Thoriko

In between our visits to Zoster and Brauron, we stopped at Thoriko, because no day is complete without an 850m hike up 100+ meters of elevation.  

But first, the entertainment.  Thoriko boasts the oldest ampitheatre, and it is unusually shaped as an ellipse.  

But Thoriko is also a complicated site because there are a lot of other important structures which are part of the town, but not necessarily within one site.

Within the theatre site, there is also an adjacent temple to Dionysos (or maybe Demeter and Persephone, depending on what site you read), a stone quarry, and a necropolis (because when I think of live theatre, I also think about dead bodies???).  However, Randall and I have been joking that the presence of the temple of Dionysos was perfect for the after party, as there is also a Sanctuary of Dionysos at the Acropolis base next to the ampitheatre, so this seems to be a trend!

Temple to Dionysos (most likely).  This is perhaps the strangest temple I have ever encountered, as it seems to be covered in concrete fondant, worse than anything Mr. Evans would have contemplated at Knossos.  We think this may be to preserve the excavation until more thoughtful work could be done, but I am truly just guessing.  We will come back later and confirm.

Necropolis burial sites (one in front and two perpendicular in a line behind)

There were also lots of structures/rooms on the site, that were not identified.  I would hazard that until the site is fully excavated, it may be pure guesswork as to their function.  Houses abutting to an ampitheatre seems just as counterintuitive as a cemetery, or a rock quarry, and yet that is what is being presented.  Again, we will have to return and confirm progress.

Beyond the ampitheatre site, there were several other necropoli, an industrial mining area, and two Mykenean tholos tombs--one circular and one elliptical.  We had no expectation that this would turn into yet another scavenger hunt archaeological quest.  So, armed with our trusty map from the ampitheatre sign, we set out to find a couple of tholos tombs in the mountain.

Ever-helpful map.

The base of the climb was about 1km away, around the corner from the ampitheatre, albeit on the other side of the hill, and across from the two chemical plants (their footprints are blurred on Google maps, but we now have enough pictures to fix that).  We parked the car in the shade and started up the hill.  Like with Dikteon Andron, the climb was steep and long, with 3 switchbacks.  I don't know what I was thinking.  Front the ground it looked ok.  About 400m into the hike I questioned my sanity.

The road behind and before us.  

View halfway up.

It was a clear, sunny day, which didn't help, but eventually we got to the first tholos tomb.  It did not disappoint.  

The second tholos tomb was only another 150m farther along.  Although not in as good of condition, it was unusual in that it was elliptical.  

I didn't dare go in because it seemed to be on the brink of collapse!

View of the ancient industrial silver and lead mining area.

View from 340' above sea level.

The whole adventure only took about an hour, but afterward, we were in no mental state to hunt down another ruin in the area.  The industrial mining operation will have to wait for the next trip.