Editing Delphi (section)

==Archaeology of the precinct==

{{main|Excavations at Delphi}}
[[File:Fouilles de Delphes (1902) (14792888433).jpg|thumb|The polygonal wall, 1902]]
The site was first briefly excavated in 1880 by [[Bernard Haussoullier]] (1852–1926) on behalf of the [[French School at Athens]], of which he was a sometime member. The site was then occupied by the village of [[Kastri, Phocis|Kastri]], about 100 houses, 200 people. Kastri ("fort") had been there since the destruction of the place by Theodosius I in 390. He probably left a fort to make sure it was not repopulated, however, the fort became the new village. They were mining the stone for re-use in their own buildings. British and French travelers visiting the site suspected it was ancient Delphi. Before a systematic excavation of the site could be undertaken, the village had to be relocated, but the residents resisted.

The opportunity to relocate the village occurred when it was substantially damaged by an earthquake, with villagers offered a completely new village in exchange for the old site.<!-- <← Told by state licenced guide during a tour--> In 1893, the [[French School at Athens|French Archaeological School]] removed vast quantities of soil from numerous landslides to reveal both the major buildings and structures of the sanctuary of Apollo and of the temple to Athena, the [[Temple of Athena Pronaia|Athena Pronoia]] along with thousands of objects, inscriptions, and sculptures.<ref name="ministry"/>

During the Great Excavation architectural members from a fifth-century Christian [[basilica]], were discovered that date to when Delphi was a bishopric. Other important Late Roman buildings are the Eastern Baths, the house with the peristyle, the [[Roman Agora (Delphi)|Roman Agora]], and the large cistern. At the outskirts of the city late Roman cemeteries were located.

To the southeast of the precinct of Apollo lay the so-called Southeastern Mansion, a building with a 65-meter-long façade, spread over four levels, with four triclinia and private baths. Large storage jars kept the provisions, whereas other pottery vessels and luxury items were discovered in the rooms. Among the finds stands out a tiny leopard made of mother of pearl, possibly of Sassanian origin, on display in the ground floor gallery of the [[Delphi Archaeological Museum]]. The mansion dates to the beginning of the fifth century and functioned as a private house until 580, later however it was transformed into a potter workshop.<ref>Petrides, P., 1997, «Delphes dans l’Antiquité tardive : première approche topographique et céramologique», BCH 121, 681–695</ref> It is only then, in the beginning of the sixth century, that the city seems to decline: its size is reduced and its trade contacts seem to be drastically diminished. Local pottery production is produced in large quantities:<ref>Petrides, P., 2003, «Αteliers de potiers protobyzantins à Delphes », in Χ. ΜΠΑΚΙΡΤΖΗΣ (ed.), 7ο Διεθνές Συνέδριο Μεσαιωνικής Κεραμικής της Μεσογείου, Θεσσαλονίκη 11–16 Οκτωβρίου 1999, Πρακτικά, Αθήνα, 443–446</ref> it is coarser and made of reddish clay, aiming at satisfying the needs of the inhabitants.

The Sacred Way remained the main street of the settlement, transformed, however, into a street with commercial and industrial use. Around the agora were built workshops as well as the only intra muros early Christian basilica. The domestic area spread mainly in the western part of the settlement. The houses were rather spacious and two large cisterns provided running water to them.<ref>Petrides, P., 2005, «Un exemple d’architecture civile en Grèce: les maisons protobyzantines de Delphes (IVe–VIIe s.)», Mélanges Jean-Pierre Sodini, Travaux et Mémoires 15, Paris, pp. 193–204</ref>
[[File:Museuarqueologicodelfos.jpg|thumb|Archaeological Museum of Delphi, designed by [[Alexandros Tombazis]]]]

===Delphi Archaeological Museum===
{{main|Delphi Archaeological Museum}}

The museum houses artifacts associated with ancient Delphi, including the earliest known [[Delphic Hymns|notation of a melody]], the [[Charioteer of Delphi]], [[Kleobis and Biton]], golden treasures discovered beneath the Sacred Way, the [[Sphinx of Naxos]], and fragments of reliefs from the [[Siphnian Treasury]]. Immediately adjacent to the exit is the inscription that mentions the Roman proconsul [[Lucius Iunius Gallio Annaeanus|Gallio]].