Der archaische Heiligtumsbefund vom Taxiarchis-Hügel in Didyma

The 'Taxiarchis Hill' in Didyma is located about 200m northwest of the temple of Apollo and is the site of largely undisturbed features with finds from an Archaic sanctuary, most of which are votive offerings. These were deposited in different phases of the Archaic period and are particularly concentrated in a compact burnt layer that can be linked to the destruction by the Persians. The features include numerous high-quality finds of various types and are of great relevance for our knowledge of Archaic dedications in Didyma, since they are the first undisturbed finds of this kind recovered in this sanctuary.
This second part of the three-volume publication presents the pottery found during the excavations, which for the first time gives an overview of the spectrum of local and imported Archaic pottery in Didyma. Local types are present in a hitherto unknown richness of variants, which gives our knowledge of Ionian pottery production a new basis. Furthermore, the identification of numerous vessels and special vessel forms as cult pottery allows the reconstruction of ritual practices and provides an important contribution to the archaeology of sanctuaries. This also applies to the numerous vessels that were offered as dedications, since they also include cult-specific types that are not represented in all sanctuaries. These assemblages can provide clues to the identity of the worshipped deity.