A team of 50 researchers has uncovered a temple on the island of Euboea, filled with precious artifacts made of gold, silver, and amber. This ancient 30-meter structure has been dated to the 7th century BC.
According to the Greek Ministry of Culture, the excavations of the ancient temple “revealed rich offerings: Corinthian alabaster, Attic vases, locally made ritual trays, as well as jewelry crafted from valuable materials such as gold, silver, and coral.”
Euboea (also known as Eretria or Evia) is the second-largest island in Greece, following Crete, and is located in the Aegean Sea. According to myth, Poseidon built a luxurious underground palace for himself on Euboea. Today, the island is a resort gem, often referred to as the “Athenian Riviera.” Tourists from around the world flock here for beach vacations. As life shows, Euboea impresses not only vacationers but also researchers, who continually encounter remarkable discoveries.
What else surprised the researchers
Inside the temple, archaeologists stumbled upon a series of structures of unknown purpose. Researchers speculated that these might have been used as altars. The most unique of these objects is considered to be a horseshoe-shaped altar. Judging by the thick layers of ash, it was the most frequently used. On the first level of the horseshoe altar, the team found ceramic artifacts dated to the late 8th century BC.
“It is likely that some of these altars were built before the temple,” the ministry added.
In one of the oldest sections of the temple, researchers discovered bronze figurines from the geometric period depicting bulls and a ram.
The researchers noted that this site has a deeper history than just the temple itself. This is indicated by the remnants of structures from the 9th century BC found here, as reported by the Independent.
“Although the study of the oldest level of the temple has only just begun, the initial discoveries may suggest that the cult has its roots in the centuries following the end of the Mycenaean period,” experts stated.
The Ministry of Culture also reminded that in 2015, a warrior’s grave dating back 3,500 years was found in southern Greece. The burial contained solid gold rings, intricately designed swords, ivory combs with fine teeth, and more than a thousand beads made of precious stones. Scholars consider this treasure to be the most significant discovery in continental Greece in the past 65 years.