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ANCIENT THEATRES - ANCIENT THEATRES' IDENTITY
THEATRE OF
KALYDON
Information
|
Description
of the
Monument
|
Photo
Gallery
|
Scientific
Report
 |
The theatre is situated near Evinochori, in Aetoloacarnania Prefecture. The earliest use of the site may have been for some mysterious cult; this would explain the square plan of the orchestra. When it was later considered necessary to build a theatre, the rows of seats were extended. All these details remain to be confirmed or disproved by the ongoing excavation in the area of the “so-called theatre or bouleuterion” of ancient Kalydon. |
|
|
|
Description of the monument
The theatre is
situated near the Municipal Department of Evinochori, in Holy Town of
Messolonghi Municipality, Aetoloacarnania Prefecture.
The monument came to light during work on the construction of the Antirrio-Ioannina National Road, on the east slope of Laphrio or Laphriaeon Hill, the site of the temple of Artemis Laphria and Apollo Laphrios. The modern excavation of the monument began in 2001 and continued to 2003. It was originally undertaken by the Danish Institute at Athens in collaboration with the Archaeological Society of Athens, and then with the Greek Archaeological Service under the direction of Dr Lazaros Kolonas, Honorary General Director of Antiquities and Cultural Heritage of the Ministry of Culture, in collaboration with Dr Søren Dietz, as the representative of the Danish Institute. Excavations are currently continuing under the Danish Institute at Athens in collaboration with the local Ephorate of Antiquities (36th Ephorate of Prehistoric and Classical Antiquities of Messolonghi). The excavation has not been completed to date.
Two separate phases have been identified in the construction of the seats: the nine lower rows belong to the earlier phase, while the stones of the remainder are a later addition. The construction of the stage building is dated to the Hellenistic period and appears contemporary with the second phase of the seats. It has been argued that the south parodos wall formed part of an earlier building, possibly dating from the Classical period. If this proves to be true, it may be an indication of the dating of the earlier phase of the seats, although this remains to be confirmed by the excavation, which has not yet been completed.
The orchestra is almost square, measuring approximately 16 m. x 14 m., and there is a parodos at the west end of the lowest row of seats. There are over 20 rows of seats, on three sides of the orchestra, consisting of large rectangular blocks. A large part of the stage with the proscenium (logeion) has also come to light to the east of the orchestra. The south wall of the parodos also forms part of the stage. In front of the stage, the discovery of rectangular sockets indicates the existence of doors opening onto the proscenium, on which there must have been 12 columns, only six of which remain. In front of the proscenium a drainage duct leading to a square water cistern has been discovered. Around the stage and the proscenium a large number of roof tiles have come to light, proof that the building was roofed. No staircases providing access to the seats have yet been discovered. Based on the excavation data available to date, we can express the guarded view that the earliest use of the site was for some mysterious cult, which would explain the square plan of the orchestra. This original structure may have had a retaining wall after the eighth row of seats. When it was later considered necessary to build a theatre, the rows of seats were extended. This view is supported by the fact that no other possible theatre sites have been identified within the walls of the ancient city. All these details remain to be confirmed or disproved by the ongoing excavation in the area of the “so-called theatre or bouleuterion” of ancient Kalydon.
Consolidation work is urgently needed, as the seats are extremely unstable. Given the current state of the monument, only simple visits are allowed.
L Kolonas
Archaeologist
Photo
gallery
 |
Aerial photograph of the Theatre of Ancient Kalydon, showing the lower rows of seats, the orchestra and the remains of the logeion and stage. |
 |
Aerial photograph of the Theatre of Ancient Kalydon, showing the lower rows of seats and the orchestra. |
 |
Photorealistic representation of the Theatre of Ancient Kalydon by Michalis Lefantzis. |
 |
Τopographical plan of the fortifications of Ancient Kalydon, noting the position of the main monuments, the Laphriaeon, the Heroon and the Theatre. |
Scientific
report
| Monument Name |
Theatre
of
Kalydon |
| Category |
Theatre |
| Brief Description |
The
theatre
is
situated
near
Evinochori,
in
Aetoloacarnania
Prefecture.
The
earliest
use
of
the
site
may
have
been
for
some
mysterious
cult;
this
would
explain
the
square
plan
of
the
orchestra.
When
it
was
later
considered
necessary
to
build
a
theatre,
the
rows
of
seats
were
extended.
All
these
details
remain
to
be
confirmed
or
disproved
by
the
ongoing
excavation
in
the
area
of
the
“so-called
theatre
or
bouleuterion”
of
ancient
Kalydon. |
| Images - Plans |
There
is
full
photographic
documentation
and
drawings
of
the
elements
of
the
theatre
which
have
been
visible
for
many
years,
and
of
the
newer
sections
brought
to
light
by
recent
excavations. |
| Documentation - Bibliography |
-
Ευθ.
Μαστροκώστας,
Καλυδών,
ΑΔ
22
(1967),
p.
320
-
ΚΑΛΥΔΩΝ,
The
Greek-Danish
Excavations,
Kalydon,
November
2004
(information
leaflet)
-
Søren
Dietz,
Lazaros
Kolonas,
Ioannis
Moschos,
Maria
Stavropoulou-Gatsi,
Archaeological
field
work
in
Ancient
Kalydon
2001-2004.
First
preliminary
report
in
Erik
Hallager
and
Jesper
Tae
Jensen
(eds.),
Proceedings
of
the
Danish
Institute
at
Athens,
vol.
V,
Athens
2007,
pp.
35-60. |
| Location |
Municipal
Department
of
Evinochori,
Messolonghi
Municipality. |
| Dating |
Two
separate
phases
have
been
identified
in
the
construction
of
the
seats:
the
nine
lower
rows
belong
to
the
earlier
phase,
while
the
stones
of
the
remainder
are
a
later
addition.
The
construction
of
the
stage
building
is
dated
to
the
Hellenistic
period
and
appears
contemporary
with
the
second
phase
of
the
seats.
It
has
been
argued
that
the
south
parodos
wall
formed
part
of
an
earlier
building,
possibly
dating
from
the
Classical
period.
If
this
proves
to
be
true,
it
may
be
an
indication
of
the
dating
of
the
earlier
phase
of
the
seats,
although
this
remains
to
be
confirmed
by
the
excavation,
which
has
not
yet
been
completed. |
|
General Description of Monument
|
The
orchestra
is
almost
square,
measuring
approximately
16
m. x
14
m.,
and
there
is a
parodos
at
the
west
end
of
the
lowest
row
of
seats.
There
are
over
20
rows
of
seats,
on
three
sides
of
the
orchestra,
consisting
of
large
rectangular
blocks.
A
large
part
of
the
stage
with
the
proscenium
(logeion)
has
also
come
to
light
to
the
east
of
the
orchestra.
The
south
wall
of
the
parodos
also
forms
part
of
the
stage.
In
front
of
the
stage,
the
discovery
of
rectangular
sockets
indicates
the
existence
of
doors
opening
onto
the
proscenium,
on
which
there
must
have
been
12
columns,
only
six
of
which
remain.
In
front
of
the
proscenium
a
drainage
duct
leading
to a
square
water
cistern
has
been
discovered.
Around
the
stage
and
the
proscenium
a
large
number
of
roof
tiles
have
come
to
light,
proof
that
the
building
was
roofed.
No
staircases
providing
access
to
the
seats
have
yet
been
discovered.
Based
on
the
excavation
data
available
to
date,
we
can
express
the
guarded
view
that
the
earliest
use
of
the
site
was
for
some
mysterious
cult,
which
would
explain
the
square
plan
of
the
orchestra.
This
original
structure
may
have
had
a
retaining
wall
after
the
eighth
row
of
seats.
When
it
was
later
considered
necessary
to
build
a
theatre,
the
rows
of
seats
were
extended.
This
view
is
supported
by
the
fact
that
no
other
possible
theatre
sites
have
been
identified
within
the
walls
of
the
ancient
city.
All
these
details
remain
to
be
confirmed
or
disproved
by
the
ongoing
excavation
in
the
area
of
the
“so-called
theatre
or
bouleuterion”
of
ancient
Kalydon. |
| Current Situation |
Consolidation
work
is
urgently
needed,
as
the
seats
are
extremely
unstable. |
| Excavations - Interventions |
The
monument
came
to
light
during
work
on
the
construction
of
the
Antirrio-Ioannina
National
Road,
on
the
east
slope
of
Laphrio
or
Laphriaion
Hill,
the
site
of
the
temple
of
Artemis
Laphria
and
Apollo
Laphrios.
The
work
was
interrupted
while
the
Greek
Archaeological
Service
undertook
a
rescue
excavation,
which
revealed
rows
of
rectangular
blocks
with
an
U-shaped
section.
In a
brief
report
dated
1967
the
monument
was
identified
as a
“bouleuterion”
(Ευθ.
Μαστροκώστας,
ΑΔ
22
(1967),
320).
The
modern
excavation
of
the
monument
began
in
2001
and
continued
to
2003.
It
was
originally
undertaken
by
the
Danish
Institute
at
Athens
in
collaboration
with
the
Archaeological
Society
of
Athens,
and
then
with
the
Greek
Archaeological
Service
under
the
direction
of
Dr
Lazaros
Kolonas,
Honorary
General
Director
of
Antiquities
and
Cultural
Heritage
of
the
Ministry
of
Culture,
in
collaboration
with
Dr
Søren
Dietz,
as
the
representative
of
the
Danish
Institute.
Excavations
are
currently
continuing
under
the
Danish
Institute
in
collaboration
with
the
local
Ephorate
of
Antiquities
(36th
Ephorate
of
Prehistoric
and
Classical
Antiquities
of
Messolonghi).
The
excavation
has
not
been
completed
to
date. |
| Permitted Uses |
Simple
visit |
|
History of Modern Uses |
- |
| Further Information |
The
monument
belongs
to
the
jurisdiction
of
the
Ministry
of
Culture
and
the
archaeological
service
responsible
for
Aetoloacarnania
Prefecture
(36th
Ephorate
of
Prehistoric
and
Classical
Antiquities
of
Messolonghi),
while
the
publication
rights
are
held
in
common
by
Dr
S.
Dietz,
as
the
representative
of
the
Danish
Institute
at
Athens,
and
Mrs
M.
Stavropoulou-Gatsi,
as
Director
of
the
local
Ephorate
of
Antiquities. |
| Intellectual Rights |
The
monument
belongs
to
the
jurisdiction
of
the
Ministry
of
Culture
and
the
archaeological
service
responsible
for
Aetoloacarnania
Prefecture
(36th
Ephorate
of
Prehistoric
and
Classical
Antiquities
of
Messolonghi). |
| Jurisdiction |
- |
|
Latitude |
38°22'17.22"N |
| Longitude |
21°31'52.09"E |
| Altitude |
0 |
