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Archaeologists hollow a 2,800 - year - old temple at a chancel in Greece have uncovered several artifacts , including statuette of a firedog , a woman and a Snake River , agree to the Greek Ministry of Culture .

Some of these figurines may have been used as votive offerings , or gifts to the gods , intended for Poseidon , a Grecian god of the ocean .

An aerial view of an ancient temple with square rooms and stone walls.

An aerial view of the 2,800-year-old temple at a sanctuary in Greece.

The sanctuary , dedicate to Poseidon , is located in the ancient city of Elikis ( also known as Helike ) on the northerly coast of the Peloponnese in Greece . In addition to the artefact , the archaeologists analyse sediment at the site , finding that the sanctuary flooded several times around 2,800 days ago , they said in atranslated instruction . Eventually , the sanctuary fell into disrepair when Elikis was destroyed in an seism and tsunami that occurred more than 2,300 years ago .

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The discovered artefact include a bronze statuette that come out to be a dog and a clay statuette of a woman . They also find a serpent head craft out of bronze , a clay fender that may have been part of a sphinx or mermaid , and part of a amber necklace .

A bronze figurine, likely of a dog, from the excavation in Greece.

A bronze figurine, likely of a dog, from the excavation in Greece.

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These artifact may have been used as offerings to Poseidon and any other Supreme Being that may have been worship in the synagogue , Anastasia Gadolou , director general of the Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki , who is superintend the excavation of the site , told Live Science in an e-mail .

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A golden piece of a necklace unearthed at the temple.(Image credit: Greek Ministry of Culture)

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While the artifacts may have been used as offerings , any deeper reason of their religious purpose — for case , why a dog - shaped statuette was used — is uncertain . " A thoroughgoing subject field taking into consideration all evidence [ derived ] from the archaeologic strati is more than all-important , " Gadolou say .

A bronze serpent head, likely from a scepter, that archaeologists found at the site.

A bronze serpent head, likely from a scepter, that archaeologists found at the site.(Image credit: Greek Ministry of Culture)

The archaeologists have been turn up the sanctuary for near 20 year . Its discovery and connexion with Poseidon werenotedin aseriesofpaperspublishedbetween2011 and 2022 . Ancient text say that there was a sanctuary dedicated to Poseidon at this site and the discoveries at the internet site affirm this designation , archeologist noted in the paper .

A clay wing of a mythical form that was once part of an architectural relief, probably the pediment of a temple dating to 560 B.C.

A clay wing of a mythical form that was once part of an architectural relief, probably the pediment of a temple dating to 560 B.C.(Image credit: Greek Ministry of Culture)

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