Peribolos

In ancient Greek and Roman architecture, a peribolos was a court enclosed by a wall, especially one surrounding a sacred area such as a temple, shrine, or altar. Peribolos walls (which may also be referred to as temenos walls) were sometimes composed of stone posts and slabs supported by porous sills.

Famous examples included:

• The peribolos wall and gate in the Sanctuary of Zeus (Altis), north of the Temple of Zeus at Olympia, Greece;
• The peribolos enclosing the Altar of the Twelve Gods near the north end of the Athens Agora; and
• The Terrace created by retaining and peribolos walls around the Sanctuary of Athena Pronaia (Marmaria), southeast of the Sanctuary of Apollo at Delphi, Greece.

See also

• Sacellum

External links

• http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/ptext?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0004%3Aid%3Dperibolos-wall
• http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/image?lookup=1990.38.0115