Fault lines key to sacred sites of Ancient Greeks, study claims

The ancient Greeks may have built their temples in locations previously struck by earthquakes in the belief that the land held spiritual powers, a British scientist has claimed.

According to a study by Iain Stewart, professor of geoscience communication at the University of Plymouth, several sacred sites in the Aegean region are located on fault lines.

“I have always thought it more than a coincidence that many important sites are located directly on top of fault lines created by seismic activity,” Stewart said, referring to places such as Delphi and Mycenae in Greece and Ephesus in modern-day Turkey.

“The ancient Greeks placed great value on hot springs unlocked by earthquakes, but perhaps the building of temples and cities close to these sites was more systematic than has previously been thought,” he added.