Open AccessWhere myth and archaeology meet: Discovering the Gorgon Medusa’s Lair
Author(s) -
Clive Finlayson,
José María Gutiérrez López,
María Cristina Reinoso del Río,
Antonio M. Sáez Romero,
Francisco Giles Guzmán,
Geraldine Finlayson,
Francisco Giles Pacheco,
David Abulafia,
Stewart Finlayson,
Richard Jennings,
Joaquin Rodrı́guez Vidal
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
plos one
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.99
H-Index - 332
ISSN - 1932-6203
DOI - 10.1371/journal.pone.0249606
Subject(s) - context (archaeology) , cave , archaeology , mythology , situated , geography , cartography , art , classics , computer science , artificial intelligence
Here we report the discovery of ceramic fragments that form part of a Gorgoneion, a ceramic image representation of the Gorgon Medusa. The fragments were found in a deep part of Gorham’s Cave, well known to ancient mariners as a natural shrine, between the 8 th and 2 nd century BCE. We discuss the context of this discovery, both within the inner topography of the cave itself, and also the broader geographical context. The discovery is situated at the extreme western end of the Mediterranean Sea, where it meets the Atlantic Ocean. The location was known to ancient mariners as the northern Pillar of Herakles, which marked the end of the known world. We relate the discovery, and its geographical and chronological context, to Greek legends that situated the lair of the Gorgon sisters at a location which coincides with the physical attributes and geographical position of Gorham’s Cave. We thus provide, uniquely, a geographical and archaeological context to the myth of Perseus and the slaying of the Gorgon Medusa.