Samothrace: A Guide to the Excavations and Museum

This official guide to the site of Samothrace and the Sanctuary of the Great Gods appears now as revised by longtime director of excavations James R. McCredie. Two initial chapters helpfully provide background information on the history of Samothrace and the religion of the Great Gods. Following this are two tours. The first takes the reader through the sanctuary itself, home to cryptic mysteries where a variety of gods were worshiped, including the Great Mother, Hades, and Persephone; there are numerous plans and drawings of the monumental structures, such as the Rotunda of Arsinoe and the Propylon of Ptolemy II, allowing the reader to visualize what the sanctuary would have looked like when it was still an active religious center. The second tour takes the reader through the museum and highlights the most important pieces in the collection, including a large statue of a winged Victory and gold ornaments from a Hellenistic tomb. The guide also includes a description of excavations on Samothrace outside of the Sanctuary of the Great Gods, as well as bibliography for further reading.