Ancient City Of Tenea Built By Trojan Prisoners Reveals More Archaeological Secrets

Jan Bartek - AncientPages.com -  The ancient city of Tenea has long been considered a mythical place. Built by Trojan war prisoners around 1100 B.C.  somewhere in southern Greece, the city disappeared for an unknown reason. Archaeologists and treasure hunters tried to locate Tenea's ruins, but all failed.

Ancient City Of Tenea Built By Trojan Prisoners Reveals More Archaeological Secrets

Ruins of the ancient city of Tenea. Credit: Greece’s Ministry of Culture and Sports

In 2018, archaeologist Eleni Korka and her team finally discovered the ruins of Tenea. The ancient city of Tenea was located near Chiliomodi, about 60 miles east of Athens.

Ever since, archaeologists have excavated at the site and made some fascinating discoveries that offer valuable information about ancient life in the region.

In a press statement, Greece’s Ministry of Culture and Sports reports scientists have unearthed a large public building containing many votive figurines that were most likely ceremonial objects used in cults, rituals, and sacred ceremonies.

Ancient City Of Tenea Built By Trojan Prisoners Reveals More Archaeological Secrets

Ancient coins and weights unearthed at the site. Credit: Greece’s Ministry of Culture and Sports

Scientists also located Tenea’s Roman sector and ruins of small shops. One could tell this was a commercial center due to the large number of ancient coins unearthed at the site. As many as 2100 coins and weights were discovered in a building room that was most likely the seat of a local government official.

Ancient City Of Tenea Built By Trojan Prisoners Reveals More Archaeological Secrets

The laboratory complex used as an olive mill. Credit: Greece’s Ministry of Culture and Sports

A stone-paved street led to the Roman baths, and following a small lane, one could reach Tenea's shopping center.

In another Roman structure, archaeologists discovered three furnaces and two rectangular tanks. Olive kernels found on the ground suggest this was once a laboratory complex used as an olive mill.

Ruins of a Roman-era cistern showed the ancient city of Tenea had once an impressive aqueduct and sufficient water supply.

Ancient City Of Tenea Built By Trojan Prisoners Reveals More Archaeological Secrets

Ancient human and animal-shaped carvings. Credit: Greece’s Ministry of Culture and Sports

Near one of the investigated walls, scientists saw an above-ground burial monument. Inside the funerary structure were multiple burial chambers. At the site, archaelogists also found an ancient monolithic sarcophagus, a child’s burial, bronze coins, lamps, a glass incense burner, and an urn.

Ancient City Of Tenea Built By Trojan Prisoners Reveals More Archaeological Secrets

An excavated portion of the city wall and a cistern likely part of the city’s water supply. Credit: Greece’s Ministry of Culture and Sports

One public building with elaborate stone masonry contained silver and copper coins, an iron pickax, a key, an arrowhead, and other pottery. The purpose of the building is currently unknown, but more archaeological finds may reveal what it was used for.

See also: More Archaeology News

In a cult, space scientists found many human and animal-shaped carvings. Today, the ancient city of Tenea is neither a mythical place nor a lost city. It is a real place investigated by archaeologists who slowly but patently piece together the story of this ancient city.

We can expect more intriguing archaeological discoveries as the excavations of Tenea continue.

Written by Jan Bartek - AncientPages.com Staff Writer