Ancient Greek Graffiti Appears to Show Lost Temple Predating Parthenon

Ancient Greek Graffiti Appears to Show Lost Temple Predating Parthenon 28 July 2024 Archaeology & History The ancient scrawl is one of more than 2000 that have been found in the hills around Athens. The Parthenon Temple at the top of the Acropolis hill in Athens. Photo by Angelos Tzortsinis/AFP via Getty Images. Richard Whiddington July 28, 2024 The hills around Vari, 10 miles southeast of Athens, are etched with the musings of bored shepherds. The more than 2,000 graffiti (and counting) feature trireme warships, speeding horses, packs of hunting dogs, and the odd erotic scene. Dating from the sixth century B.C.E., the graffiti have been the subject of considerable academic research over the past two decades, shedding light on the customs, worldview, and literacy rates of common citizens. Most recently, a tiny graffito carved into a marble outcrop seems to show the presence of a lost temple on the site of the Parthenon, Athens’s holy rock. Discovered on a dirt track leading from the coastal highway to a hilltop communication tower, the graffito comprises a view of the façade of a building with five columns and approaching steps. Like all good graffiti artists, the likely shepherd has tagged his...