The sanctuary is located on the north coast of the island, to the
west of the ancient city . The sanctuary was used for the worship
and performance of the mysteries in honor of the Great Gods, a religious
event of great importance during Greek and Roman antiquity. The
identity and nature of the gods worshipped on Samothrace, the so-called
"Kabeiroi", still remains a mystery.
The most important monuments of the site are:
The Temenos.
This imposing structure had a commanding position on the site
and was actually the centre of the cult of the Great Gods. It
was the earliest and largest marble building in the sanctuary
and its walls were decorated with a frieze bearing the relief
representation of dancing girls. Dated to ca. 340 B.C.
The Hieron
The Hieron
The Hieron was the second important building of the sanctuary,
after the Temenos. It was used for the initiation into the second,
higher degree of the Mysteries, called Epopteia. Dated to 325-150
B.C.
The Tholos of Arsinoe.
It was dedicated to the gods by queen Arsinoe, the wife of king
Lysimachos and is the largest circular building known from Greek
antiquity. Dated to 288-281 B.C.
The Propylon of Ptolemy II.
The monument was offered to the Great Gods by Ptolemy II Philadelphos.
Dated between 285 and 281 B.C.
The Stoa.
It was built on the west hill, in order to shelter the visitors
to the sanctuary. Dated to the first half of the 3rd century B.C.
The Anaktoron.
This building was used for initiation into the first degree of
the Mysteries, called the Myesis. It is dated to the early Imperial
period (1st century A.D.).
The Sacred Circle
The Sacred Circle.
Circular area with five encircling steps on which the spectators
stood, watching or participating in the proceedings. Dated to the
end of the 5th or the beginning of the 4th century B.C.
The monument of Nike.
Rectangular structure facing to the north, where the famous statue
of Nike of Samothrace stood, attached on a ship's prow (the statue
is now exhibited in the Louvre Museum). Dated to the early 2nd
century B.C.
Sub-Geometric kantharoi
Anta capital
The most important exhibits of the museum are:
Archaeological Museum of Samothrace
They were found in a deposit in the area of the former Temenos.
Dated to the first half of the 7th century B.C.
Panathenaic amhora.
On the front side it bears a representation of a foot race and
on the back the figure of armed goddess Athena. The vase is attributed
to the Euphiletos painter or his workshop. Dated to ca. 525 B.C.
Black-figure pelike with a representation of a wine pressing
and tasting scene, with Heracles and Dionysos participating. The
vase is attributed to the Eucharides painter. Dated to ca. 500-490
B.C.
Persian gold pin. It has the shape of a lion and is dated to the period of
the Achaemenid Dynasty (5th century B.C.).
Frieze of the Temenos.
Parts of the marble frieze bearing relief figures of dancers,
from the former Temenos. Dated to ca. 340 B.C.
Fragment of a coffer from the ceiling of the Temenos.
It may be a work of the sculptor Scopas. Dated to ca. 340 B.C.
Anta capital.
It comes from the west stoa of the Propylon of Ptolemy II and
bears a relief representation of griffins devouring a stag. Dated
to 285-281 B.C.
Section of the reconstructed decorative stoa from the Tholos
of Arsinoe.
Dated to 288-281 B.C.
Statue of Nike.
It was the corner acroterion of the Hieron, dated to ca. 130 B.C.
