The island of Samothrace in the north Aegean was home to one of the most
famous panhellenic sanctuaries in the ancient world, the Sanctuary of
the Great Gods. This official guide to the site was revised and updated
by longtime excavation director James R. McCredie. Two initial chapters
provide background information on the history of Samothrace and the
religion of the Great Gods. Following this are two tours. The first
takes the reader through the site of the Sanctuary of the Great Gods,
home to cryptic mysteries where a variety of gods were worshiped,
including the Great Mother, Hades, and Persephone. The tour includes
plans and drawings of the monumental structures at the Sanctuary, such
as the Rotunda of Arisonoe and the Propylon of Ptolemy II, allowing the
reader to visualize what the Sanctuary would have looked like when it
was still an active religious center. The second tour takes the reader
through the museum, and includes photographs of the most important
pieces in the collection, including a large statue of a winged Victory
and gold ornaments from a Hellenistic tomb. The guide also includes a
description of excavations on Samothrace outside of the Sanctuary of the
Great Gods and provides bibliography for further reading. It is
copiously illustrated and includes four foldout plans to help the reader
navigate the site.