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the equinox was perceived as the equality of day and night. With this background in
mind, let us now return to the data presented here. Around 600 BCE the sun’s declination on the day that daylight and night were equal was −0° 50′ (Gregorian 25
March) and occurred 2 days before the sun was at declination 0° (Gregorian 27
March). Similarly, around the time of the Autumn equinox, day and night were of
equal duration on 1 October, when the sun’s declination was at −0° 54′, again within
a couple of days from the day when the sun’s declination was at 0°. These declinations fall at the northern extreme of the −1° to −7° peak seen in the Doric orientation histogram. The absence of data on the sun’s declination on or near the solstices
remains intriguing considering the equally important calendric significance of this
time of the year in ancient Greek culture. In Athens and Delphi, for example, the
year started with the first new moon after the summer solstice, whereas in Boeotia
and Delos it started after the winter solstice (Thomson, 1948: 53).
We could tentatively propose that if the ‘equinoctial’ peak of the Doric temples
was indeed deliberate. In light of the absence of ‘solstitial’ orientations, the reason
behind this preference could be sought in the cosmological connotations that the
equinox had acquired in Greek religion. The cosmological balance seen in the
equality of light and darkness may have been translated to a significant concept that
was subsequently incorporated in Greek temple architecture. However, it is not possible to discern why this concept is predominant in Doric structures and in the general distribution of a larger data set which includes other religious structures, but not
in Ionic temples. The possibility that the long and narrow Doric sekos called for
temple orientations towards the rising sun in order to illuminate the dark interior,
cannot explain these results. In this case we would expect an even distribution of
temple orientations across the declinations visited by the sun in the year, in conjunction with the time in the year the temples were mostly visited. Such an association
is not present. The temple of of Apollo in Delphi for instance, does not face the
February rising sun, nor do the temples of Apollo in Delos, or Artemis Orthia in
Sparta, to mention but a few examples.
It is certain, nevertheless, that the data cluster within the solar range has clear
boundaries. The absence of data between the major and minor lunar standstills
paired with absence of ancient references to these occurrences indicate that the
lunar standstills were not associated with religious architecture and festivals in
ancient Greece. The present analysis has demonstrated that two thirds of the Doric
temples are oriented towards the east (67%). Such a high frequency of eastern orientations is intriguing, as it is not found either in a general distribution of a much
larger sample, which includes all architectural orders and altars, nor is it comparable
to the distribution of Ionic temples. This frequency cannot be explained as the result
of overrepresentation caused by the Sicilian temples which are all noted to face
towards the east, as of the 65 Doric declinations only 17 east facing Doric temples
are located in Sicily. A distinct preference for eastern orientations has been revealed
for Doric temples.
An Investigation of the Role of Architectural Orders in Greek Temple Orientation
the equinox was perceived as the equality of day and night. With this background in
mind, let us now return to the data presented here. Around 600 BCE the sun’s declination on the day that daylight and night were equal was −0° 50′ (Gregorian 25
March) and occurred 2 days before the sun was at declination 0° (Gregorian 27
March). Similarly, around the time of the Autumn equinox, day and night were of
equal duration on 1 October, when the sun’s declination was at −0° 54′, again within
a couple of days from the day when the sun’s declination was at 0°. These declinations fall at the northern extreme of the −1° to −7° peak seen in the Doric orientation histogram. The absence of data on the sun’s declination on or near the solstices
remains intriguing considering the equally important calendric significance of this
time of the year in ancient Greek culture. In Athens and Delphi, for example, the
year started with the first new moon after the summer solstice, whereas in Boeotia
and Delos it started after the winter solstice (Thomson, 1948: 53).
We could tentatively propose that if the ‘equinoctial’ peak of the Doric temples
was indeed deliberate. In light of the absence of ‘solstitial’ orientations, the reason
behind this preference could be sought in the cosmological connotations that the
equinox had acquired in Greek religion. The cosmological balance seen in the
equality of light and darkness may have been translated to a significant concept that
was subsequently incorporated in Greek temple architecture. However, it is not possible to discern why this concept is predominant in Doric structures and in the general distribution of a larger data set which includes other religious structures, but not
in Ionic temples. The possibility that the long and narrow Doric sekos called for
temple orientations towards the rising sun in order to illuminate the dark interior,
cannot explain these results. In this case we would expect an even distribution of
temple orientations across the declinations visited by the sun in the year, in conjunction with the time in the year the temples were mostly visited. Such an association
is not present. The temple of of Apollo in Delphi for instance, does not face the
February rising sun, nor do the temples of Apollo in Delos, or Artemis Orthia in
Sparta, to mention but a few examples.
It is certain, nevertheless, that the data cluster within the solar range has clear
boundaries. The absence of data between the major and minor lunar standstills
paired with absence of ancient references to these occurrences indicate that the
lunar standstills were not associated with religious architecture and festivals in
ancient Greece. The present analysis has demonstrated that two thirds of the Doric
temples are oriented towards the east (67%). Such a high frequency of eastern orientations is intriguing, as it is not found either in a general distribution of a much
larger sample, which includes all architectural orders and altars, nor is it comparable
to the distribution of Ionic temples. This frequency cannot be explained as the result
of overrepresentation caused by the Sicilian temples which are all noted to face
towards the east, as of the 65 Doric declinations only 17 east facing Doric temples
are located in Sicily. A distinct preference for eastern orientations has been revealed
for Doric temples.
An Investigation of the Role of Architectural Orders in Greek Temple Orientation