Sparta, ancient and modern in Laconia Prefecture Page Eight

The Menelaion or shrine of Menelaos and Helen (his daughter), which was identified later from the writings of Pausanius, is 5km from Sparta, after the road crosses the Evrotas river and on a road to the right on the Yeraki road. At the 4.5km marker a path leads off to the left. Bearing right at the chapel of Aghios Ilias you'll see a hill of reddish earth with three platforms where the shrine stood. The walk takes about twenty minutes. The identification was confirmed by the discovery of inscriptions with dedications to both father and daughter. Both the masonry and the view from this hill are worth the trip there. Mycenaean remains discovered in 1910 and 1973 are on the northeast side of the summit, consisting of a 'Mansion' built in three phases on two terraces, with the arrangement of rooms typical of Mycenaean palaces. The earlier mansion destroyed by fire in 1200BC. dates to the 15th century BC, one of the earliest of such complexes known. Judgingfrom other Mycenaean remains in the same area , it appears that the site was extensive.

The Githio road from Sparta leads to the Amyklaion which was excavated by the German school in 1925, where a sanctuary surrounds the Tomb of Hyakinthos, topped by an archaic statue of Apollo sitting on a throne overlaid with gold and ivory, a tecnnique known in Greek sculpture as 'chryselephantine'. This was the location of the great July festival of Hyakinthia which celebrated the reconciliation of the Dorians and Achaians. Hyakinthos was a pre-Greek deity. The site was occupied continuously from Mycenaean times. The church of Aghia Paraskevi may occupy the site of the Sanctuary of Zeus-Agamemnon and Alexandhra-Kassandhra. A huge votive find with hero-reliefs was unearthed in 1956 near here, dating to the Archaic period. Amyklai was the ancient capital of the Mycenaeans in Lakonia, and was most likely located at nearly Palaiopiryi which is the largest Late Helladic settlement yet found in Lakonia.

The Archaeological Museum in Sparta on Aghios Nikonos, is open Mon-Sat 8:30am-3pm, Sun 9:30am -2:30pm; 2euros admission. Votive offerings found at the Sanctuary of Apollo Amyklaios are among its more interesting exhibits, including sickles set in stone which were prizes given to Spartan youths and rededicated to the goddess, and a marble bust of a running Spartan warrior, found on the Acropolis and believed to be of Leonidas. There are also fragments of Hellenistic and Roman mosaics and small lead figurines from the Sanctuary of Artemis Orthia. Another worthwhile stop while in Sparta is the Museum of the Olive and Greek Olive Oil (open Wed-Mon, in summer 10am-2pm & 5-7pm; in winter 10am-4pm; 2 euros admission) at Othonos and Amalias 129. This museum, which opened in 2002, details the history, uses and technology related to olives and olive oil.

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