A Sanctuary of Zeus on Mount Hymettos [Paperback]

This is the final publication of a small open-air sanctuary of Zeus on Mt. Hymettos above Athens, excavated between the World Wars by Carl Blegen and Rodney Young. The finds reflect two periods of activity: from 950 to 575 B.C. (many domestic cups and jugs, burnt animal bones), and the decades on either side of A.D. 400 (some 120 Late Roman lamps). The most significant find, however, was of 170 graffiti indicating a surprisingly high level of literacy in Attica in the 7th century B.C. This book will be useful not only for its fine treatment of the Hymettos material, but also as a standard reference for mountain-top sanctuaries in Greece. It is a first-class production. Cynthia King, AJA 82 (1978), pp. 119-120.