93-99

• Dimitrakoudis,, S.
• Papaspyrou, P.
• Petoussis, V.
• Moussas, X.

We present several bronze artifacts from the Archaic Age in Greece (750-480BC) that resemblecelestial spheres, or forms of other astronomical significance. They are studied in the context of theDark Age transition from Mycenaean Age astronomical themes to the philosophical and practical revivalof astronomy in the Classical Age, with its plethora of astronomical devices. These artifacts, mostlyvotive in nature, are spherical in shape and appear in a variety of forms, their most striking characteristicbeing the depiction of meridians and/or an equator. Most of those artifacts come from Thessaly, andmore specifically from the temple ofltonia Athena at Philia, a religious center of pan-Hellenic significance.Celestial spheres, similar in form to the small artifacts presented in this study, could be used tomeasure latitudes, or estimate the time at a known place, and were thus very useful in navigation.

• History and Archaeology

• Αρχαιολογία

Archaic Age, Astronomical devices, Bronze votive artifacts