Carved relief depicting a griffin on a capital

Carved relief depicting a griffin on a capital from the fringed pilasters of the Temple of Apollo, 4th century BC, Didyma, Aydin, Turkey. A griffin is a mythological creature which is half lion, half eagle and these were the guardians of the sanctuary. Didyma was an ancient Greek sanctuary on the coast of Ionia near Miletus, consisting of a temple complex and the oracle of Apollo, or Didymaion, who was visited by pilgrims from across the Greek world. The earliest temple ruins found here date to the 8th century BC but Didyma's heyday lasted throughout the Hellenistic age. It was approached along a 17km Sacred Way from Miletus and is the largest sanctuary in Western Turkey. Picture by Manuel Cohen

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17km Approached Aydin Consisting Didyma Didymaion Earliest Fringed Griffin Guardians Hellenistic Heyday Ionia Lasted Miletus Oracle Pilasters Pilgrims Sanctuary Throughout

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