Description:
The Sanctuary of the Great Gods on the island of Samothrace holds a unique place within the history of ancient Greek architecture. In this volume, the key monuments that form the theatral complex, including the Theatral Circle, the Fieldstone Building with its masonry-style plaster interior, the marble Doric hexastyle Dedication of Philip III and Alexander IV, the elegant Ionic Porch later attached to the western side of the Dedication, and the remains of dozens of bronze statues that originally framed the Theatral Circle, are presented in their archaeological, architectural, and historical contexts. The potential significance of the complex within the mystery cult, both as the place that initially gave shape to the group of pilgrims undergoing initiation, and as the place where new initiates ultimately departed the Sanctuary, accords the theatral complex on the Eastern Hill a central place in the history of ancient Greek sacred space. Actual-state and reconstruction drawings; photographs; and a catalogue of the small finds, including pottery, lamps, terracotta figurines, coins, metal objects, inscriptions, stone objects, and glass, accompany the text.

About the Author: Bonna D. Wescoat is the Samuel Chandler Dobbs Professor of Art History at Emory University and Director of Excavations in the Sanctuary of the Great Gods on Samothrace.

Reviews:
"...Samothrace 9 demonstrates how extraordinarily much can still be accomplished in an intelligently conceived, elegantly written, and meticulously executed traditional printed volume." Gretchen Umholtz, AJA 126.1 (2022)

"Altogether, this book presents a very full and thorough study of the remains found in this area [...] thanks to [this] convincing study of the remains we now have a full understanding of what the area comprised." Richard Tomlinson, Ancient West & East 18 (2019)

"Per la prima volta un volume non dedicato ad un monumento specifico affronta la realità dinamica dell'azione umana nel santuario." Luigi Caliò, Gnomon 95.4 (2023)