A trip on the scooter to Ancient Nemea. This archaeological site is beautifully set in a valley with a 4th Century temple of Zeus, with several of the Doric columns reconstructed.
There is also a very interesting excavation of an Hellenic Bath House, complete with wash basins, plunge pool and the feed pipes from the mountain stream.
The site was used in Byzantine times and there are remains of a basilica and Christian tombs. A well laid out museum which held a collection of gold jewellery, brought back to Greece from the USA where it was found in a auction site, and after a legal battle restored to the Pelopennese when it was decided it had been illegally taken from Mycenean thollos tombs in the local area.
There is a stadium close by with a concealed vaulted arch entrance, the first evidence of such a contruction by the greeks, before this discovery it was thought that arches were not used until the roman occupation. the stadium still has the starting blocks with the indentations for the feet. The Nemea Games were revived here in 1996 after the excavations were completed. The games are now successfully held every four years.
From Nemea we headed up into the mountains, through vineyards and up to lake Stimfalia, which is surrounded by the mountain range of Ziria.
The lake is mostly marshland and home to many marsh harriers.
We drove back down towards Nafplio, passing many goatherds through stunning scenery.
No comments:
Post a Comment