Agiou Georgiou Square
The excavations that were carried out in Agiou Georgiou Square in 1984 uncovered finds that shed light on the historical continuity of the site. Part of the large rectangular public building belongs to the 12th century AD, and has friezes on the walls and a colonnade along the length of the central axis. A large circular rainwater cistern has been built into the south-eastern corner, and, parallel to its west side, there is a large constructed drain.
Below this Byzantine building, sections of a rectangular building from the Classical period (5th-4th centuries BC) have been excavated. The finds that come from this location show that, as previously mentioned, this was the location of one of the most important sanctuaries of ancient Thebes, the Thesmophorion of Demeter. These finds consist of a large number of clay votive offerings, like those which have been found in other Thesmophoria throughout Greece, which show that this sanctuary was already operating in the Archaic period (6th century BC). They include mostly small idols of women holding urns, models of pigs and snakes, and other ritual symbols.
However, it was very significant to discover that there was worship on this site – it is unknown whether it was in honour of Demeter or another divinity – from the Mycenaean period (13th century BC). This conclusion is drawn from the discovery of a large layer of Mycenaean destruction, within which were found copper spear tips, a piece of cloth with a number of steatite buttons, as well as the head of a hand thrown clay idol, which clearly had a ritual use, as similar ones have only been found in the religious centre at Mycenae.
