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The paved courtyard John Travlos Archaeological Society at Athens © Η εν Αθήναις Αρχαιολογική Εταιρεία -
Paved courtyard (plan) John Travlos Archaeological Society at Athens © Η εν Αθήναις Αρχαιολογική Εταιρεία -
Eleusis [view from acropolis] George Cooke The British Museum © The Trustees of the British Museum
At the northeast end of the Eleusinian sanctuary’s paved exterior courtyard lay the endpoint of the Sacred Way. This space, open to both initiates and non-initiates, functioned as a congregation area. Here, amidst the magnificent Roman-era constructions, when the courtyard was paved, one can find remnants of altars used for libations and preliminary rituals. Moreover, the remains of a semi-circular shaped structure, likely an observation point for incoming pilgrims, are present. This area’s marble flooring and the other constructions, dating to the time of the Great Propylaea’s erection, are a testament to the architectural projects begun under Hadrian and concluded during Marcus Aurelius’s reign. The courtyard, with its irregular form, measures up to 65 metres long and 40 metres wide.
