Ancient Greek pyramid in Helleniko (Hellenistic pyramid relics at Helleniko village) description and photos - Greece: Argos (Topic)

Ancient Greek pyramid in Helleniko (Hellenistic pyramid relics at Helleniko village) description and photos - Greece: Argos. Detailed information about the attraction. Description, photographs and a map showing the nearest significant objects. The title in English is Hellenistic pyramid relics at Helleniko village.

Photo and description

Among the abundance of archaeological sites in Greece, one of the so-called "pyramids of Argolis" undoubtedly deserves special attention - the ancient Greek pyramid in Helleniko, on the southeastern edge of the Argolic plain.

The Pyramid at Elliniko is one of the best-preserved pyramid-like structures found in the territory of modern Greece, and is a very impressive structure made of huge limestone blocks of various shapes, perfectly fitted to each other. The outer walls, erected around a rectangular structure (7.03 x 9.07 m), rise at an angle of 60 degrees to a height of 3.5 meters. The entrance to the building is located on the east side overlooking the Argolic Gulf. A narrow corridor opening behind the entrance leads into an almost square room.

Unfortunately, almost no evidence of when the ancient pyramid was built and how it was used has survived. In his writings, the famous ancient Greek writer and geographer Pausanias (2nd century AD) describes two similar structures in these parts - one as the grave of those who fell in the struggle for the throne of Argos between Pretos and Acrisius, and the second as the grave of the Argives killed in battle. in 669/8 BC. However, studies carried out in the 20th century led to the conclusion that the structures described by Pausanias did not survive to this day, and the pyramid at Elliniko dates from the classical or early Hellenistic period and, most likely, was used as a strategically important fort, allowing to control the valley and leading from Argos to Tegeu road, although sufficient evidence was not found to support this hypothesis.

Disputes about the construction time do not subside until now. Recent studies (including the thermoluminescence method) made it possible to say that the pyramid could have been built around 3000 ± 250 BC, but, nevertheless, many historians believe that this is an erroneous assumption, and the results of the analysis indicate only that during the construction of the pyramid fragments of more ancient structures could be used as building materials.

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Topic: Ancient Greek pyramid in Helleniko (Hellenistic pyramid relics at Helleniko village) description and photos - Greece: Argos.