Hiera Oikia at Eleusis

The Hiera Oikia is located in the sanctuary of Demeter and Kore at Eleusis, west of Athens and above the bay of Eleusis. Archaeological evidence indicates human activity in the area of the settlement and sanctuary from at least the Early Bronze Age. This particular multi-roomed structure was constructed and destroyed in the course of the seventh century BC, although religious activity in the area persisted after the destruction. The term Hiera Oikia means “sacred house” in Greek, and the designation reflects the religious use of the building, perhaps connected with a hero cult. The structure of the Hiera Oikia features one main entrance leading to a wide, narrow space running the breadth of the building. Opening onto this space, on the northwestern side of the structure, are five additional rooms arranged paratactically along an exterior wall. This arrangement seems to reflect the pastas-style plan that emerged in Greek architecture in the early Archaic period.