The lost temple of Artemis
SWITZERLAND, 2023, 52’30’’
Director: Sébastien Reichenbach – Producer: Climage Audiovisuel, Stéphane Goël
The location of the sanctuary of Artemis at Amarynthos has long remained one of the last great archaeological enigmas of Greek antiquity. This vast Artemision is mentioned in several ancient texts, which even go so far as to specify the distance separating the sanctuary from the ancient city of Eretria. But despite the efforts of numerous scientific expeditions since the end of the 19th century, no trace of the sanctuary or its temple has ever been found, leaving the mystery unsolved.
In the 1960s, a young archaeologist from Neuchâtel – Denis Knoepfler – set out in search of the lost temple of Artemis. His investigations soon led him into the hinterland of the island of Euboea, well beyond the limits of previous expeditions.
It would take five decades of searching, unshakeable faith and moving tons of earth to finally unravel the mystery. In 2017, a Swiss-Greek team of archaeologists formally identified the sanctuary of Artemis, where Denis Knoepfler had predicted it lay buried. The repercussions are considerable: this is one of the most spectacular archaeological discoveries made in Greece in 30 years.
The film retraces this collective epic, rich in twists and turns, and details the crucial stages of a long-term investigation that has fascinated, and will continue to fascinate, several generations of archaeologists. The story also explores the captivating history of the ancient city of Eretria and immerses us in the mystical atmosphere of the cult of Artemis, the powerful goddess of the hunt and protector of the wild world.
