Temple R in Selinunte and the Construction of Tradition

Temple R, built ca. 570 BCE, is the earliest monumental temple in the main urban sanctuary of Selinunte, the westernmost Greek settlement on Sicily. The fortunes of this structure have varied significantly in scholarly debate since the nineteenth century: framed at times as a key piece of evidence for the evolution of, and Bronze Age origins of, Greek sacred architecture, its very identification as a temple questioned at other times. Such studies have invariably relied solely on the extant architectural remains. In this sense, the results of recent excavations by the joint mission of the Institute of Fine Arts - nyu and the University of Milan in and around Temple R demonstrate the importance of wedding architectural study with careful archaeological study and stratigraphic analysis. Excavation has uncovered not only evidence for the structure’s initial construction and many renovations between 570 and 300 BCE, but also evidence for an accompanying series of complex ritual actions. Rather than a relic of early cultic life, Temple R continued to be an essential locus of cult in the main urban sanctuary of Selinunte. By tracing the consistency of ritual habits and the use of heirlooms during Temple R’s consecration, various reconsecrations, and ultimate deconsecration, we can come to understand the importance of tradition in Selinuntine religion, and also contextualize this local practice within the broader debate concerning the role of ritual in Greek architectural practice.