The enigmatic Temple F, long shrouded in historical ambiguity, has been a subject of intense speculation. It was once thought to be the earliest temple of Demeter, distinct from the Telesterion. Perched atop an artificial terrace, this temple grandly overlooks the Sacred Way, just before it leads to the Telesterion. The construction of this temple involved the meticulous carving of the rock at this locale.
Architecturally, the building is identified as a temple in antis, featuring an almost square central nave and a shallow pronaos framed by two columns set between pilasters. The temple’s entrance is marked by an expansive staircase of ten steps, which also functioned as a support for the artificial platform holding the temple’s eastern portion. Today, only a few foundational stones remain, among them poros stones from Peisistratos’ Telesterion. These stones bear the scars of the Persian invasion, when the Temple of Demeter was set ablaze. The Eleusinians salvaged these fragments, preserving them for future use in reconstruction.
A significant feature of Temple F is its pediment, facing the Sacred Way and thus fully visible to the mystai en route to the Telesterion. This pediment was decorated with sculptures at a 1:3 scale of the Parthenon’s western pediment, illustrating a local adaptation of the mythological struggle between Athena and Poseidon for the dominion of Attica. In this Eleusinian version, the narrative shifted to depict the abduction of Persephone by Hades. While the central figures are not extant, the figures of Athena, armoured with a helmet and aegis, and Artemis, donning her quiver, have been preserved. They are portrayed recoiling in shock at the sight of Persephone’s abduction, set against a backdrop featuring heroes and heroines from Eleusis and Athens, with notable figures like Kekrops and his daughter Erse, echoing similar sculptures on the Parthenon.
Constructed in the Roman era, the precise dating of Temple F remains elusive, as does the identity of the deity it was dedicated to. This temple, with its rich architectural and mythological tapestry, continues to be a topic of considerable archaeological intrigue.
