Delos (Greece) - Terrace of the Lions and League of Poseidonists

5/18/2012
A row of lion statues sat regally on the hillside.  These are copies and the real ones are in the museum on the island.

We all crowded around this information plaque to learn about these famous statues.

 Here you can see the line of statues.  There is a map at the bottom of this post that shows #6, the location of the Terrace of the Lions.  The elegant lions made of Naxian marble guarded the santuary (of Apollo) and looked across the road to the Sacred Lake.

This structure was built by the League of Poseidonists from Beirut, traders from the Levant, who worshiped Poseidon among other gods. This was a religious and commercial center for merchants and shipowners from Beirut who had come to Delos on account of its economic development.  This area, which we didn't get to visit, has several courtyards, chapels, meeting rooms, and shops. (Source)

This area was very interesting as the stone walls remain and some of the pottery found in the area is sitting on the walls.

These wine jugs were just beautiful.  Here is one of the two dozen photos that I took.

See the official website: 

UNESCO Brief Background: According to Greek mythology, Apollo was born on this tiny island in the Cyclades archipelago. Apollo's sanctuary attracted pilgrims from all over Greece and Delos was a prosperous trading port. The island bears traces of the succeeding civilizations in the Aegean world, from the 3rd millennium B.C. to the palaeochristian era. The archaeological site is exceptionally extensive and rich and conveys the image of a great cosmopolitan Mediterranean port.  See more information on the UNESCO website.