I.—Excavations At Sparta, 1908 § 6.—The Hieron of Athena Chalkioikos

Extract

Excavations on this site in 1907 were confined to the western half of the sanctuary, and their results, with a general discussion of the Hieron, will be found in the Annual for last year. The present paper is a brief account of the much less productive excavation of the eastern half of the area in 1908. The main results were, firstly, to confirm the general conclusions drawn from the data provided by the western half; secondly, to establish the fact that the lower Geometric stratum extended over the whole width of the sanctuary with its central, or highest and thickest, point near the dividing line of the two years' work, and consequently near the wall suggested as part of a Geometric altar; thirdly, in regard to the second or classical settlement, to show that the centres of interest, the οἴκημα and the altar, were undoubtedly in the western half of the sanctuary, since objects of interest were found only in the south-western corner of the eastern half, although a similar system of embanking provided a pocket all along the south side.