Image credit: Greek Ministry of Culture and Sports
NEWS: Ancient building complex containing mosaics and statues of the gods discovered in central Athens
An ancient building complex, with courtyard and multiple rooms containing mosaics with geometric motifs, has been discovered during excavations conducted as part of the project to redevelop Vasilissis Olgas Avenue in central Athens. Among the finds in the buildings were at least 21 inscriptions and sculptures depicting figures from ancient Greek mythology: sculptures of Athena, Aphrodite, Dionysus, and Pan as well as satyrs and dancers. Also found was an altar from around the 1st century AD dedicated to Apollo.
Archaeological and historical evidence date the building to the 2nd century AD, a period in which Greece was under Roman occupation. It was around this time that emperor Hadrian was conducting huge building projects across the empire, including development in Athens. The archaeological evidence also shows that the building underwent further development in the 4th century AD.
This archaeological find comes at a time when Vasilissis Olgas Avenue is the subject of debate for politicians in Athens. Mayor-elect for the city of Athens, Haris Doukas, aims to reopen the road when he takes office on 1st January 2024. The road has been closed to traffic for a long time now. The Greek Minister of Culture, Lina Mendoni, opposes the plans arguing that the site contains many antiquities and therefore development can not be done there. This new find further confirms her argument.
31/10/2023