Kardaki Temple

[5] The temple at Kardaki is considered an important and to a certain degree mysterious topic on the subject of early ancient Greek architecture.

[1] In 1825, it was excavated again, and William Railton documented the site and published the results in his paper Antiquities of Athens and other Places in Greece, Sicily etc.

[1] The temple at Kardaki, is considered an important and to a certain degree mysterious topic on the subject of early ancient Greek architecture.

[1] Franklin P. Johnson expanded on Dörpfeld's findings by adding pictures and further details, which he published in 1936 in his paper "The Kardaki Temple" with the aim "that this unique structure may be better known and to make some suggestions toward determining its proper place in the field of Greek architecture.

Johnson also writes that, by omitting the frieze, the architect consciously diverged from established norms, and by doing so he showed his considerable talent.

[4] Many of the tiles on the roof of the temple bore inscriptions of names, likely of chief magistrates who were contemporary to its construction or renovation periods.

The inscription, in Doric Greek, details works undertaken by the state of Korkyra (ancient Corfu) for the maintenance and repair of the Temple.

The inscription also mentions that the roof of the temple was removed and states that the water channels have to be diverted so that they do not damage the retaining wall.

[7] From these writings, it is shown that the location of the temple near a sacred site of a natural spring was also the cause of constant problems with water damage and continuing repair.

Colonel Whitmore, the discoverer of the temple, had commented that he had noticed traces of a substance on the altar that resembled soda.