Between the oak and the doves: changes in the sanctuary of Dodona over the centuries

Abstract

This paper aims to show the kind of changes which the sanctuary of Dodona experienced over the centuries. Changes in the cults, in the people involved there and in the form of the sacred space. This can be seen in its cults, the people that have worked there and its development as a sacred space. Dodona is a good example of a multifunctional place; over time the site has not only been used for cultic practices, but politics and sports. In this respect, also economic aspects must be considered. An interdisciplinary approach, considering literature, epigraphy and archaeology (including landscape archaeology) is used to track these changes.