Apollo Temple

An impromptu season closes

Glenn Maffia –  THE trenches have been filled, the spades and trowels packed and the small finds logged and locked away…the archaeologists are soon returning to Germany. Unprepared with no contingency   It wasn’t the most stunning of excavations this year as much old ground was trodden once more. I found that surprising until I learnt…

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A well wishing of Artemis

WHILE observing the excavation within the schoolyard at the back of the mosque last week, I thought the archaeologists had found the clue that would have revealed the ‘new’ temple was, indeed, dedicated to Apollo’s twin sister Artemis. Eureka moment The trench was approaching a depth of 2.5 metres when another stone structure was encountered.…

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The silence of digs

Glenn Maffia discovers a new side of the Apollo Temple’s environs As I continue my lonely and silent walk among the diligent, but unspeaking, archaeologists burrowing deep within the earth, it all rather struck me as being so familiar. For they are digging in the very same places as they were two years ago; north…

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Walls around Temple are strengthened

DURING the German archaeologists’ review of the Apollon Temple for all things that lie in the past, they are also handling modern day pressures bearing on the environs. This included work on the supporting wall around the Temple which required the archaeologists to use a low loader and crane to move rocks into place to…

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A curious alienation

Glenn Maffia reflects on the Temple of Apollo and its environs   SO the excavation trenches have been sank, though to my surprise these are concentrating upon the ‘new’ temple in the vicinity of the mosque. I believed the archaeologists would be curious to determine the full extent, and purpose of the Hellenistic foundations beneath…

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More revelations from the ‘new’ temple

Glenn Maffia REGRETTABLY, this year the archaeologists excavating around the Temple have been put under a ‘vow of silence’ on speaking to either writers or journalists; which leaves me firmly out in the cold. Though worry not, they are digging on public land, therefore I am free to wander around and use my eyes and,…

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Temple’s background calls for work

Glenn Maffia continues his roam around the Apollo Temple environs. IT IS immensely gratifying to welcome back the archaeologists from the Martin Luther University of Halle under the direction of Prof. Helga Bumke. We certainly missed them last year and hopefully they can make up for that lamentable lost time by succeeding to astonish us…

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A Temple that whispers from our past

Glenn Maffia continues his journey of discovery around the Apollon Temple environment.  EVER since first visiting Didim in 1996 it has always struck me as absurd that a Temple of such crowning magnificence could ever be imagined to be standing so poignantly alone. In the Greek and Roman world a temple sanctuary would abound with…

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Archaeologists set for Apollo dates

THE Apollon Temple will be hosting two specific visits this summer – including the arrival of the German archaeologists that failed to arrive last year due to political ructions at the time. Voices’ Apollo Temple columnist Glenn Maffia revealed the team of German archaeologists from the University of Halle, headed by Prof. Dr. Helga Bumke,…

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Immersed within Didim Baths

Glenn Maffia continues to reveal all about the Apollo Temple and its environment UNFORTUNATELY the excavation of the Roman Baths was long completed before I turned my attention to the study of the Temple environment. While to those of us who are interested and inquisitive, for some reason, we are forbidden access to the area.…

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