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Menelaion

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27: 54: 47: 421:. The establishment of heroic cult was often the means to resolve a crisis, often related to someone who was killed violently or unjustly. On each occasion the hero becomes the epicenter of worship, weaving a social bond for the survival of the community. Being closer than gods to mankind hero or heroine is important for the support of community members in different aspects of everyday life. 256: 378:. Since eighth century BC, there is a small and scattered group of sanctuaries, associated with epic or mythical heroes and identified by inscribed dedications, in most cases after the foundation of worship. Such heroes are Helen and Menelaus to Sparta, 554:. The above-mentioned, in combination with the building design, led Hector Catling to the view that these palaces were administrative centers and ancestors of large megaroid palaces of 617:
dated to late 13th and 12th century BCE. Since some votive offerings have been associated with the remains of the Mycenaean construction, R. Catling expressed the view that they were
581:). This inscription confirms Ross's view that the building was heroon dedicated to Menelaus and Helen. A second dedication to Helen has been found in the same trench, a bronze 211:. The geographical structure of this site includes a hill complex (Northern hill, Menelaion, Profitis Ilias and Aetos). The archaic name of the place is mentioned as Therapne ( 662:, either in landfills or preserved in late structure. This Ancient Menelaion survived until the fifth century BC when it was demolished to be replaced with a structure, whose 550:
has been found in disordered strata, associated with pottery of LH IIIB. On the hill Eagle, south of the ridge of Menelaion, pottery of LH IIB2 has been revealed in a surface
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dated from the early 5th century BCE, upon which there was a bronze statuette with the inscription «ΕΥΘΥΚΡΕΝΕΣ ΑΝΕΘΕΚΕ ΤΟΪ ΜΕΝΕΛΑΪ», (Eythycrenes dedicated to Menelaus).
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The heroes of myth and epic performed heroic acts, have founders of cities and sanctuaries, inventors and ancestors of large families. Most of these heroes are male
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dated to 570 BCE, instrument of unknown use, with the inscription "ΕΛΕΝΙΙ". The next year Catling discovered the first dedication tο Menelaus, in the bottom of a
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The first phase, probably late 8th or early 7th century BC, is not linked to a specific architectural edifice, but scattered limestone blocks. Blocks'
991: 343:, belong to a large group of heroes and heroines worshiped throughout Greece. These heroes, heroines and their cults have already been studied in 277: 1125: 99: 1092: 1006: 867: 401:, but the legend and the epic is full of female figures, as is the case in Menelaion. The heroines often usually work in 490:
of the archaeological site. The excavation revealed a Late Mycenaean structure built with raw brick coated with painted
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of Menelaos, based on structural changes of the building that Dawkins revealed which divided in three distinct phases:
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Mansion 2 - was built about 10 meters further from Mansion 1, with a new orientation and reported abandoned during
510:. Hector Catling tried to form a chronological sequence between the remnants of the Mycenaean period and the late 46: 946:
Dawkins, R. (1910). "I. Laconia: -I.- Excavations at Sparta, 1910, the Mycenaean City near the Menelaion".
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1 - Original building facing south assembling three parallel units. The central unit is considered a
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that states a Knowledge editor's personal feelings or presents an original argument about a topic.
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Wace, A. J. B.; et al. (1909). "I Laconia: -I.-Excavations at Sparta, 1909, the Menelaion".
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Richard Catling (Hector Catling's son) continued excavations in Therapne during the 1980s, on a
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of the south side of Menelaion hill. His site consisted of disturbed strata filled with sub-
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depends on their correlation with strata in which relevant votive offerings were uncovered.
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on the eastern peak of the ridge of Menelaeion hill. Further excavations followed, led by
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Catling, H. W., Cavanagh, C. (1976). "Two Inscribed Bronzes from the Menelaion, Sparta".
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After 60 years the British School returned to the site and excavations were conducted by
479: 188: 466:. Ross excavated the area in 1834, revealing lead votive figurines of the Laconic type. 26: 179: 658:
structure has been built made of limestone. Building materials have been found out of
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votive offerings. In the same place have been discovered the walls and the floor of a
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Catling, H. (1992). "Sparta: A Mycenaean Palace and a Shrine to Menelaus and Helen".
911: 885: 863: 830: 675:, phase is connected with the 5th century BC and stratigraphy indicates that the new 602: 383: 847:. Berkeley, Los Angeles and London: University of California Press. pp. 94–199. 405:
context, as part of a heroic pair, or as virgins who give their lives to save their
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in the hills around the Menelaion. In North Hill, north of the ridge of Menelaion,
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During the second phase, probably in the sixth century BC it seems that a small
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with the meaning used in subsequent periods, or refer to heroic cult directly.
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Cavanagh, W.; Laxton (1984). "Lead Figures from the Menelaion and Seriation".
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was built upon the ancient edifice, although some researchers believe that
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Catling, H. W. (1977). "Excavations at the Menelaion, Sparta, 1973-1976".
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was actually recognized as a warehouse during the excavations of 1909.
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An Archaeology of Ancestors: Tomb Cult and Hero Cult in Early Greece
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Ekroth, Gunnel (2007). "Heroes and Hero-Cults". In D. Ogden (ed.).
774: 655: 498:, then director of the British School of Athens, in the year 1910. 454:. At the end of the 7th and 6th centuries BCE, a temple built with 439: 410: 379: 352: 340: 32: 434:
On the hill of Menelaion during the 8th century BCE the eponymous
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indicates that heroic cult existed in some form at the end of the
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Catling, H. (1977). "Excavations at the Menelaion, 1976-1977".
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Mansion 3 - was inhabited at the end of Late Helladic (LHIIIA1)
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Dawkins, R. M. (1910). "Mycenaean settlement at Menelaion".
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Ephorate of Prehistoric and Classical Antiquities of Lakonia
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personal reflection, personal essay, or argumentative essay
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Catling, R. (1986). "Excavations at the Menelaion: 1985".
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findings on the Northern hill and major settlement of the
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The Returns of Odysseus: Colonization and Ethnicity
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The Menelaeion 930: 382:in Cave of Loizos at beach Polis to 249: 13: 596: 446:, were worshiped, with a possible 339:exercises. Helen, and her husband 222: 14: 1157: 1085: 501: 53: 906:Antonaccio, Carla Maria (1994). 740:, frag. 16, frag. 23, frag. 56; 319:, circa 8th century BC. Besides 254: 52: 45: 1126:1834 archaeological discoveries 1066: 1051: 1036: 1021: 998: 969: 954: 628: 462:has been recognized as such by 939: 924: 899: 876: 851: 836: 730: 715: 694: 429: 424: 1: 1062:: 24–42 (No. 23) (1976–1977). 687: 16:Archaeological site in Greece 496:Richard MacGillivray Dawkins 413:infant, who was killed by a 7: 887:Companion to Greek Religion 245: 10: 1162: 708:, 5.14, 21 ff; Pausanias, 230:deposits of the valley of 216: 204: 1093:"Hero Shrine of Menelaus" 1007:"Hero Shrine of Menelaus" 180:Greek Ministry of Culture 175: 167: 162: 143: 138: 130: 93: 83: 69: 40: 24: 666:are visible to this day. 476:British School at Athens 372:Archaeological evidence 154:hero shrine on site of 1060:Archaeological Reports 660:archaeological context 482:, M. S. Thompson, and 312:appeared initially in 308:It is considered that 276:by rewriting it in an 115:37.06500°N 22.453000°E 710:Description of Greece 486:the first systematic 1095:. Warwick University 1009:. Warwick University 858:Pache, C.O. (2004). 366:do not use the term 345:classical archeology 963:Current Archaeology 843:Malkin, I. (1998). 744:,frag. 5, frag. 6; 742:Alcaeus of Mytilene 625:of the Bronze Age. 589:, a blue limestone 480:John Percival Droop 189:archaeological site 120:37.06500; 22.453000 111: /  61:Shown within Greece 31:The Menelaion with 21: 768:, 1.3; 3.113-116. 278:encyclopedic style 265:is written like a 242:in the Menelaion. 158:domestic buildings 19: 1045:Lakonikai Spoudai 1030:Lakonikai Spoudai 869:978-0-252-02929-5 831:Encomium of Helen 704:10.63; Polybius, 681:Ancient Menelaion 417:near a spring at 323:, she appears in 306: 305: 298: 185: 184: 35:in the background 1153: 1104: 1102: 1100: 1079: 1078: 1070: 1064: 1063: 1055: 1049: 1048: 1040: 1034: 1033: 1025: 1019: 1018: 1016: 1014: 1002: 996: 995: 989: 981: 973: 967: 966: 958: 952: 951: 943: 937: 936: 928: 922: 921: 903: 897: 896: 890: 880: 874: 873: 855: 849: 848: 840: 834: 734: 728: 727: 719: 713: 698: 619:votive offerings 532:period (LHIIIA1) 364:literary sources 333:theatrical plays 301: 294: 290: 287: 281: 258: 257: 250: 240:Mycenaean period 218: 206: 126: 125: 123: 122: 121: 116: 112: 109: 108: 107: 104: 56: 55: 49: 29: 22: 18: 1161: 1160: 1156: 1155: 1154: 1152: 1151: 1150: 1136:Ancient Laconia 1111: 1110: 1108: 1098: 1096: 1091: 1088: 1083: 1082: 1071: 1067: 1056: 1052: 1041: 1037: 1026: 1022: 1012: 1010: 1005: 1003: 999: 983: 982: 974: 970: 965:(130): 429–431. 959: 955: 944: 940: 929: 925: 918: 904: 900: 881: 877: 870: 856: 852: 841: 837: 735: 731: 720: 716: 699: 695: 690: 647:relative dating 631: 621:to the hero or 599: 597:Richard Catling 504: 478:conducted with 472: 432: 427: 302: 291: 285: 282: 274:help improve it 271: 259: 255: 248: 236:Middle Helladic 225: 223:General context 119: 117: 113: 110: 105: 102: 100: 98: 97: 65: 64: 63: 62: 59: 58: 57: 36: 17: 12: 11: 5: 1159: 1149: 1148: 1143: 1138: 1133: 1128: 1123: 1106: 1105: 1087: 1086:External links 1084: 1081: 1080: 1065: 1050: 1047:(10): 205–216. 1035: 1020: 997: 980:(15): 145–157. 968: 953: 938: 935:(15): 108–157. 923: 917:978-0847679423 916: 898: 875: 868: 850: 835: 729: 714: 692: 691: 689: 686: 685: 684: 668: 667: 651: 650: 630: 627: 598: 595: 537: 536: 533: 526: 508:Hector Catling 503: 502:Hector Catling 500: 471: 468: 431: 428: 426: 423: 376:Early Iron Age 357:ancient Greece 351:and shape the 304: 303: 262: 260: 253: 247: 244: 224: 221: 183: 182: 177: 173: 172: 169: 165: 164: 160: 159: 145: 141: 140: 136: 135: 132: 128: 127: 95: 91: 90: 85: 81: 80: 71: 67: 66: 60: 51: 50: 44: 43: 42: 41: 38: 37: 30: 15: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1158: 1147: 1146:Greek temples 1144: 1142: 1141:Helen of Troy 1139: 1137: 1134: 1132: 1129: 1127: 1124: 1122: 1119: 1118: 1116: 1109: 1094: 1090: 1089: 1076: 1069: 1061: 1054: 1046: 1039: 1032:(3): 408–415. 1031: 1024: 1008: 1001: 993: 987: 979: 972: 964: 957: 949: 942: 934: 927: 919: 913: 909: 902: 894: 889: 888: 879: 871: 865: 861: 854: 846: 839: 833: 832: 827: 823: 819: 815: 814: 809: 805: 804: 799: 798: 793: 792: 787: 786: 781: 777: 776: 771: 767: 763: 762: 757: 753: 752: 747: 743: 739: 733: 725: 718: 711: 707: 703: 697: 693: 682: 678: 674: 670: 669: 665: 661: 657: 653: 652: 648: 644: 643: 642: 640: 639:architectural 636: 635:stratigraphic 626: 624: 620: 616: 612: 608: 604: 594: 592: 588: 584: 580: 576: 575:boustrophedon 573:with incised 572: 567: 565: 561: 557: 553: 549: 546: 542: 534: 531: 530:Late Helladic 527: 524: 520: 517: 516: 515: 513: 509: 499: 497: 493: 489: 485: 481: 477: 467: 465: 461: 457: 453: 449: 445: 444:Helen of Troy 441: 437: 422: 420: 416: 412: 408: 404: 400: 396: 391: 389: 385: 381: 377: 373: 369: 365: 362:The earliest 360: 358: 354: 350: 346: 342: 338: 334: 330: 326: 322: 318: 315: 311: 310:Helen of Troy 300: 297: 289: 279: 275: 269: 268: 263:This section 261: 252: 251: 243: 241: 237: 233: 229: 220: 214: 213:Ancient Greek 210: 202: 201:Ancient Greek 198: 194: 190: 181: 178: 174: 170: 166: 161: 157: 156:Late Helladic 153: 149: 146: 142: 137: 133: 129: 124: 96: 92: 89: 86: 82: 79: 75: 72: 68: 48: 39: 34: 28: 23: 1107: 1097:. Retrieved 1074: 1068: 1059: 1053: 1044: 1038: 1029: 1023: 1011:. Retrieved 1000: 986:cite journal 977: 971: 962: 956: 947: 941: 932: 926: 907: 901: 886: 878: 859: 853: 844: 838: 829: 821: 811: 808:Aristophanes 801: 797:Trojan Women 795: 789: 783: 773: 759: 749: 732: 723: 717: 709: 705: 701: 696: 680: 632: 629:Stratigraphy 600: 582: 578: 568: 538: 505: 474:In 1909 the 473: 433: 392: 390:at Mycenae. 361: 325:lyric poetry 307: 292: 283: 264: 226: 196: 192: 186: 106:22°27′10.8″E 950:(16): 4–11. 726:(16): 4–11. 700:Isokrates, 671:The third, 545:prehistoric 512:heroic cult 464:Ludwig Ross 430:Ludwig Ross 425:Excavations 317:epic poetry 195:(translit. 118: / 94:Coordinates 1115:Categories 822:Oration 10 813:Lysistrata 756:Theocritus 688:References 656:monumental 609:and early 548:settlement 541:Bronze Age 488:excavation 337:rhetorical 335:, even in 205:Μενελάειον 197:Menelaeion 168:Management 163:Site notes 1077:(79): 30. 818:Isokrates 780:Euripides 770:Aeschylus 766:Herodotus 706:Histories 677:sanctuary 673:classical 615:structure 607:geometric 571:aryballos 484:Alan Wace 456:limestone 452:enclosure 388:Agamemnon 349:philology 193:Menelaion 152:Classical 134:Sanctuary 103:37°3′54″N 20:Menelaion 1099:21 March 1013:21 March 775:Oresteia 754:, 243B; 751:Phaedrus 641:phases: 440:Menelaus 411:Opheltes 395:warriors 380:Odysseus 353:ideology 341:Menelaus 286:May 2020 246:Ideology 70:Location 33:Taygetos 826:Gorgias 816:. Also 791:Orestes 702:Oration 623:heroine 611:archaic 603:terrace 587:cistern 560:Mycenae 552:stratum 523:megaron 519:Mansion 492:plaster 329:history 314:Homeric 272:Please 232:Eurotas 228:Fluvial 217:Θεράπνη 176:Website 148:Archaic 144:Founded 139:History 88:Lakonia 978:Kadmos 914:  866:  803:Hecuba 738:Sappho 712:, 3.9. 583:harpax 564:Tiryns 460:heroon 436:heroes 403:family 384:Ithaca 209:Sparta 84:Region 78:Greece 74:Sparti 785:Helen 761:Idyll 746:Plato 664:ruins 591:stele 556:Pylos 448:altar 419:Nemea 415:snake 399:kings 331:, in 327:, in 1101:2016 1015:2016 992:link 912:ISBN 864:ISBN 764:18. 736:See 637:and 562:and 450:and 442:and 407:city 386:and 368:hero 347:and 321:epos 187:The 150:and 131:Type 893:106 724:BSA 397:or 219:). 199:) ( 191:of 1117:: 988:}} 984:{{ 828:, 824:; 820:, 810:, 806:; 800:, 794:, 788:, 782:, 778:; 772:, 758:, 748:, 566:. 558:, 438:, 359:. 215:: 203:: 76:, 1103:. 1017:. 994:) 920:. 895:. 872:. 299:) 293:( 288:) 284:( 280:.

Index


Taygetos
Menelaion is located in Greece
Sparti
Greece
Lakonia
37°3′54″N 22°27′10.8″E / 37.06500°N 22.453000°E / 37.06500; 22.453000
Archaic
Classical
Late Helladic
Greek Ministry of Culture
archaeological site
Ancient Greek
Sparta
Ancient Greek
Fluvial
Eurotas
Middle Helladic
Mycenaean period
personal reflection, personal essay, or argumentative essay
help improve it
encyclopedic style
Learn how and when to remove this message
Helen of Troy
Homeric
epic poetry
epos
lyric poetry
history
theatrical plays

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