The cult of Demeter and Persephone is also documented in Akragas by a monumental sacred area located in the western part of the Hill of the Temples, near Porta V, and divided into three separate terraces.The area is known as the Sanctuary of the
chthonic deities
.
The first terrace was east of the Porta. The few traces that still remain of the greater temple can be seen in the visible cuts in the rock created to lay the
foundations
.
This temple, probably dedicated to Demeter, faced north to south. Next to it, evidence has been found of another small temple, which, thanks to a vase fragment with an inscription, can be traced back to the cult of Persephone, daughter of Demeter.
In this temple, on the other hand, several terracotta heads were found, among which one in particular dates back to around 500 BC and is impressive due to the sweet face and refined hairstyle.
The second terrace is the best preserved of the entire Sanctuary. The area still has several small temples, enclosures and round altars for the celebration of sacrifices.
In the same area there were another two important temples: the
Temple of Castor
and Temple L, which was completely destroyed, of which we are only familiar with the
foundation
cuts and a large number of column blocks. The Third Terrace, known as the Terrazzo dei Donari (Terrace of the Donari), was located at the western end of the hill; statues (donari) dedicated to the gods were placed here, supported by pedestals.
With its particular triangular shape, by pausing on the north and west sides, you can still admire the lush gardens of the Kolymbetra.
