“Excavations on the Northeast Slope of the Acropolis, 1931–1939” (abstract)

Abstract

Between 1931 and 1939, Oscar Broneer and the American School of Classical Studies excavated the eastern half of the North Slope of the Acropolis and conducted limited exploration on the East Slope and within the East Cave. The best known of Broneer's discoveries are the Sanctuary of Aphrodite and Eros, the Mycenaean Fountain and Northeast Ascent, and several Archaic wells filled in the early 5th century BC. Less well known are a structured deposit of more than 200 miniature skyphoi of the 3rd century BC, all turned upside down and placed in rows, and a marble-paved road of the Roman period apparently leading toward the Theater of Dionysos. The study and publication of these and other finds from the later years of excavation were halted by the outbreak of World War II. Close examination and critical analysis of the notebooks and other unpublished archival materials allow for a more complete understanding and appreciation of how Broneer’s excavations contribute to the study of Athenian topography and religion and offer new insights into the history and the ritual landscape of the North Slope.