Searching for Water in the Sanctuaries of the Western Hills of Athens

The two major demes of ancient Athens, Melite and Koile, were located on the three rocky hills of the Muses (Mouseion), of the Nymphs, and the Pnyx, west of the Acropolis. Excavations have revealed wells and cisterns as well as extensive water supply systems that show, from the Archaic period until Late Antiquity, how concerned the inhabitants were to preserve that invaluable element. Here we discuss archeological research on the presence of water in the known sanctuaries of the Western Hills. On the Hill of the Muses, the evidence may indicate the existence of a sanctuary of the Muses, most of its traces now covered by the Philopappos Monument. The clear presence of water in the nearby heroon-sanctuary of Mousaios may be associated with Orphic rituals. On the Pnyx a well-shaft outside the roadside shrine near the Dipylon Above the Gates may be associated with a sanctuary, while the Kallirrhoe cave-complex is well supplied with water. In contrast, no signs of a water system were found in the known Sanctuary of Zeus Hypsistos, in an unidentified shrine on the upper terrace of the hill, or even in the Sanctuary of Pan and the Nymphs. In the ancient sanctuaries on the Hill of the Nymphs, particularly the Sanctuary of Zeus, cisterns and channels reward careful study. And atop that hill, though water features are limited and difficult to read, it appears that a sanctuary of the nymphs long thrived. This assessment makes clear that wells and channels were vital parts of the sanctuaries, enabling us to connect the use of water with the sanctuaries’ religious rituals and practical needs.