1981–1983

(4)

B. Walters Art Gallery, Baltimore Excavations (1978-1982)

In our work undertaken from 1978 to 1982 we developed five projects: (1) Excavation of the circular rubble altar identified by Scranton; (2) Examination of a wall or platform foundation bisecting the altar and running north and south of it; (3) Further excavation of the semi-circular altar and test trenches in precinct areas partially cleared by McFadden; (4) Excavation of a deposit of votive figurines at the north end of the Sanctuary; (5) Topographical survey from ground and air of the entire Archaic Precinct.

Fig. 2 (1) RUBBLE ALTAR (1979-1980) Careful dismantling of the altar stone by stone allowed us to date its construction to no later than 600 B.C. The finds included two miniature bulls one gold, one silver, wedged between two lower course stones as if a foundation deposit; also wheel-made terracotta statuettes of bulls with snakes on their legs, apparently dating from the 8th and 7th century B.C. There were also found within the ash debris of the altar quantities of burned bones, analysis of which for species identification, sex, age, and anatomical part revealed that the preferred dedications were the right hind limbs of young male sheep and goats.

Fig. 1 (2) WALL OR PLATFORM FOUNDATION (1980-1982) During the excavation of the altar a wall or platform was seen to run through the structure on a north-south axis, and since the finds associated with it are similar to those from the altar, its date is unlikely to differ significantly from that of the altar. To the north its extent was traced up to the Roman boundary wall. To the south, where only a short stretch is preserved before disappearing into an overlay of Roman platforms and buildings, a two meter section was excavated revealing a great assemblage of broken but essentially complete 7th century pottery, all probably to be associated with