Laconian Bronzes from the Sanctuary of Apollo Hyperteleatas Near Phoiniki (Laconia) and from the Acropolis of Athens

0821-07_Babesch_83_02 23-09-2008 15:38 Pagina 17 BABESCH 83 (2008), 17-45. doi: 10.2143/BAB.83.0.2033096. Laconian Bronzes from the Sanctuary of Apollo Hyperteleatas near Phoiniki (Laconia) and from the Acropolis of Athens Conrad M. Stibbe Abstract This is a presentation of largely unknown or even unpublished Laconian bronze material mainly from the Archaic period from two surprising find places on the Greek mainland. On a total of 80 finds from the sanctuary of Apollo Hyperteleatas near Phoiniki (Laconia), which are catalogued here, 62 are bronze products. Of these 38 are certainly, 6 possibly Archaic. Next to these, 15 Archaic Laconian bronzes found on the Acropolis of Athens are presented and catalogued. This small but in several respects important complex has no other links with the find place of Apollo Hyperteleatas in the far-away Laconian province than the mere fact that - as a find place of Laconian bronzes - it is equally surprising. The article aims finally at demonstrating that such eminent bronze products as the krater from Vix and the bronze hydriae from Paestum and Sala Consilina can be attributed without any problem to the same production centre, namely Sparta or Laconia, from where obviously all the other bronzes of similar quality and style, discussed here, originated. Two apparently very unequal sites - a relatively Consilina and many other exported archaic bronze unknown sanctuary of Apollo in the province of products, e.g. statuettes, vessels and useful imple- Laconia, and the famous acropolis of Athens - are ments originated in the 6th century BC. nevertheless taken together here for the same rea- Other important aspects, such as the signifi- son: as find places for Laconian bronzes both are cance of the many dedicatory inscriptions, the exceptional and, from an historical point of view, historical and religious implications of the bronze most interesting. 1. BRONZES FROM THE SANCTUARY OF APOLLO HYPERTELEATAS Introduction The Sanctuary of Apollo Hyperteleatas near Phoi- niki in SE Laconia (fig. 1) deserves our attention as a find place for archaic and later Laconian bronzes for several reasons. One is that, even without proper excavation, it has produced such a number of good and even excellent quality bronzes as to surpass all the other find places of Laconia in this respect, including the capital Sparta. All the regular excavations of the sanctuaries of Sparta, taken together, have not yielded such a harvest of bronzes as this sole, enigmatic sanctuary of Apollo.1 Another reason is, that the bronze finds from Phoiniki (as we may abbreviate the name of this find place briefly) are most helpful in showing that Laconia may be very well considered as the province where such masterpieces as the krater Fig. 1. Map of the Cap Malea Peninsula from Vix, the hydriae from Paestum and Sala (after BSA 14 (1907/08) 161, Text Plate. 17 0821-07_Babesch_83_02 23-09-2008 15:38 Pagina 18 Obviously, in Pausanias’ time Asclepius had taken the place of Apollo, as he did elsewhere.7 A glance at the map (fig. 1) makes clear that the sanctuary occupies a central position in the northern part of the Malean peninsula, between Akriai in the west, Asopos in the south and Epidauros Limera in the east, to name only a few of the relatively nearby perioicic towns.8 It seems that Apollo, more than any other god, was equally worshipped by Spartans and by perioikoi.9 The epithet ‘hyperteleatas’, which occurs already on the archaic inscriptions found at the sanctuary, probably refers to the special positioning of the sanctuary, high up Fig. 2. View from the sanctuary of Apollo (hyper) and at the end (telos) of a ravine.10 Hyperteleatas into the plain of Molaoi. Photo author. Official excavations were hitherto very limited and not at all in accordance with the importance finds, which retain a high level of craftsmanship of the casual finds on the spot. A first attempt to even during the fifth and later centuries, cannot find traces of the temple of Apollo was under- be discussed here. They are presented only in so taken in 1885 on behalf of the Greek Archaeological far as they contribute to the understanding of my Society (Hetairia), which had acquired a part of main concern: the archaic Laconian bronzes from the casual finds from the owner of the plot in Phoiniki and the exceptional importance of the 1884.11 This first attempt met with no success as sanctuary of Apollo Hyperteleatas. far as the temple was concerned,12 but many finds bear witness of the importance of this first exca- The sanctuary vation. A second dig, in 1969, by the then respon- sible archaeologist of the Ephory at Sparta, A. The sanctuary of Apollo Hyperteleatas is situated Delivorrias, was only a restricted rescue project rather high in the mountains belonging to the undertaken because of the find of a Doric capital Parnon massive, at a point which offers a won- (fig. 3a-b), which had come to light in a ditch for a derful view into the plain of present day Molaoi telegraph pole.13 The results this time were more (fig. 2).2 It recalls, in a way, the situation of the conspicuous. The foundations of a stone building Apollo sanctuary at Delphi, which was, of course, were found (fig. 4) and, apart from the Doric cap- more important and splendid. Apollo had a pref- ital just mentioned, some other parts of the super- erence for such lofty locations, as is shown by a structure of a temple (fig. 3c). The stone founda- number of other sanctuaries of the god. Apart tions did not allow for an unambiguous from Delphi we have one at Phigaleia in the cen- interpretation: they could belong to a stoa (28.00 tral Peloponnese and two in Laconia, at Melana x 7.50 m) rather than to a temple.14 and at Tyros, both on the mountainous east coast The fact that no other excavation in Laconia of Laconia, as well as others.3 This preference is has yielded such a quantity of bronzes is difficult expressed also by the Homeric hymn to Apollo, to explain, but may be compared with another, where it says: rather isolated sanctuary, that of Herakles in Boeotia. On the slopes of Mount Oites, close to πσαι δ σκ πια τ ι κα πρ νες κρ ι the village of Pavliani in Phthiotis, a temenos ψηλν ρων π ταμ θ λαδε πρ ρ ντες dedicated to Herakles has been uncovered. It in- cludes a small temple, a large pyre adjacent to it, All the peaks find favor with you, and the upper an altar and a stoa, and dates from the early 6th ridges century BC into Roman times, just as our sanctu- Of the high mountains, and the rivers flowing ary of Apollo Hyperteleatas. According to mythol- on to the sea…4 ogy this was the spot where Herakles threw him- self onto a great pyre, in order to escape the pain The sanctuary is mentioned only once in ancient lit- caused by his chiton soaked in Nessos’ poisoned erature, by Pausanias (3.22.10), where he says: blood. For this reason annual worship was estab- ‘There is also in this district5 a sanctuary of lished there. The excavation has brought to light Asclepius, about fifty stades from Asopos; the place an abundance of bronze artifacts of clearly votive where the sanctuary is they name Hyperteleatum.’6 character, many of which are on display in the 18 0821-07_Babesch_83_02 23-09-2008 15:38 Pagina 19 Fig. 3a-c. Architectonical fragments from the sanctuary of Apollo Hyperteleatas, after Delivorrias 1969, Figs. 3-5. divided into three categories: those belonging to the Archaic period, those of uncertain date; and, as an Appendix, those of Classical and later periods (including a list of objects in other materials). Since our main concern is the bronzes from the archaic period, the others should be regarded as an interesting selection of addenda which underscore the importance and unique character of this particular sanctuary through the ages. Moreover, this publi- cation should be regarded as a first attempt to assemble as much archaic and later material from Phoiniki as possible. It is quite probable that addi- tional finds will turn up in the future, since not all finds were accessible to me and some may still lie unrecorded or unrecognized in the storerooms in Fig. 4. Walls of the ‘Stoa’ in the sanctuary of Apollo Athens and elsewhere.16 A well-organized and Hyperteleatas. Photo author. well-equipped modern excavation would probably bring to light not only the remains of the tem- museum of Thebes. They include bowls, cut-outs ple of Apollo itself, but also many more finds.17 of sheet bronze from investment of wooden Here I will present the archaic and later mater- boxes, such as that in the form of a sphinx, and ial from Phoiniki as a catalogue, with each entry small bronze statuettes of Herakles.15 consisting of a short description, some illustrations and comments. At the end a general conclusion The finds tries to summarize the importance of the whole complex, including its relationship to the other find The Phoiniki finds are scattered over the following places of bronzes in Laconia and Sparta. The only museums: the National Archaeological Museum at items not included in the catalogue are the well- Athens (wreaths with inscriptions and bronze known bronze wreaths with inscriptions, the major- objects once belonging to the collections of the ity of post-archaic and even Roman date, published Archaeological Hetairia and of K.

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