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59-419: In the 420s BCE, there was a period of significant architectural activity at the site, including the addition of the Π-shaped stoa, the bridge, and reconstruction work on the temple. Since Artemis was connected in myth to both plague and healing — as was her brother Apollo — it may be that this activity was taken as a result of the plague that struck Athens in this period. The unfortified site continued in use until

118-408: A gymnasion . The first known temple at the sanctuary — dating to the late 6th century BCE — rests on a low rock spur south of the river and is aligned toward the east on a foundation measuring c. 11 by 20 m. Little is preserved beyond partial lower courses and cuttings in the bedrock for the same. There are a few remains of the architecture that allow a certain identification of the temple as being of

177-536: A close connection between the nearby sanctuary of Artemis Tauropolos at Halai (modern day Loutsa ) and the Sanctuary at Brauron, where Iphigenia is to receive honors in the cult of Artemis. As is often the case, there were multiple competing versions of the relevant myths, but the mythical connection between the three coastal sanctuaries of Artemis is clear. Halai Araphenides (the Salt Fields of Araphen , modern Rafina )

236-667: A favorable wind for the Greek fleet. In one version of the myth, a surrogate sacrifice was provided through the divine intervention of Artemis, and the saved girl then became a priestess of the goddess among the Tauri , a people living near the Black Sea in the Crimean peninsula . Subsequent to these events, Iphigenia returns from among the Tauri with the assistance of her brother Orestes . In Euripides' version of

295-420: A heroon. It is probable that some of these structures were in place before the rock fall, and it is possible that the small shrine replaced a cult site (perhaps for Iphigenia) destroyed by the collapse of the rock overhang under which it was built. The area between the face of the rock spur and the fallen rock has been termed a “cave” in some publications. There is another cave higher on the rock, approximately over

354-555: A neighbor of the Karustia ridge, sacred, and my people name it Halai . Build a temple there and set up the wooden image – named for the Tauric land and for your struggles, which you endured wandering through Greece due to the goads of the Furies. And in the future mortals shall sing hymns to the goddess Artemis Tauropolos. And set up this law: whenever the people keep the festival as

413-490: A past tense verb rather than the present tense in some instances. Their interpretation is that he did this in order to make it seem as if he were in the same temporal setting as his audience. Unlike a modern day travel guide, in Description of Greece Pausanias tends to elaborate with discussion of an ancient ritual or to impart a myth related to the site he is visiting. His style of writing would not become popular again until

472-675: A payment of your sacrifice, hold a sword at a man's throat and draw blood, so that by this the goddess may have her holy honors. And you, Iphigenia, beside the holy stairs of Brauron you must hold the keys for the goddess herself: where you will die and be buried , and – as a delight for you – they will dedicate the finely woven material of woven cloth which by chance women having lost their lives in childbirth abandon in their homes. I command you to send forth these Greek women from this land due to their correct intentions. Euripides, Iphigeneia in Tauris 1446–1468. The poet asserts

531-497: A purveyor of second-hand accounts and believed that Pausanias had not visited most of the places that he described. Modern archaeological research, however, has been revealing the accuracy of information imparted by Pausanias, and even its potential as a guide for further investigations. Research into Tartessos exemplifies where his writing about it is aiding contemporary archaeological research into its existence, location, and culture. Rafina Rafina ( Greek : Ραφήνα )

590-414: A simple entrance on the west side of the stoa; these cuttings do not go toward the elaborate propylon (monumental entranceway) of the structure north of the stoa as might seem more likely. This bridge introduced a new type of construction wherein horizontal stone slabs are supported by a series of walls parallel to the stream, which flows through the narrow channels between the walls. A spring emerged from

649-404: A thin, light green skin even when fully ripe. They are also practically impossible to store, and furthermore they grow so large that, as soon as they are perfectly ripe, their underside starts bursting apart. This means they are commercially non-viable and their cultivation is restricted to home orchards. The museum is about a 5-minute walk from the archaeological site. It was renovated in 2009 and

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708-706: Is a port town serving ferries to the southern part of Euboea as well as most of the Cyclades . Its port acts as the second port of Athens , after the Athens's port of Piraeus , but it will probably be superseded by the one in Lavrio , which is currently being expanded. Rafina was inhabited in prehistoric times. The oldest finds are from the Neolithic Period, and a large number date from the Bronze Age (3,000 years B.C.), discovered by

767-429: Is a stepped retaining wall on the northern side of the temple platform, which may be the steps mentioned by Euripides. The Doric stoa wrapped around three sides of a central courtyard (20 by 27 m) and faced south toward the temple of Artemis. The foundations extend along the west wing for 38 m, the north wing for 48 m, and the east wing for 63 m. Only the north colonnade of the stoa (11 columns) and one column of each of

826-515: Is a suburban port town located on the eastern coast of Attica in Greece . It has a population of 14,620 inhabitants (2021 census). Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Rafina-Pikermi , of which it is the seat and a municipal unit. The municipal unit has an area of 18.979 km . It is part of Athens metropolitan area . Rafina lies on the Aegean Sea coast, east of

885-427: Is a tiny settlement of Markopoulo located nearly 1 km southeast of the archaeological site. It contains dozens of homes; the population in 2011 was 195. The urban area lies about 200 m northward and is linked with a road between Markopoulo and Artemis (Loutsa) . The town never grew because the adjacent gulf of Vravrona is rocky and not suited to swimming. The area, amply watered by the seasonal Erasinos river,

944-459: Is honest about his sourcing, sometimes confirming contemporary knowledge by him that may be lost to modern researchers. Until twentieth-century archaeologists concluded that Pausanias was a reliable guide to sites being excavated, classicists largely had dismissed the writings of Pausanias as purely literary. Following their presumed authoritative contemporary Ulrich von Wilamowitz-Moellendorff , classicists tended to regard him as little more than

1003-534: Is providing evidence of the sites and cultural details he mentions although knowledge of their existence may have become lost or relegated to myth or legend. Nothing is known about Pausanias apart from what historians can piece together from his own writing. However, it is probable that he was born c.  110 AD into a Greek family and was probably a native of Lydia in Asia Minor. From c.  150 until his death around 180, Pausanias travelled throughout

1062-574: Is said that a message could be transferred from the shores of Asia to the shores of Europe within an hour. The towers of Vravron as well as Liada were also used to signal the appearance of pirates to the residents of the region. Local lore suggests that the tower was of Venetian origin between 1394 and 1405, but archeological investigations show that it was probably built by the Burgundian Dukes De La Roche (1204–1311) at least one hundred years earlier. The modern Brauron, known as Vravrona ,

1121-468: Is the only known example of a Classical period bridge in Greece. It uses the standard post and lintel construction of its time, rather than arches as later bridges do. It measured c. 9 m wide with a span of c. 8 m that consisted of four rows of lintel blocks resting on five rows of posts (the two end points and three intermediate supports). Wheel ruts are cut into the stones of the bridge at an oblique angle toward

1180-465: The Anthologia Graeca concerns the offerings of childish playthings a nubile young girl dedicates to Artemis on the eve of marriage; many such tokens have been recovered from the spring at Brauron. There may have been joint worship of Iphegenia associated with a cult site, or heroon that may have been located in the “cave” between the face of the rock spur and the fallen rock. The goddess Artemis

1239-686: The Penteli mountains and northeast of the Mesogaia plain. It is 5 km (3 mi) north of Artemida , 7 km (4 mi) south of Nea Makri and 25 km (16 mi) east of Athens city centre. The municipal unit of Rafina contains, besides the city itself, a large portion of the surrounding area, which is mostly woodland and farmland. The only other town is Kallitechnoupoli. The town can be accessed through Greek National Road 54 (Athens – Rafina), Greek National Road 83 (Athens – Marathon – Rafina) and Greek National Road 85 (Lavrio – Rafina). Rafina

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1298-462: The 3rd century BCE, when tensions between Athens and the Macedonians caused it to be abandoned, perhaps after the site was damaged in a flood. In the 2nd century CE the periegetic writer Pausanias has uncharacteristically little to say concerning the Sanctuary at Brauron or its mythology/history, but what he does relate contradicts Euripides: Brauron is some way from Marathon, they say that Iphigenia,

1357-532: The Athenians and the Macedonians the 3rd century BCE caused it to be abandoned. After that time, no archaeologically significant activity occurred at the site until the erection of a small church in the 6th century CE. Votive dedications at the sanctuary include a number of statues of young children of both sexes, as well as many items pertaining to feminine life, such as jewelry boxes and mirrors. Large numbers of miniature kraters ( krateriskoi ) have been recovered from

1416-450: The Doric order. The Persians destroyed the sanctuary structures in 480 BCE and took the cult statue back to Susa. The temple was reconstructed in the 420s BCE. Although the temple is poorly preserved, it can be reconstructed to have had four columns in the cella and an adyton at the rear of the cella. The presence of an adyton is asserted for the temple of Artemis at Loutsa (Artemida) 6.1 km to

1475-647: The Refugee Museum "Triglia's House", where visitors can see many originals or their copies. During the Second World War, and during the German Occupation, German and Italian armies were installed in Rafina. Important projects for the guarding and the vallation of the area were built at the port, along the seaside and on the hill that was since named "Fort". In 1994, Rafina became a municipality and its first mayor

1534-458: The Temple of Artemis a small shrine (Μικρον ιερον) of c. 5.5 by 8 m was built into the space between the face of the rock spur and a mass of fallen rock measuring 25 m in length. The c. 6 m wide space between the face of the rock spur and the fallen rock is densely packed with structural remains of uncertain function. This area has been associated with the propitiation of Iphigenia, perhaps in the form of

1593-447: The acropolis of Athens, 24.5 km WNW of the sanctuary. At the isolated sanctuary of Artemis at Brauron, young Athenian girls approaching marriageable age formed groups consecrated for a time to Artemis as arktoi , she-bears, and spent their time in sacred dances, wearing honey-colored saffron robes, running races and making sacrifice. Vase paintings show that cultic nudity was an element in these preparations for womanhood. An epigram in

1652-500: The area by Triglia , with ships owned by Filippos Kabounides, a Triglian shipowner, who arrived at the time of the destruction to save people and heirlooms. A year later (August 29, 1923), Kabounides' ships brought to Rafina refugees who have lived in Tenedos for one year. After a few months, the first houses of the new refugee settlement were built and were located at the Skouze's estate that

1711-504: The current shoreline farther from the site. A nearby hill, c. 24 m high and 220 m to the southeast, was inhabited during the Neolithic era, c. 2000 BCE, and flourished particularly from Middle Helladic to early Mycenaean times (2000–1600 BCE) as a fortified site (acropolis). Occupation ceased in the LHIIIb period , and the acropolis was never significantly resettled after this time. This gap in

1770-516: The daughter of Agamemnon, having fled from the Taurians bearing an image of Artemis made landfall at this place. They say that she left the image here and went herself to Athens and then later to Argos. This xoanon (wooden image) of Artemis was ancient, but I will reveal just who — in my personal opinion — has the one taken from the Barbarians in another discussion. Description of Greece 1.33.1 The site

1829-477: The destruction. Many years later, people in Rafina built a little church to his memory. When Triglians arrived from Asia Minor, they brought many things from their old country, the most important being Panagia Episkepsis , a hagiography created during the 14th century A.D., which one can now see in the Byzantine Museum in Athens. A copy can be found in the city hall of Rafina. Many heirlooms can be found in

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1888-444: The early nineteenth century when contemporary travel guides resembled his. In the topographical aspect of his work, Pausanias makes many natural history digressions on the wonders of nature documented at the time, the signs that herald the approach of an earthquake , the phenomena of the tides , the ice-bound seas of the north, and that at the summer solstice the noonday sun casts no shadow at Syene ( Aswan ). While he never doubts

1947-400: The entrance to the archaeological site. This was converted into a makeshift chapel of St. George, possibly several centuries ago. Cult activity is known from the 8th century BCE forward from dedications in the sacred spring, and a temple was built in the 6th century BCE. The Arkteia festival was celebrated every four years and involved a procession from the shrine of Artemis Brauronia on

2006-462: The excavations of Dimitrios Theocharis in '50s: a settlement on the hill above the port, bronze processing facilities near the delta of the Great Stream, and a Protohelladic Akropolis in the cape of Askitario which you can visit today. In ancient times, Rafina was one of the 100 demes of Athens as defined by Kleisthenes . The municipality was called " Araphen ", after its first ruler, Arafinas, who

2065-591: The exhibits were rearranged. Pausanias (geographer) Pausanias ( / p ɔː ˈ s eɪ n i ə s / paw- SAY -nee-əs ; Ancient Greek : Παυσανίας ; c.  110  – c.  180 ) was a Greek traveler and geographer of the second century AD. He is famous for his Description of Greece ( Ἑλλάδος Περιήγησις , Hēlládos Periḗgēsis ), a lengthy work that describes ancient Greece from his firsthand observations. Description of Greece provides crucial information for making links between classical literature and modern archaeology , which

2124-439: The existence of the deities and heroes, he criticizes some of the myths and legends he encountered during his travels as differing from earlier cultural traditions that he relates or notes. His descriptions of monuments of art are plain and unadorned, bearing a solid impression of reality. Pausanias is frank in acknowledging personal limitations. When he quotes information at second hand rather than relating his own experiences, he

2183-556: The mainland of Greece, writing about various monuments, sacred spaces, and significant geographical sites along the way. In writing his Description of Greece , Pausanias sought to put together a lasting written account of "all things Greek", or panta ta hellenika . Being born in Asia Minor , Pausanias was of Greek heritage. He grew up and lived under the rule of the Roman Empire , but valued his Greek identity, history, and culture. He

2242-461: The myth, the goddess Athena reveals that Iphigenia will make landfall in Brauron and there be the priestess of Artemis, die, and be buried: ATHENA: And Orestes, learn well my commands – for you hear the voice of the goddess although you are not present – set forth taking the (sacred) image and your sister, and when you reach god-built Athens, there is a place on the outermost borders of Attica,

2301-451: The north and the temple of Artemis at Aulis 67 km northwest. This feature may also be shared by the 6th century BCE Temple of Aphaea on Aigina. Schwandner links the shared feature of an adyton with a common, regional practice in the cult of Artemis. There is disagreement on the question of the temple having been hexastyle - prostyle (six columns across the front only) or distyle in antis (two columns between projecting walls) in plan. There

2360-449: The northwest end of the rock spur running down from the acropolis hill to the southeast of the site. This spring was the focus of cult activity from the 8th century BCE forward. The first activity on the site known after the Bronze Age is thus linked to cultic practice at this spring. Dedications were made by throwing objects into this sacred spring, which was located immediately northwest of the later temple platform. About 12 m southeast of

2419-456: The occupation of the site lasted from LHIIIb (13th century) until the 8th century BCE. Brauron was one of the twelve ancient settlements of Attica prior to the synoikismos of Theseus , who unified them with Athens. The following of Artemis Brauronia connected the coastal (rural) sanctuary at Brauron with another (urban) sanctuary on the acropolis in Athens , the Brauroneion , from which there

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2478-458: The restoration during the 1950s to 1962. Among the fifth-century monuments are the Π-shaped stoa around the interior courtyard, opening toward the temple of Artemis; the small temple (perhaps a heroon of Iphigeneia); and the stone bridge over the Erasinos River . Building repair inscriptions from the site list many more structures than have been recovered to this point, including a palaestra and

2537-409: The rooms preserve small stone tables situated in front of the location of the couches. These structures are among the most paradigmatic examples of Greek dining rooms known. The walls of these rooms were constructed of a single course of massive limestone ashlar blocks that have no cuttings on their upper surfaces. The walls were thus completed in mud brick to the level of the roof. On the western side of

2596-466: The site, many depicting young girls — either nude or clothed — racing or dancing. The Archaeological Museum of Brauron — located around a small hill 330 m to the ESE — contains an extensive and important collection of finds from the site throughout its period of use. In 1948, John Papadimitriou began excavating this site; he continued, with interruptions, until his death in 1963. Charalambos Bouras continued

2655-446: The stoa and sharing a common wall was a structure of unknown function with elaborate entrances on both west and east sides. On its long axis it measured 48 m (equivalent to the stoa) and was c. 11 m wide. Along the northern wall of this structure there was a series of slotted bases for narrow (perhaps wooden) planks; these planks are hypothesized to have held the garments dedicated to Iphegenia, as discussed by Euripides. This stone bridge

2714-454: The stoa there was an entrance with wheel ruts worn into the stone floor and in line with the Classical bridge. The stoa was built of local limestone covered in marble stucco, except for the Doric capitals, the metopes, the lintels, and the thresholds, which were produced from marble. A highly atypical feature of this design was the use of two triglyphs in the inter-columnar interval as opposed to

2773-648: The summer. During the summer, many events take part in the town such as the "August's Moon", which takes place in August when the last full moon of August occurs. During this day, many musicians gather outside the church of St. Nikolaos and sing songs about the moon. Rafina suffered damage from a forest fire in July 2005 and again in 2018. Rafina is the seat of two football clubs with presence in third national division ( Gamma Ethniki ), Triglia Rafina , club founded in 1932 by refugees, and Thyella Rafina , club founded in 1957. Rafina

2832-539: The temple platform on the southwest side, perhaps on the remains of a small shrine. As the Greek fleet was preparing to sail to Troy to force the return of Helen , they gathered in Aulis near the Euripus Strait . While there, king Agamemnon killed a stag sacred to the goddess Artemis. The enraged deity caused a contrary wind and eventually forced the king to agree to sacrifice his daughter Iphigeneia in order to ensure

2891-522: The two wings were completed. Behind the colonnade, there was a passageway containing many votive stelae (some with votive statues of children at top) and doorways into nine roughly square rooms (c. 5.5 by 5.5 m) on the north and west sides of the structure. These doorways were off-center relative to the rooms, each of which had raised platforms extending from all sides. On these platforms are many cuttings (some still containing lead) designed to hold dining couches — eleven couches for each dining room. Some of

2950-439: The typical single triglyph. This was done to lower the total height of the entablature while allowing the metopes to remain square in form. In addition, the returning angles of the frieze demanded the architectural accommodation of corner expansion (as opposed to the corner contraction seen on many temples) to harmonize the intervals of the triglyphs, which could not be placed dead center over the corner column. Immediately north of

3009-464: Was Andreas Kechagioglou, who kept his office until November 2011 when Rafina integrated with Pikermi as part of the Kallikratis plan . Following the planned municipal elections, Giorgios Christopoulos was elected Mayor for the new municipality of Rafina and Pikermi. During the past few years, the town has advanced significantly. Its population reaches about 12,000 people, and climbs to 30,000–50,000 during

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3068-423: Was a danger to be propitiated by women during child-birth and of the newborn: to her were dedicated the clothes of women who had successfully borne a child. The garments of women who died in childbirth were dedicated to Iphigeneia at Brauron. The tower was within optical range of other similar towers used for signalling with smoke during the day and fire during the night. Messages could be relayed very quickly and it

3127-580: Was a procession every four years during the Arkteia festival. The tyrant Pisistratus was Brauronian by birth, and he is credited with transferring the cult to the Acropolis, thus establishing it on the statewide rather than local level. The sanctuary contained a small temple of Artemis, a unique stone bridge, cave shrines, a sacred spring, and a pi-shaped (Π) stoa that included dining rooms for ritual feasting. The unfortified site continued in use until tensions between

3186-564: Was given to the refugees. Also, around the area of the square, small shops were built and given to shop owners. Six years later (1929), Rafina became a community. During the 1950s, Pantovasilissa's church was built in remembrance of the Byzantine church in Triglia which held the same name. At its forecourt was erected a statue of the metropolite of Smyrni, Chrysostomos , who was killed by the Turks during

3245-757: Was keen to describe the glories of a Greek past that still was relevant in his lifetime, even if the country was beholden to Rome as a dominating imperial force. Pausanias's pilgrimage throughout the land of his ancestors was his own attempt to establish a place in the world for this new Roman Greece, connecting myths and stories of ancient culture to those of his own time. Pausanias has a straightforward and simple writing style. He is, overall, direct in his language, writing his stories and descriptions unelaborately. However, some translators have noted that Pausanias's use of various prepositions and tenses may be confusing and difficult to render in English. For example, Pausanias may use

3304-585: Was once famous for its tomatoes and figs . The locally grown batala tomato varietal is considered the best in Greece: it is sweet, very flavorful, very large and fleshy, and consequently very heavy. This spelled the varietal's commercial doom, as the fruit cannot be stored at all because it collapses under its own weight within a few days after picking. It was only sold at roadside stands by local farmers. Nowadays batala tomatoes are found only in home gardens. The Vravrona or "royal" figs are also very large, sweet, with

3363-523: Was one of the 100 heroes of Attica. In the municipality of Arafin, lived one of the ten breeds of Attica. Also, the area near the sea till Artemida, called " Halae Araphenides " is where Orestis and Ifigenia arrived from Tavrida according to the myth. From later centuries, excavations discovered Roman baths and the remains of a Byzantine Church. After the defeat of the Greek army in the Minor Asia (1922), many refugees arrived in Greece. Some of them arrived in

3422-421: Was preserved from dilapidation by the silting of the nearby Erasinos river; however, a Christian basilica was built in the 6th century CE on the other side of the valley using spoliated material from the sanctuary. After that time, no archaeologically significant activity occurred at the site until the erection of a small church dedicated to Hagios Georgios in the 15th century CE was erected immediately adjacent to

3481-454: Was the ancient name of modern Loutsa, a beach resort half-way between Rafina and Vravrona, where the ruins of a small temple to Artemis Tauropolos have been excavated from underneath the sand dunes originally covering the area. The sanctuary of Artemis at Brauron ( Modern Greek : Βραυρώνα - Vravrona ) is an early sacred site on the eastern coast of Attica near the Aegean Sea in a small inlet. The inlet has silted up since ancient times, pushing

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