Ειδώλια, στέφανοι, μικκύλα, αγγεία και λύχνοι. Πήλινα αναθήματα σε αγροτικό ιερό στον Ορχομενό (Terracotta Votive offerings in a rural Sanctuary of Orchomenos, Boeotia).

Terracotta Votive offerings in a rural Sanctuary of Orchomenos, Boeotia. A recent excavation at Orchomenos, between the River Kephisos and the rugged slope of mount Akontio, brought to light the remains of an unknown rural sanctuary, as well as abundant terracotta objects and evidence for continuity of cult from the Archaic into the Hellenistic period (7th-3rd c. BC). From the votive offerings and the other excavation data, it is deduced that festivals were celebrated in honour of female deities of nature, fertility and fecundity, very possibly of the Graces (Chares) in combination perhaps with the Oceanids and nymphs, as well as with the thesmophorai goddesses Demeter and Kore. According to many ancient textual testimonies, the cult of the Graces was the oldest and most popular in Orchomenos, while the celebration of the thesmophoreia should be considered certain in a city so rich in cereal production and stock-raising. Last, from the kind, the provenance and the alternation of the copious terracotta votive offerings(all kinds of figurines, miniature vases and lamps), the development of the rural sanctuary and its cult during the Archaic and especially the Classical period can be traced. Study of these finds sheds light on many new and unknown facets of the history of Orchomenos, from the founding of the sanctuary until is abandonment or rather its transfer to another place in the city, perhaps near the theatre, where inter alia contexts in music and poetry, known as the Charitesia, were held in Roman times.