Aphidna () or Aphidnae or Aphidnai (Ἀφίδναι) was one of the twelve ancient towns of

ancient Attica The regions of ancient Greece were sub-divisions of the Hellenic world as conceived by the ancient Greeks, shown by their presence in the works of ancient historians and geographers or in surviving legends and myths. Conceptually, there is no cl ...

. It was celebrated in the mythical period as the place where

Theseus Theseus (, ; ) was a divine hero in Greek mythology, famous for slaying the Minotaur. The myths surrounding Theseus, his journeys, exploits, and friends, have provided material for storytelling throughout the ages. Theseus is sometimes desc ...

deposited

Helen of Troy Helen (), also known as Helen of Troy, or Helen of Sparta, and in Latin as Helena, was a figure in Greek mythology said to have been the most beautiful woman in the world. She was believed to have been the daughter of Zeus and Leda (mythology), ...

, entrusting her to the care of his friend Aphidnus. When the

Dioscuri Castor and Pollux (or Polydeuces) are twin half-brothers in Greek mythology, Greek and Roman mythology, known together as the Dioscuri or Dioskouroi. Their mother was Leda (mythology), Leda, but they had different fathers; Castor was the mortal ...

invaded Attica in search of their sister, the inhabitants of Deceleia informed the

Lacedaemonians Sparta was a prominent city-state in Laconia in ancient Greece. In antiquity, the city-state was known as Lacedaemon (), while the name Sparta referred to its main settlement in the valley of Evrotas river in Laconia, in southeastern Pe ...

where Helen was concealed, and showed them the way to Aphidna. The Dioscuri thereupon took the town, and carried off their sister. We learn, from a decree quoted by

Demosthenes Demosthenes (; ; ; 384 – 12 October 322 BC) was a Greek statesman and orator in ancient Athens. His orations constitute a significant expression of contemporary Athenian intellectual prowess and provide insight into the politics and cu ...

, that Aphidna was, in his time, a fortified town, and at a greater distance than 120 stadia from

Athens Athens ( ) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Greece, largest city of Greece. A significant coastal urban area in the Mediterranean, Athens is also the capital of the Attica (region), Attica region and is the southe ...

. As an Attic

deme In Ancient Greece, a deme or (, plural: ''demoi'', δήμοι) was a suburb or a subdivision of Classical Athens, Athens and other city-states. Demes as simple subdivisions of land in the countryside existed in the 6th century BC and earlier, bu ...

, it belonged in succession to the tribes Aeantis,

Leontis Leontis () was a ''phyle'' (tribe) of Ancient Attica. The phyle is shown on the base of a statue made after an anthippasia to commemorate the victory of the phyle at the mock battle. Themistocles belonged to this phyle. Two horse-men are listed ...

, Ptolemais, and Hadrianis. The site of Aphidna is located at Kotroni near the modern town of Afidnes.

Archaeological excavations at Aphidia

History of excavations

The first Swedish fieldwork in Greece took place between June and August 1894 when archaeologist Sam Wide and Lennart Kjellberg excavated at Kalaureia. Having finished their campaign there, they returned to Athens where Kjellberg began working on the publication. Wide, on the other hand, was eager for further fieldwork opportunities and therefore visited the site of Aphidna together with German archaeologist Heinrich Bulle. They found Mycenaean sherds as well as three tombs and a tumulus in the area and Wide assumed that it had been the location of a Mycenean fortress and tholos tombs. Wide started the excavations during the end of October the same year. One long trench from east to west revealed thirteen tombs, some of them unusually rich even though the southern part of the tumulus had been disturbed with only the lower strata remaining intact. The results from the excavations were published by Wide alone.

Archaeological finds

The tumulus excavated by Wide at Aphidna was around 24 meters in diameter and surrounded by a stone circle laid from end to end using elliptical stones. The mound has usually been dated to the Middle Bronze Age (2000–1600 BC), but Jeannette Forsén has suggested that it may have been constructed during the earlier period EB II (c. 2700–2200 BC). Forsén's theory is based on the similarities of construction with an EB II tumulus found on top of the earlier “House of the Tiles”, another archaeological site, at Lerna. Some finds in the fill of the Aphidna tumulus, such as the spout of a zoomorphic clay rhyton (conical container from which fluids were intended to be drunk or to be poured), are also likely to date to the Early Bronze Age (EB). The graves thirteen excavated in the tumulus included five ''shaft-graves'', often covered with stone slabs. Two ''cist-graves'' (the sides of which were constructed by stone slabs) and six ''pithos burials'' (burials where a large storage vessel was used as a container for the dead). The shaft-grave, Grave I, contained the sparse unburnt remains of a single inhumation was found, as well as three bronze rings, fragments of silver and bronze vessels, six spindle-whorls and many beads in various material and shapes. The pottery found consisted of several gray ware vessels. Based on the presence of spindle-whorls the deceased probably was a woman. The pithos burial, Grave III, contained the cranium of the dead and a large number of grave offerings. In close proximity to the skull six gold rings were found (three of which had once formed a chain) as well as one silver ring. It is possible that the short chain was used as an earring or a hairband. A wide range of ceramic vessels, most of them described as ''grey ware'', were also found. Among other things a composite vessel, a pedestal-footed pyxis, a bowl and two cups of ''grey burnished ware'' were found.Forsén, J. 2010. ‘Aphidna in Attica – revisited’, in ''Mesohelladika. La Grèce continentale au Bronze Moyen'' (Bulletin de Correspondence Hellenique, Suppl. 52), eds. A. Philippa-Touchais, G. Touchais, S. Voutsaki & J. Wright, Paris-Athènes, 2010, 228-234.

Sources

* Swedish Institute at Athens - Aphidna, Attica: https://www.sia.gr/en/articles.php?tid=365&page=1

References

{{Coord, 38.18736, N, 23.87911, E, display=title, format=dms, source:http://dare.ht.lu.se/places/22762 Populated places in ancient Attica Former populated places in Greece Demoi Cities in ancient Attica Ancient Greek cities Places in Greek mythology Archaeological sites in Attica

Archaeological excavations at Aphidia

History of excavations

Archaeological finds

See also

Sources

References