TEMPLES DISCOVERED

Greymouth Evening Star, 29 August 1934, Page 4

TEMPLES DISCOVERED

LIGHT ON LEGEND OF JASON NAPLES, July 19. Two Hellenic temples more than 2,500 years old have been discovered by excavators near Paestum, about twenty-five miles from Salerno. After two and a-half months’ work in the burning sun, defying the constant menace of malaria, the archaeologists have found: The substructure of a large Doric temple to the goddess Hera Argiva, built about 500 B.C. Remains of an earlier archaic temple dedicated to Hera. An archaic relief which archaeologists believe to represent Jason the Argonaut carrying off Medea, his first wife. Tho last find will, it is believed, identify the older temple with the one which ancient writers said Jason built and dedicated to the goddess, patroness of his native Argos. The relief shows Medea, with her arms at rest, so it is assumed that she was not protesting against being carried off. Between the two temples is a. pit, in which were buried a number of offerings to prevent them being sold. They date from 400 to 200 B.C. This hiding-place has already yielded 6,000 votive heads, besides busts and a quantity of terracotta statuettes, including a beautiful Aphrodite; Flowers’ pomegranates (symbol of fertility), bronze vases, rings and small bronze harpoons, evidently offered by sailors and fishermen; Bronze knuckle-duster of the Roman period, probably from a gladiator; and Coins ranging from 400 B.C. to the limo of Constantine the Great. The larger temple, which is slightly bigger than the temple of Ceres at Paestum, measures approximately 55ft. by 120 ft. The cela, where the statue of the goddess stood, is about 18ft by 54ft. The archaic temple measures approximately 27ft. by 37ft. The decorations and votive offerings indicate that Hera was worshipped here as a. goddess who kept the keys of wedlock and presided over the different phases of a woman's life. Tho excavations arc under the direc- ; tion of Dr. Paolo Zancani and Dr. Umberto Zanotti Bianco.