Έρευνες για την αρχαία Ψωφίδα

Abstract

The project "Investigations in ancient Psophis" started to materialize in 2001, initiated by the 6th Ephorate of Prehistoric and Classical Antiquities of Patras with the financial support of the Region of Western Greece through the program EΠTA and with the help of the municipality of Aroaneia. The aims of our project were the following: A) the cleaning of the ancient fortification wall, B) the cleaning of the visible public buildings, C) trial pits for the localization of the ancient theatre, D) the locations of the ancient temples of the city. The cleaning of the wall brought to light almost its whole perimeter. It was established that there were towers in every part of the wall. A new gate was located in its western part. The most important public building is known as 'Helleniko'. A large wall supports the building, which consists of a central court and rooms around it, and its excavation will take place during the next period. The initial trial pits in the western part of the city did not bring to light the ancient theatre, but many walls, which belong to different, probably public, buildings. The trial pits will be continued in this part of the city, because the discovery of a theater mask and of theater tickets during the cleaning of the west wall show that the theatre must be located here. A trial pit in the court of the monastery of the Virgin Mary brought to light a large Doric capital. G. Papandreou had also found large drums in 1920 in the same area. These elements show that the most important temple of the city, for Aphrodite Erykine, must be located here and not in Ag. Petros by Aphrodision, as Chr. Kardara believes. Numerous architectural members, such as capitals, columns, drums etc. in the neighbouring house of Sp. Taktikos show that in this part of the city we must search for its agora. In 2003, some more trial pits will offer elements for the chronology of the walls, for the location of the theatre, for the identification of the large building 'Helleniko' and perhaps for the relations between Psophis and Sicily.