- Giovanna Bagnasco Gianni –
Figure 29.22 Gravisca, sanctuary, spearheads, miniature weapons and a warrior from the northern area.
Fiorini and Fortunelli 2011: 45, Figs 4–5.
Cumae and victory of Syracuse under Hieron I), the plan of the southern area of the
sanctuary and its destination radically changed. The metallurgical activity stopped
together with the emporion, and commercial enterprises were entirely transferred to
Etruscan control.^34 The infl uence of Tarquinia became stronger and a new porch that
faced north was built on the north side, probably to underline such changes in the
political relationships with foreign subjects. The Aphrodision and the Heraion were
equipped with separate entrances differently oriented and with courtyards built over the
previous metallurgical zones. The temenos of Aphrodite was enlarged westwards to include
a road running north-south; in the south-west corner of the temenos the cult of Adonis was
expressed by the presence of his stone chest. The fi nding of the above-mentioned cippus
of Sostratos, together with another inscription addressed to the same god in the premises
located to the west of the temenos of Aphrodite, make it possible to identify nearby a new
sacred space dedicated to Apollo.^35 The altars of the north-west sanctuary remained in
use,^36 but in the decade between 430 and 420 bc they were dismantled.
The fi fth phase (400–300 bc)A new design of urban spaces was defi ned and the north-south road was crossed by stenopoi
(narrow alleys). On the west sector the largest stenopos divided the southern area of the
sanctuary from the northern. The southern sacella were articulated in different blocks and
defi nitely focused on cults peculiar to a single god, with selected types of offerings and
vessels for cult practices: Aphrodite (building γ), Adonis (building δ), Apollo (building
α), Demeter (building β, courtyard F and zone X); building ε had probably a service
purpose.^37 In the northern area, after a series of expiatory sacrifi ces, a new sacellum was
built on the southern side of a large courtyard closed by a porch in its northern side.
Around the mid-fourth century bc an imposing drainage channel was set to organize the
leveling terrace of a new architectonic phase (60 x 40 feet), still respecting the previous
sacellum of the southern side, now endowed with a well rich in water. The previous porch
of the northern side was divided into three rooms probably for cult reasons, and where
altar ε previously stood, a new smaller altar α was built and oriented according to the rest
of the sanctuary.^38