DIGGING THE ARCHIVES: THE ORIENTATION OF GREEK TEMPLES AND THEIR DIAGONALS

Abstract

I have measured orientations of the diagonals of Greek temples using a larger sample than before (Ranieri 2010), amounting to 200 temples, including several Treasures and Megarons. In addition, for each temple, I have used the best plan among those obtainable from the archives of archaeological journals, archaeological reports, and books. This approach has allowed more accurate and reliable geometrical analyses. The results show 57 temples with an unequivocally cardinally oriented main axis. Among the remaining 143 temples, 103 (72% of 143) have their diagonal cardinally oriented, with a standard deviation of about ± 2.5°. For the other 40 temples (28% of 143), the cardinal orientation can be attributed to the diagonals of half of the rectangle of the temple. The results point to a generalized topographical practice of establishing, as the first activity prior to construction, a cardinally oriented line on the terrain.