Lecture | Vera Hofmann | Tagung Πόλις – Ἱερόν – Χώρα: Wirtschaftliche und religiöse Dynamiken in der vernetzten Umwelt des Artemisions von Ephesos. | Westfälische Wilhelms Universität Münster
The project Temenos and Territory is breaking new ground with the analysis of an ancient sanctuary by the interweaving specifically oriented in an interdisciplinary manner, of humanistic and scientific disciplines, extending over all phases and aspects of the project. The significance of the YIRG goes far beyond Ephesos research, but opens up new perspectives for the Austrian research landscape by giving an important new stimulus to the Austrian scientific landscape, due to the incorporation of internationally renowned specialists in the area of "Religious Studies".
Apart from traditional researches on sanctuaries, the ART_TE project links up with historical, archaeological, architectonic and geographical data in order to understand the organism of the Artemision at Ephesos from a spatial, chronological and socio-cultural perspective. It is not the sacred buildings and votive deposits which form the focus of the investigation, but rather the sacred precinct (temenos) and the properties of the sanctuary (territorium) as infrastructural facilities. Moreover also the Late Antique history of the sanctuary has scarcely been investigated, a history which culminated in its closure and abandonment.
The design of our project logo is based on a coin image minted in the years 41-42 AD under Emperor Claudius. On the front side Emperor Claudius can be seen in profile to the left. On the reverse side is a depiction of the Temple of Artemis of Ephesus with four-column front on a four stepped base and within the cult statue of Artemis Ephesia. In the tympanum a round shield, underneath a rectangular aperture, on both sides figures.