New Release

Reconstructing Greek Sacred Landscapes. Dynamics and Approaches from the Field. Oxford 2026

Edited by Samuel Verdan, Sylvian Fachard, and Thierry Theurillat

This volume brings together archaeologists with experience in Greek religious studies to investigate how sacred landscapes can be understood and reconstructed. Through a series of case studies from several regions of the Greek world and spanning periods from the Late Bronze Age to the Byzantine era, the contributors address fundamental questions: What is a “sacred landscape”, if such an expression can meaningfully be applied? How can we reconstruct landscapes that time has altered or erased? And how did the religious dimension of Greek territories interact with economic, social, and political realities?

The chapters cover a wide geographical area, ranging from Attica to Asia Minor, and encompassing the Peloponnese, Boeotia, Epirus, and Euboea. Several contributions draw on survey data analysed in conjunction with written sources, while others take a decentered perspective on major sanctuaries—such as Olympia, Kalapodi, and the Artemision at Amarynthos—to explore the religious dynamics at work around them. Together, they reveal how sacred spaces emerged, evolved, and became integrated into their broader surroundings.

Because the notion of a “sacred landscape” is ultimately a modern analytical concept, the volume opens with a methodological chapter reflecting on its meaning and boundaries. Two contemporary ethnographic examples—from Morocco and India—further enrich the discussion, providing comparative insights into how sacredness may be inscribed in space.

Overall, this volume encourages readers to recognize and make use of the heuristic potential of the “sacred landscape” concept, while remaining aware of its limits. It presents a diverse set of methodologically transparent case studies that contribute to ongoing debates about the spatial dimensions of religion in the ancient world.

 

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