The Pasikrata Sanctuary at Demetrias and the alleged funerary sanctuaries of Thessaly

Abstract

During his investigations in the southern cemetery of Demetrias (Fig. 1), A.S. Arvanitopoulos excavated between 1912-1915 a number of deep pits that were found scattered among graves of various periods, reportedly near the remains of a medieval building (Fig. 2). According to him, the pits were located very near the 5 th Stelai-tower and a gate of the fortification wall, by the road to Alykes (Fig. 3). 1 Most of the pits were small in size and contained clay figurines. A larger pit discovered at considerable depth contained stone inscribed altars, marble statuettes, stone inscribed stelai and a life-size marble head, 2 while another pit, found very close to the modern ground surface, contained clay figurines, clay altars with elaborate decoration, pots, lamps, small votives, heads belonging to marble statuettes and parts of a large scale clay bust or statue. 3 2 Based on the numerous objects of votive character in the pits, Arvanitopoulos ascribed the finds to a sanctuary of Pasikrata, named in the inscriptions, whom he identified with Aphrodite because of a few statuettes depicting the goddess, and Artemis En(n)odia and proposed that it was in use from the 3 rd century BC to the late 2 nd-3 rd century AD. 4 N. Papachatzis was the first to discuss the sanctuary in depth, in an influential article published in the journal Thessalika of 1958, which established Pasikrata as a funerary deity. He identified Pasikrata with "Aphrodite of the Dead" because he considered the location of the sanctuary, in the vicinity of graves, as indicative of the nature of the venerated deity. His interpretation was widely accepted and led to the characterization of numerous periurban sanctuaries in the region and elsewhere as funerary.

The Kausia Boy Figurines From Demetrias: A Reassessment

“…Thus, they provide valuable insights into aspects of social behaviour in this city. The largest group of kausia boy figurines was unearthed in 1912–14, in pits attributed to the Pasikrata sanctuary, situated immediately outside the fortifications of the city in the southern sector of Demetrias (Arvanitopoulos 1928, 45; Stählin, Meyer and Heidner 1934, 123; Stamatopoulou 2014; Mili 2015, 268–71, 326; Kravaritou 2016, 140). The sanctuary deposits yielded significant numbers of terracotta figurines, the vast majority of which depict women and children (Stamatopoulou 2014, 212).…”

“…The largest group of kausia boy figurines was unearthed in 1912–14, in pits attributed to the Pasikrata sanctuary, situated immediately outside the fortifications of the city in the southern sector of Demetrias (Arvanitopoulos 1928, 45; Stählin, Meyer and Heidner 1934, 123; Stamatopoulou 2014; Mili 2015, 268–71, 326; Kravaritou 2016, 140). The sanctuary deposits yielded significant numbers of terracotta figurines, the vast majority of which depict women and children (Stamatopoulou 2014, 212). The excavation photographs show approximately 100 kausia boy figurines (Arvanitopoulos 1928, 46–7, figs 52–5; Stamatopoulou 2014, figs 5–7), of which 61 have been securely identified.…”

“…The sanctuary deposits yielded significant numbers of terracotta figurines, the vast majority of which depict women and children (Stamatopoulou 2014, 212). The excavation photographs show approximately 100 kausia boy figurines (Arvanitopoulos 1928, 46–7, figs 52–5; Stamatopoulou 2014, figs 5–7), of which 61 have been securely identified. The inscriptions on the votive stelai and incense-burners from the sanctuary mention the deities Pasikrata and Artemis Enodia, and are dedicated by both females and males (Stamatopoulou 2014, 214).…”

“…The excavation photographs show approximately 100 kausia boy figurines (Arvanitopoulos 1928, 46–7, figs 52–5; Stamatopoulou 2014, figs 5–7), of which 61 have been securely identified. The inscriptions on the votive stelai and incense-burners from the sanctuary mention the deities Pasikrata and Artemis Enodia, and are dedicated by both females and males (Stamatopoulou 2014, 214). The finds from the sanctuary range from the third century bc to the second century ad , but the majority are Hellenistic in date (Arvanitopoulos 1928, 48; Stamatopoulou 2014, 212).…”

“…The inscriptions on the votive stelai and incense-burners from the sanctuary mention the deities Pasikrata and Artemis Enodia, and are dedicated by both females and males (Stamatopoulou 2014, 214). The finds from the sanctuary range from the third century bc to the second century ad , but the majority are Hellenistic in date (Arvanitopoulos 1928, 48; Stamatopoulou 2014, 212). Similarly, the terracotta finds mostly fall in the third century, with only a few specimens in the second and first centuries bc (Ieremias 2019, 40).…”