AGATE

The research project “Kulte im Kult” aims to analyse a specific type of Greek sanctuaries on two levels. These so called extraurban sanctuaries, that are situated outside the ancient cities, normally consist of a main sanctuary and additional smaller cult areas. On the one hand, it is aimed to reconstruct and analyse the sacral structures of these sanctuaries and their functions in the project. On the other hand, it is the goal of the project to open up one of the most famous sanctuaries of this kind archeologically: the Sanctuary of Apollo at Didyma (Turkey). With this famous oracle sanctuary on the West Coast of Asia Minor, whose shape is still largely unknown, an opportunity is provided to determine and differentiate exemplarily the function and meaning of cult areas. They are, next to the main cult, components of a sanctuary that is situated outside the town and therefore topographically clearly defined.