Piraios Street, Neo Phalero - 2022

During the earlier excavation of the site, the foundation of a polygonal enclosure made of large blocks of Piraeus actite and three internal walls of the same structure were revealed which formed four rooms in a row open to the east. In the southern, which was also the main worship area, a total of six shrines had been uncovered, one of which with a statue of Cybele’s throne type and stone pedestals for the depositing of smaller votive offerings. The northernmost areas were interpreted as auxiliary for the needs of the priesthood (Arch Delt 60, 201-202). The latest research confirmed the existence of three floors of use, mainly on the eastern border of the archaeological site. The first two, superimposed on each other, are temporally related to the construction of the enclosure, while the third, which was found deeper, was probably the initial level of the use of the space. This was confirmed by the investigation east of the northernmost temple, where a large number of clay figurines of mostly enthroned female figures were excavated (fig. 1-2). In addition to the figurines, small lekythes were also found, among them a black figure with a representation of four women, the first from the left driving a quadriga and the last on the right sitting on a diphros (fig. 3). To the east of the cluster of temples were found bones of a horse’s skull together with two figurines of enthroned women. Finally, near the area of ​​the enclosure, a marble statue of a lion was found, as a vow to the Goddess with an inscription of the assignor: ΗΓΗΣΙΜΑΧΟΣ ΕΚ ΚΕΡΑΜΕΩΝ (fig.4).