrifices, marble edges of the cult statues of Artemis, which
according to the inscriptions brought real clothes and kratiriskoi,
ceremonial vessels associated with the worship of Artemis.
Also
on display are terracotta votive paintings, clay figurines and
pottery depicting Artemis with various properties as Artemis-Hecate,
as Tauropolos and Kynigetida and Patroness of Animals.
In
Room 3 sets out the many statuettes young boys and girls
("bears"), ARKTOI
and Artemis was the goddess protector of childbirth and
children. Parents dedicate statues to please or to beg the
goddess to protect their children, while the games (vertebrae fish,
ankles, dice, miniature vases, dolls) were tributes to the goddess of
children.
In
hall 4 presents tributes-personal items of women to the goddess
on the occasion of their marriage or the birth of their children:
compasses, including stone and wood, dating from the 9th to the 4th
century. BC and intended for keeping toilet articles and jewelery,
Burners, mainly pycnometer and alabastra the 6th and 5th century BC,
jewelry and bronze mirrors, with the characteristic inscribed mirror
Ippylas.
Artemis
then displayed as patron of handicrafts and weaving, the report of
the marble votive relief with Artemis' nithousa "and
other items associated with weaving as clay loom weights, spindle
whorls and epinetron. With the status of Artemis as the protector of
women, marriage and family life is related and associated vascular
dedication to marriage, matrimonial boilers and loutrophoroi and also
marble statuette of young women and men of the 4th century BC
Special
place is its unique wooden votive offerings of the sanctuary of
Vravrona, which include figurines, vases and furniture lining pieces.
In the center of the room is dominated by large marble cylindrical
altar of the late 4th century. BC depicting the reception of Dionysus
virtualized god in the temple of Artemis Brauronia.
In
the penultimate showcase of the hall 4 include panels, symposium
vases (urns, craters, cups) and lamps, most of which were used to
illuminate the sanctuary, while others were probably offered as
votive offerings, such as large marble lamp 7th century . BC The
final section of the room included 4 large number of female figurines
women, edolia
dedicated to the goddess from the 7th to the 4th century. BC
Presents the most characteristic categories, from archaic to
plank-shaped cute "Tanagra". Separate group are the
anthropomorphic pottery (6th-4th century BC.).
In
hall 5 is dedicated to the history of ancient
cities and regions of Mesogaias: exposed funerary monuments and finds
from Peania, antiquities prehistoric and historic times the area of
Koropi and the ancient cities of Lamptron and Ois, representative
exhibits from the excavations of the ancient Myrrinountos (today
Merenda Markopoulos), the Post- cemetery Perati in Porto Rafti (1190
/ 1185-1075 BC) and the geometric cemetery of Ag. Panteleimon
Anavyssou.
History
The
history of the sanctuary begins around the end of the 8th century. BC
he highest radiation seen in the Classical period. At that
time Artemis was worshiped under the name "Kourotrophos"
ie goddess patroness of newborn children. Women etazan child will
give birth and dedicated their clothes in recognition of protection
when childbirth was good. Conversely, when women were dying in
childbirth, their clothes were bid in Iphigenia, that because of the
death and burial in this place, worshiped as a chthonic goddess (the
Underworld).
The
cult of Artemis Brauronia supported and encouraged great politicians
who came from the area as Peisistratos,
Miltiades and Cimon. The importance of this worship in the 5th
century. seen from the temple was built on the Acropolis dedicated to
Artemis Vravrona, who was "dependency" as we would say
today, the large sanctuary of Vravrona.
The
history of the sanctuary and worship Brauron captured the 3rd
century. BC, when the area was abandoned of
the river floods. The sanctity of the area but still in the memories
of people, after 800 years later built a church, basilica, at the
foot of the hill next to the road, about 500 meters before arriving
at the sanctuary.
The
buildings of the sanctuary
The
main entrance was like today on the west side of the temple, on
the road coming from Athens.
This
building was built in 420 BC and remained unfinished, gives
distinctive character to the sanctuary. The Gallery in shape (43x27
meters), creates a square inner courtyard. This building had
nine rooms with positions eleven beds each, as well as seven
marble tables.
In
this gallery were found and most statues "bears" ARKTOI
that little girls - servant of the shrine located in the
museum, but their bases are left on the ground. It was obviously
offerings families their children had grown up and left the
sanctuary.
The
inscription of the repairs of the sacred buildings mentioned a
"Parthenon". Probably was the gallery itself that housed
small virgins.
The
temple was dedicated
to Artemis saved
only until the shelf, ie the flat part where the columns touched.
Built at the highest point dominates the space, with dimensions 19x10
m. And Doric columns.The
Persians destroyed the sanctuary structures in 480 BCE and took
the cult statue back to Susa. The temple was reconstructed in the
420s BCE. Although the temple is poorly preserved, it can be
reconstructed to have had four columns in the cella and an adyton at
the rear of the cella.The Doric stoa
wrapped
around three sides of a central courtyard (20 by 27 m) and faced
south toward the temple of Artemis.
A
stone
bridge is
the only known example of a Classical period bridge in Greece.
About
12m southeast of the Temple of Artemis a
small shrine (Μικρον ιερον)
of c. 5.5 by 8 m was built into the space between the face of
the rock spur and a mass of fallen rock measuring 25 m in
length. The c. 6 m wide space between the face of the rock spur
and the fallen rock is densely packed with structural remains of
uncertain function. This area has been associated with the
propitiation of Iphigenia, perhaps in the form of a heroon.
Vravrona
As
with every great sacred antiquity, there
were ceremonies and various festivities each year and bigger every
four years. The Vravrona, as they were called, included musical
competitions, recitation of poems of Homer and various sporting
events. In Large Vrafroneia the procession started from the sanctuary
of the Acropolis and ended in the seaside sanctuary, while the
annual celebrations were local.
The
reliefs which have been found in the
sanctuary and kept in the museum reveal two of the main religious
events in honor of the goddess, sacrifice and burdock. The sacrifice
was usually a bull, an animal related to the epithet of the
goddess as Tauropolos.
The
burdock
A
peculiar process of worship of Diana the characteristic form is found
in Vravrona and was called as the burdock,
AKRTEIA. The name comes from the
word Bear (Bear), which was the favorite animal of the goddess.
The
Late, aetiological myth says that once stood in the sanctuary a tame
bear that killed her two brothers, because a
toy scratched and hurt their little sister. In commemoration of this
event and to appease the goddess, young girls were staying at the
sanctuary serving Artemis.
In
fact, the burdock was a service in the
sanctuary young girls 5-10 years, whose parents were giving the
goddess before or during childbirth.
During
the burdock, the girls lived in a mosque and large celebrations
participated in religious dances around the altar, holding lit
torches as show performances in the 6th and 5th century vessels. In
this way the ancients believed that propitiate the goddess of bad
behavior and ensure the fruitfulness of the earth and the eugenic
women. The sanctuary also worshiped Leto, mother Artemis, Apollo and
Dionysus.