admin A “holy grail” in the eyes of many archaeologists for centuries, has been the long-lost Temple of Hercules Gaditanus. The place was significant in ancient history and was visited by historical figures such as Julius Caesar and Hannibal. Now, archaeologists believe that they may have, at long last, found the illusive spot.
Although not everyone is convinced, a team of Spanish Archaeologists have put forward a cautiously optimistic argument that the Temple of Hercules is in the Bay of Cadiz.
Most archaeological discoveries are made throughexcavation in the ground. But the possible Temple of Hercules was sighted from above.
Ricardo Belizón, anarcheology graduate from the University of Seville, noticed an intriguing figure while examiningtopographicalpatterns.
Examining data from Spain’sPNOALiDARproject, which has been mapping the country since 2009, Belizón discovered an intriguing underwaterfeatureat Caño de Sancti Petri in the Gulf of Cadiz.
It appeared to be about 1,000 feet long and 500 feet wide. Belizón may have stumbled upon the Temple of HerculesinhopesofdiscoveringwhatthecoastofCadizlookedlikeinancienttimes.
The sunken ruins seem consistent with what archaeologists and historians know about the LostTemple.
“We researchers are very concernedaboutturningarcheology into a show,” noted Francisco José García, director of the Department of Prehistory and Archeology at theUniversityofSeville,when presenting the find. “But in this case, these are spectacular discoveries.
They are of great importancetemples],severalbreakwatersThe fact that today’s coastline is so different actually coincides with historical anecdotes about the Temple of Herculesaccording to Milagros Alzaga, DirectoroftheCenterforUnderwaterArcheology of the Andalusian Institute,describe ancient texts an area “ofvariability”.
Environment, in contact with the sea, subject to the changing tides, in a temple where portfacilitiesandamarineenvironment must have existed.” “The documentary sources analyzedbyus, the archaeological information,aswellas the images obtained with digital models of thissitesuggest that it could be a mythical Temple of Hercules”–addedAlzaga.
Archaeologists have yet to excavate the site, but many are excitedabout the possible discovery of the Temple of Hercules. Why is this temple sobig? The Temple of Hercules Gaditanus was originally built to honor the Phoenician god Melqart, who later transformed into Hercules, the half-human son of Zeus,underRomanrule.
Hercules was a demigod endowedwithgreatpower, considered thedeity of strength and heroes. According to ancient documents, the Temple of Hercules had two large pillars at the entrance, an ever-burning flame and paintings depicting the “Labours of Hercules”.
Significantly, the religious site was frequented by both Julius Caesar – who wept atthesightofthe statue of Alexander the Great – and Hannibal, who visited the temple to give thanks for his military successes. So the discovery is exciting,assumingthat Spanish archaeologists actually found the Temple of Hercules.
“We can moveforwardwithsuchuniquediscoveries,”said Antonio Sáez Romero of theUniversityofSeville, who was also involved in the study. “We want to be very careful.[The results] are very interesting and hopeful, but now comes the most exciting part.
”Location of the Temple of Hercules. And the latest research, he said, is the”triangulationdistortion” or nowit’s not Whether the Temple of Hercules wasactuallyfoundisstillknown.
Insearchofconvincing clues, archaeologists want to continueexploring the Gulf of Cadiz in hopes of solving this ancient mystery.
