It is located on top of the mountain and has a conical shape. It is artificially created from the remains of sacrifices. That is why its soil is pitch-black, full of charcoal, remains of burnt animal bones and characteristic micro-finds, from which it follows that the worship of Zeus here was very ancient and its origin goes back to prehistoric and not to archaic times, as was believed until recently , that is, before the new excavation activity began in 2006. The sacrificial pyre had a diameter of 30 meters and a thickness of 1.50 m at the time of Kourouniotis. The new excavations, however, show that the thickness must have been greater. Characteristic are the silver coins found inside the pyre, of which those of Aegina (turtles) stand out, as well as the small bronze figurines of Zeus. Examination of the bones revealed that sheep, pigs, oxen and goats and even birds were sacrificed, but none of the bones were human, so human sacrifices are a myth. However, the subject of the human sacrifice on Mount Lycaeus has caused a great debate among scientists, but most of them do not accept this as reality, regardless of whether it is repeated as a fact by writers of the Christian era. It is just that the beliefs about human sacrifices must hide the primal and primitive nature of the cult. regardless of whether writers of the Christian era also repeat it as a given. It is just that the beliefs about human sacrifices must hide the primal and primitive nature of the cult. regardless of whether writers of the Christian era also repeat it as a given. It is just that the beliefs about human sacrifices must hide the primal and primitive nature of the cult.
The earthen altar was created on the flat circular surface of the top of the hill, which was approximately 50 m in diameter.
It is worth gazing from the top of the altar in all directions and you will see almost the entire Peloponnese stretching out in front of you. Towards the north the eye reaches beyond the mountains of Gortynia and sees Kyllini and Erymanthos. To the east the plain of Megalopolis and the upper course of the Alpheus from its sources, to the southeast Parnon and Taygetus, to the south Messinia, its sea, Ithomi and the Triphyllian country, to the west Neda with its villages and the temple of Epicurean Apollo in Vasse and to the northwest the plain of Ilia and the Ionian Sea.
According to Pausanias, to the left of the sanctuary of Despina is Mount Lycaeo with the sanctuary of Zeus. The Arcadians also called Mount Lycaeus Olympus or Holy Peak. Some of his territory was called Crete and it was to the left of the grove of Parrasius Apollo. The Arcadians claimed that this is Crete, where Zeus was raised and not the island of Crete, his upbringing was not undertaken by the Nymphs Theisoa, Neda and Agno, from whom the eponymous count Theisoa, today in the Prefecture of Ilia, took their names. the Nedas river and the Agno spring, which was located on Mount Lycaeus and had the same amount of water in winter and summer.
Pausanias initially mentions the sanctuary of Panos in a grove and two important sports facilities next to it, the hippodrome and the stadium, where the Lycian games used to take place. On the highest peak of the Mount was the mosque of Lycaeus Zeus, which no one was allowed to enter. In other words, it was an uninhabited area. There, according to Pausanias, miraculous things happened. If one transgressed the regulation, then he did not live more than a year, while any being, human or animal, entered the mosque, its body could not cast a shadow.
Inside the mosque and on the top of the mountain was the altar of Lycaeus Zeus, which was made of a pile of earth. From this peak one could see most of the Peloponnese. In front of the altar, to the east of it, rose two columns, on which there used to be two gilded eagles, the symbols of Zeus. At this altar, secret sacrifices were made to Lycaeus Zeus.
There were other sanctuaries and cities around Mount Lycaeus, starting from the east of the mountain, where there was a sanctuary of Apollo, the so-called Parrasius or Pythius, and ending in Phigalea and the temple of Epicurius Apollo, which is visible from the altar of Zeus in peak of Mount Lykaios.
In ancient times, Mount Lykaio was a great religious and sports center and gathered all the Arcadian races, as well as residents from all over the Peloponnese.
All the religious ceremonies and sports competitions took place there, the Lycaea in honor of Lycaeus Zeus, well-known in antiquity, especially in the Peloponnese. The Sanctuary of Lycaeus Dios was the most important and most respected in all of Arcadia. At the same time, the god Pan, the Arcadian god par excellence, was worshiped on the same mountain, who, according to ancient myths, made love with the Moon in a mountain cave.
Editor: Fotini Anastasopoulou