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.
