More Greece Archaeology: Ancient tombs discovered in Greece, Ancient Olympic Ties

 There was another historic find in Greece recently (Nov, 2020) - and it was from the Ancient City of  Elis. In today's blog you'll learn about that ancient city, it's relation to the ancient olympics and you'll see what was uncovered! 

ABOUT ELIS- Elis, also called Elea, modern Iliá, ancient Greek region and city-state in the northwestern corner of the Peloponnese, well known for its horse breeding and for the Olympic Games, which were allegedly founded there in 776 bc. Ancient ruins at Elis, Greece

Ancient tombs discovered in Ilia, southern Greece

Nov. 30, 2020 /ekathimerini

Eight tombs of various types were discovered during recent excavation works by the Ephorate of Antiquities of Ilia in southern Greece on a privately owned plot of land. 

 The Culture Ministry said the tombs date from the end of the 4th to the 2nd century BC and are part of the western necropolis of the ancient city of Elis, from which more than 200 tombs dating to the late Classical and Hellenistic period have been excavated to date. 

 Of particular importance are the findings in one of the tombs, including a bronze urn with its base, which has a floral decoration on the handles and lion heads where the handles meet the rim and a bronze folded mirror.

INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT ELIS- AND THE OLYMPIC GAMES - 

According to Visit  World Heritage:  

Elis was built on the north bank of the Peneus River between the mountainous part of Elis (Akroreia) and its coastal lowlands (Elis Koile). The site was inhabited almost continuously from the beginning of the Middle Palaeolithic (130,000 BC) until the end of the early Byzantine period (7th century AD), when the city was abandoned. The mythical figure of Oxylos from Aetolia is considered to be the city's founder in the twelfth century BC. He allegedly took advantage of the Dorian invasion in order to subordinate the area's first inhabitants and founded the first settlement. His descendant, the Eleian King Iphitos was the founder of the Olympic Games in the 8th century BC.

The city thrived in the early historical period (11th to 10th centuries BC), during the late Archaic and early Classical periods (6th to 5th centuries BC), and in the Roman period (2nd century BC to early 3rd century AD). Elis was responsible for the organisation of the Olympic Games and according to regulations, the athletes would stay in the city to train in its sporting facilities a month before the Game’s beginning.   (Image of Elis. Credit: Visit World Heritage)