PROPHITIS ILIAS, Agios Adrianos - 2005

Prophitis Ilias, demos of Agios Adrianos. Ch. Piteros (Δ’ ΕΠΚΑ) reports on work to expose the foundations of the ancient temple previously discovered beneath the Church (an Archaic-Roman votive deposit, containing a few Mycenaean sherds, is also known at the site). The temple is estimated at ca 6 x 12m. The longest preserved section of the north-south wall, inside the church, is 5.25m long: the 13.3m- long wall on the north side has a foundation of limestone blocks. The temple substructure and the sloping surrounds had been levelled with a packing of stones, among which were Mycenaean sherds and Classical and Roman tile. It is suggested that the original identification of the dedicatee as Athena may be incorrect, noting the recovery in the original excavation of the lead catchplate of an Archaic fibula with a depiction of Zeus and Hera.

A Mycenaean fortification around the lower slopes of the hill was cleaned, revealing the lower part of a Mycenaean retaining wall on the west, south and southeast. The oval circuit was ca. 18m east-west and 30m north-south. The temple this stood in an area which had been landscaped and occupied in Mycenaean times.