Choros Kaveiriou, Lemnos, Greece

The ancient temple of Kavirio on Lemnos is situated 3 kilometers from the archaeological site of Ifestia, just opposite to Tigani Bay. It is an ancient sanctuary dedicated to the two gods Kaviri, mythical gods of northern Aegean with mystic ceremonies.

The sanctuary of Kavirio, which was assumed to have been built around the 6th or 7th century BC, is older than the one in Samothraki, where this particular god was also worshiped. There is also a belief that Kaviri were sons of god Hephaestus. They were thought to be talented technicians and they were worshiped as gods of the sea, the vineyards, and fertility. Kaviria Mysteries were celebrated every year and they were associated with the revival of nature.

The site of Kavirio was brought to light in 1937. The excavations can be seen separated by a trench. There was a telestirio or else initiation hall, a palace and an arcade on one side. On the other side, there is a larger telestirio with twelve Doric columns. The sanctuary contained many inscriptions that gave information about its construction and the history of the island.

References:

greeka.com

Address

Lemnos, Greece

See all sites in Lemnos

Details

Founded: 7th century BCE
Category: Prehistoric and archaeological sites in Greece

More Information

www.greeka.com

Rating

4.6/5 (based on Google user reviews)

Interesting Sites Nearby

Hephaestia (2,6 km)

Myrina Castle (26,9 km)
Temple of Artemis (25,6 km)
East Mudros Military Cemetery (12,9 km)
Panagia Kakaviotissa (23,7 km)
Poliochne (14 km)

User Reviews

Zo Tsi (2 years ago)
A must when in Lemnos island. Better go early. It close at 15:30.

V Bar (2 years ago)
Lovely archeological site in the main Lemnos route so no dirt off-roads involved to reach this beauty. Recently renovated entry area which is equipped with a valuable baby changing table! Absolutely what we needed! Thank you! Unfortunately not normally accessible by sunset which would be a gorgeous time to visit. Bring water.

ioannis giavasis (3 years ago)
Nice archaelogical site, althought the are only few ruins left to see. The sea views and especially the cave of Filoktitis make it a must-visit place.

Terzidis Dimitrios (3 years ago)
You should also visit the cave of Philoktitis. Request the tablet that will help you know about every spot in this monument. If you want to enter Philoktitis cave you must enter the water.

Stacy Garrett (3 years ago)
We took a guided tour organized by Seaborn Cruises. The history is very rich and a must visit if you are at all interested in learning about pre Christian religious practices.

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Photo from Flickr, copyright Andy Hay

Historic Site of the week

Argos Theater

The ancient Argos Theater was built in 320 BC. and is located in Argos, Greece against Larissa Hill. Nearby from this site is Agora, Roman Odeon, and the Baths of Argos. The theater is one of the largest architectural developments in Greece and was renovated in ca 120 AD.

The Hellenistic theater at Argos is cut into the hillside of the Larisa, with 90 steps up a steep incline, forming a narrow rectilinear cavea. Among the largest theaters in Greece, it held about 20,000 spectators and is divided by two landings into three horizontal sections. Staircases further divide the cavea into four cunei, corresponding to the tribes of Argos A high wall was erected to prevent unauthorized access into the theatron and may have helped the acoustics, but it is said the sound quality is still very good today.

Around 120 CE, both theaters were renovated in the Roman style.

Choros Kaveiriou