Archaeologists have identified a long-lost sanctuary of Asclepius in the ancient Greek city of Epidaurus (Greek: Ἐπίδαυρος), uncovering remains that appear to match a sacred site described nearly 1,900 years ago.
The discovery includes a rectangular enclosure, a well, and a fountain connected by an underground water channel. Researchers say the findings reveal a previously unlocated place of worship dedicated to the Greek god of medicine and healing.
The sanctuary was first publicly identified in 2024, while findings from the ongoing excavations were presented again in November 2026. The research is led by Vassilis Lambrinoudakis of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens.
Archaeologists have been investigating the ancient city’s marketplace, northwest of the Small Theater of Epidaurus. Unlike the famous Asclepieion outside the city, where earlier excavations uncovered a building dating to around 600 B.C., the newly identified sanctuary stood within the urban center.
Archaeologists uncover sanctuary described by Pausanias
The Greek traveler Pausanias described a sanctuary of Asclepius in Epidaurus during the second century A.D. According to his account, the sacred area contained outdoor statues of Asclepius and his wife, Epione. The sanctuary’s exact location had remained uncertain until recent excavations revealed a large rectangular enclosure immediately north of an ancient fountain complex.
The enclosure measures approximately 6.6 meters (21.7 feet) wide and 16.25 meters (53.3 feet) long in its Roman-period form. Its thick stone walls surrounded an area where archaeologists recovered several objects associated with religious worship.
Archaeologists in Greece have identified a long-lost sanctuary of Asclepius in ancient Epidaurus, nearly 1,900 years after it was described by Pausanias. A sacred well, underground water channel and ancient offerings reveal new clues about the worship of the Greek healing god. pic.twitter.com/NiErJLMSVl
— Tom Marvolo Riddle (@tom_riddle2025) November 13, 2026
Among the discoveries were small clay offerings that may once have hung from trees. Researchers also found part of a hot-water vessel and a pottery fragment bearing part of the name of Asclepius. The inscribed fragment provides evidence connecting the site to the healing god. Together with the offerings and nearby water structures, the finds support the identification of the complex as the sanctuary mentioned by Pausanias.
Ancient water system reveals religious practices
At the center of the enclosure, archaeologists uncovered a well with carefully constructed stone walls. An underground masonry tunnel with a pointed roof carried water from the well to the adjoining fountain. The fountain complex dates to the fourth century B.C. It originally featured a large reservoir measuring 11.3 by 20 meters (37.1 by 65.6 feet), an area for collecting water, and a facade supported by Ionic columns.
During Roman rule, the complex underwent major architectural changes. Builders added a portico and a vaulted structure on its northwestern side. Water held religious importance in sanctuaries dedicated to Asclepius. Sacred springs and fountains were closely associated with purification and healing practices across the ancient Greek world.
Researchers believe the well and adjoining fountain served religious activities at the urban sanctuary. The clay offerings further suggest that worshippers visited the site to honor the god. The discovery also expands the understanding of religious life in ancient Epidaurus. The city was already famous for its larger Asclepieion, where worshippers sought healing through religious rituals, including sacred sleep. The newly identified sanctuary shows that worship of Asclepius also took place within the city itself.
The excavations have provided physical evidence for a sacred site previously known through the writings of Pausanias. The findings help establish where the sanctuary stood and how its water facilities may have supported religious ceremonies.
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