Gortina, il santuario protoarcaico sull’acropoli di Haghios Ioannis: una riconsiderazione

This paper reconsiders the excavation of the temple and of the early archaic sanctuary on the acropolis of Haghios Ioannis in Gortyn, starting from the published evidence and putting forward some interpretative hypotheses which are different from the excavators' ones (Rizza - Scrinari 1968). The settlement, which was established on the hill during LM IIIC, seems to end during the 7th century BC, implying a new function of the hill as a sacred acropolis dedicated to the poliadic goddess, perhaps already Athena during this phase. The building of the temple is as early as 640-620 BC, according to the chronology of the reliefs with the triad. A new architectural reconstruction of the building is suggested: it is one and only room without any inner partitions; the entrance is on the Eastern long side. The receptacle under the floor level has to be interpreted as a thesauros. The nearby terraced area had the function of gathering the votive gifts of the sanctuary. The upper terrace wall cannot be the altar. This terraced area was probably built during the second half of the 7th century BC and is, at least in part, contemporary with the building of the temple. The establishment of the poliadic sanctuary is part of the reorganization of Gortyn, which is shown by the archaeological evidence, even if still only in part