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ANCIENT THEATRES - ANCIENT THEATRES' IDENTITY
ODEION OF
KOS
Information
|
Description
of the
monument
|
Photo
gallery
|
Scientific
report
 |
The Odeion is located at the Nea Porta site,
in the west archaeological site of the city of Kos.
The Odeion stood in the centre of the Roman city of Kos. It
was probably built after the catastrophic earthquake of 142
AD, during the third building phase of the city (2nd-3rd
c. AD). |
|
|
|
Description of the document
The Odeion is
located at the Nea Porta site, in the west archaeological site of the city of
Kos. The Odeion stood in the centre of the Roman city of Kos. It probably
belongs to the third building phase of the city (2nd-3rd
c. AD), after the catastrophic earthquake of 142 AD. Later repairs to parts of
the Odeon undertaken during the Roman and Post-Roman periods are evident.
After the end of antiquity, the Odeion was abandoned and all trace of it gradually disappeared under infill which remained in situ until the 19th century. In 1929 the Odeion was a hill with trees and ruined houses.
It was excavated, conserved and partially restored by the Italian Archaeological Mission to the Dodecanese. Conservation, consolidation and reconstruction work continued during the second half of the 20th century.
The Roman Odeion is oriented northeast. The outline of the building consists of a rectangle delimited by four stone walls (31.80 x 29.90 m), reinforced by ribs, and a rectangular projection in the centre of the north side. The horseshoe-shaped cavea (upper and lower with a wide passageway) is inscribed in the rectangle, with a circular orchestra paved with opus sectile (mosaic inlay). The cavea is delimited by the parodos walls and does not adjoin the east and west walls, from which it is separated by passageways with staircases (partially preserved) leading to the upper cavea.
The lower cavea is divided into three cunei by four staircases and has eight rows of marble seats. In the upper cavea are preserved four rows of seats, or rather their substrate of moulded concrete (opus caementicium), although the position of the seats and their division into cunei cannot be discerned. The south perimeter wall is preserved in good condition, while the east and west walls are in ruins.
The cavea is founded on a solid substructure consisting of cross-vaults in a radiating and circular pattern. The vaults are built of moulded concrete and are supported in turn on 26 pillars laid out in a circular arrangement in a double row. The pillars are of reused masonry joined with moulded concrete. All the walls and vaults were plastered. The substructure of the Odeion is completed on the south side by a barrel vault covering five shops with access to the street.
Against the north wall of the Odeion is the proscenium and, adjoining the orchestra, the logeion, which communicates with the parodoi via side staircases. The back of the stage building is set on the rectangular projection. The whole stage was clad with marble, traces of which remain.
The monument is in very good condition and was used by the Municipality of Kos in the 1970s. Following the recent consolidation, restoration and conservation work, the Odeion may be used for selected small-scale events, mainly musical, appropriate to the size and character of the monument.
Dimitris Bosnakis, Archaeologist
Elpida Skerlou, Archaeologist
Eleni - Anna Chlepa, Architect - Restorer
Photo
gallery
 |
Odeion of Kos from the SE - view of the orchestra and stage building |
 |
Odeion of Kos and entrance passageway |
Scientific
report
| Monument Name |
Odeion
of
Kos |
| Category |
Odeion |
| Brief Description |
The
Roman
Odeion
is
oriented
northeast.
The
outline
of
the
building
consists
of a
rectangle
(31.80
x
29.90
m)
delimited
by
four
stone
walls,
reinforced
by
ribs,
and
a
rectangular
projection
(16.2
x
2.85
m)
in
the
centre
of
the
north
side. |
| Images - Plans |
Full
photographic
records
are
held
in
various
archives
(Italian
School
of
Archaeology
at
Athens,
Dodecanese
Archive,
archive
of
the
22nd
Ephorate
of
Prehistoric
and
Classical
Antiquities,
archive
of
the
Directorate
for
the
Restoration
of
Ancient
Monuments,
archive
of
the
Municipality
of
Kos,
etc.)
There
are
also
drawings
of
the
orchestra,
the
stage
building,
the
cavea
and
the
cavea
substructure,
and
axonometric
plans
of
the
current
state
of
preservation,
details,
etc.
held
in
the
archives
of
the
Italian
School
of
Archaeology
at
Athens,
the
22nd
Ephorate
of
Prehistoric
and
Classical
Antiquities
and
the
Municipality
of
Kos. |
| Documentation - Bibliography |
L.
Laurenzi,
“L’odeion
di
Coo”,
Historia
5,
1931,
592-602,
figs
1-6,
pl.
1-4.
E.A.
Chlepa,
The
Architecture
of
the
Roman
Odeion
at
Kos,
Annual
of
the
British
School
at
Athens
(BSA)
94,
1999,
415-435. |
| Location |
Nea
Porta
site,
in
the
west
archaeological
site
of
Kos. |
| Dating |
The
Odeion
stood
in
the
centre
of
the
Roman
city
of
Kos.
It
probably
belongs
to
the
third
building
phase
of
the
city
(2nd-3rd
c.
AD),
after
the
catastrophic
earthquake
of
142
AD.
The
later
repairs
to
the
western
part
of
the
building
(fire
damage)
and
the
cavea
substructure
(addition
of
dividing
walls
and
walling-up
of
side
entrances),
all
undertaken
during
the
Roman
and
Post-Roman
periods,
are
evident.
The
Odeion
of
Kos
was
completely
abandoned
after
the
end
of
antiquity,
and
all
trace
of
it
gradually
disappeared
under
infill
which
remained
in
situ
until
the
late
19th
century. |
|
General Description of Monument
|
The
Roman
Odeion
is
oriented
northeast.
The
outline
of
the
building
consists
of a
rectangle
(31.80
x
29.9
m)
delimited
by
four
stone
walls,
reinforced
by
ribs,
and
a
rectangular
projection
(16.2
x
2.85
m)
in
the
centre
of
the
north
side.
The
horseshoe-shaped
cavea
(upper
and
lower
with
a
wide
passageway)
is
inscribed
in
the
rectangle,
with
a
circular
orchestra
paved
with
opus
sectile
(mosaic
inlay).
The
cavea
is
delimited
by
the
parodos
walls
and
does
not
adjoin
the
east
and
west
walls,
from
which
it
is
separated
by
passageways
with
staircases
(partially
preserved)
leading
to
the
upper
cavea.
The
lower
cavea
is
divided
into
three
cunei
by
four
staircases
and
has
eight
rows
of
marble
seats.
In
the
upper
cavea
are
preserved
four
rows
of
seats,
or
rather
their
substrate
of
moulded
concrete
(opus
caementicium),
although
the
position
of
the
seats
and
their
division
into
cunei
cannot
be
discerned.
The
south
perimeter
wall
is
preserved
in
good
condition,
while
the
east
and
west
walls
are
in
ruins.
The
cavea
is
founded
on a
solid
substructure
consisting
of
cross-vaults
in a
radiating
(11)
and
circular
(2)
pattern,
built
of
moulded
concrete
and
supported
in
turn
on
26
pillars,
laid
out
in a
circular
arrangement
in a
double
row.
The
pillars
are
of
reused
masonry
joined
with
moulded
concrete.
All
the
walls
and
vaults
were
plastered.
The
substructure
of
the
Odeion
is
completed
on
the
south
side
by a
barrel
vault
covering
a
series
of
five
rooms
(shops)
accessed
from
the
street.
Against
the
north
wall
of
the
Odeion
is
the
proscenium
and,
adjoining
the
orchestra,
the
logeion,
which
communicates
with
the
parodoi
via
side
staircases.
The
back
of
the
stage
building
is
set
on
the
rectangular
projection.
The
whole
stage
was
clad
with
marble,
traces
of
which
remain
in
places. |
| Current Situation |
Very
good. |
| Excavations - Interventions |
In
1929
the
Odeion
was
a
hill
crowned
with
trees
and
ruined
houses.
It
was
revealed
by
L.
Laurenzi,
and
many
Roman
and
Hellenistic
statues,
inscriptions
and
statue
fragments
were
discovered
in
the
substructure.
The
Odeion
may
have
been
used
as a
meeting-place
for
the
senate
in
charge
of
organising
the
events.
The
first
consolidation
work
on
the
seats
was
carried
out
by
Terenzi,
the
engineer
of
the
Italian
Archaeological
Mission
to
the
Dodecanese,
in
1930.
An
access
avenue
to
the
Odeion
in
the
antique
style
was
also
created
at
the
same
time;
it
was
modified
in
1936,
acquiring
its
present
form.
In
1936,
restoration
and
reconstruction
work
was
carried
out
on
the
marble
seats
of
the
lower
cavea,
which
included
facing
the
substrate
of
the
cavea
seats
(moulded
concrete)
with
marble
slabs
(front
and
cover)
and
reconstructing
the
passageway.
The
upper
cavea
was
not
restored.
Collapsed
sections
of
the
parodos
walls
were
also
reconstructed.
Innovative
consolidation
work
on
the
substructure
was
carried
out
during
the
latter
half
of
the
20th
century.
In
the
period
1998-2000
the
following
work
was
carried
out:
conservation
and
consolidation
of
the
marble
seats
and
stage
building;
reconstruction
of
the
moulded
concrete
of
the
upper
cavea;
rebuilding
of
the
vaults;
reconstruction
and
consolidation
of
the
masonry
of
inner
and
outer
walls,
and
also
of
pillars
and
vaulting
in
the
substructure.
Finally,
an
exhibition
area
was
created
in
the
substructure,
with
informational
material
on
the
history
of
the
Odeion
and
the
restoration
interventions. |
| Permitted Uses |
Selected
small-scale
uses.
Following
the
recent
consolidation,
restoration
and
conservation
work,
the
Odeion
may
be
used
for
mainly
musical
events,
appropriate
to
the
size
and
character
of
the
monument. |
|
History of Modern Uses |
The
Odeiοn
was
used
by
the
Municipality
of
Kos
in
the
1970s.
Today
it
hosts
selected
art
events
during
the
summer. |
| Further Information |
- |
| Intellectual Rights |
- |
| Jurisdiction |
Ministry
of
Culture
/ 22nd
Ephorate
of
Prehistoric
and
Classical
Antiquities. |
|
Latitude |
- |
| Longitude |
- |
| Altitude |
0 |
| Google Earth |
Link |
