Límnos (Part 2) Ancient theatre of Hephaistia and Sanctuary of the Kabeiroi

The weather forecast gave us Monday 23 May free to explore Límnos. We hired a car for the day and mulled over the potential slight flaw in our plan; archaeological sites in Greece are often closed on Mondays. However, it was a beautiful day and the worst that could happen is that we’d have a nice drive around a beautiful island.

Ancient theatre of Hephaistia   

The car came with some free squeaks from the suspension area and after a drive up towards the northeast end of the island we discovered why: the final 5 km to the archaeological site of Hephaistia was on a rough gravel track. Having exercised the suspension, we crested a small ridgeline and got our first proper glimpse of the ancient theatre.

There has been a theatre here since the Archaic period but at that stage it was wooden. The first stone theatre was built during the late classical period and it was then modified and enhanced twice during the Hellenistic period and twice during the Roman period. A helpful sign showed coloured areas for the different periods of construction so that we could relate it to what we were seeing.

Our viewing, however, was from a distance because the ancient theatre of Hephaistia was, indeed, closed on a Monday.

However, the fenceline was close to the theatre and there was a useful track to walk around the outside of the site. By the end of our circuit we felt that we had seen nearly as much as if it was open.

View of the theatre backdrop and the natural harbour   

Excavations are still in progress    

Turning around we could see the view the theatre looked out on with 4 rounded hills beyond the city and down to the left the natural harbour. In the low ground ahead of us we saw some further areas of excavation and went to take a look. There were a couple of archaeologists waiting for a water delivery so that they could continue to sift and wash the spoil from one of the excavations. We went and had a brief chat, had a peer at their other excavation work and then left them to it. Ancient Hephaistia seems to be spread over a large area and very little has so far been exposed. It would be interesting to come back in a few years and see what archaeological gems have been discovered.

Across the bay was our next archaeological site. Despite being a smaller site it had a very superior road to it and so the car’s suspension got a bit of a break. We arrived at the Sanctuary of the Kabeiroi and were relieved to see that the gate was open. On entering we discovered another team of archaeologists at work. The gate was open for them to get in, though the site was officially closed for the day, but they very kindly let us walk around the site anyway.

View from the cliffs at Cape Chloe   

The Sanctuary of the Kabeiroi sits on the cliffs at Cape Chloe and the ruins show that it was a site of worship from the Archaic period (early 7^th century BC) through to the late Roman era (4^th century AD).

Temple from the Hellenistic period   

The rituals of worship and initiation into the Kabeirian Mysteries lasted 9 days. For those 9 days all the fires on the island were extinguished and a ship was sent to Delos, the island of light-giving Apollo, to bring back new light/fire [Ed: that must have been a right palava for those not involved in the ritual, particularly the women who, doubtless, would still have been expected to provide food throughout the nine days!].

Temple from the Hellenistic period   

There are the remains of 3 temples here with the one from the Hellenistic period being the largest. The location of its Doric and Ionic columns have been marked and the outline of the foundation walls exposed but there is little to see. It is believed that the site was destroyed by Christians in the early 4^th century AD to help make Christianity the predominant faith.

Site of the Roman and Archaic temples   

Excavations of the Archaic/Roman temples   

To the side was a smaller terrace which was much more interesting. This where the original Archaic and the later Roman temples had been built. The Roman temple was built almost on top of the Archaic one and this was the area that the archaeologists were excavating.

The cliff tops were covered in wild herbs and flowering cacti and we made our way over there to climb down to the Cave of Filoctetes. It sits at the base of the cliffs and a small pathway leads down. The archaeologists gestured us onwards despite a sign warning that the pathway was dangerous. They explained that when the sea was more settled you could actually swim into the cave.

Cave of Filoctetes   

The archaeologists were right; the pathway comprised a series of easy steps down onto an inclined gritstone platform which ran into the sea. Cut into this platform was a deep cleft which ran under the platform into the cave. We could see into the cave but refrained from taking a swim into it.

Patterned erosion close to the Cave of Filoctetes   

Just as interesting were the patterns of erosion on the gritstone beside the cave. In one area the rock had been worn into little pedestals, in another there were curves and spirals, and over a larger area still were geometric patterns, triangles particularly. It looked to be an quite amazing natural phenomenon.

Limnos Mirina, Greece