Waxing lyrical from esoteric heights

Submitted by Iza on Fri, 11/11/2022 - 13:09

Text and photos by our correspondent from Didyma, Glenn Maffia.

There appears to be few pertinent ideas circulating within our present age, an age of mass media disseminating dogmatic ‘information’ across the political and financial arenas of this ever shrinking world.

I have noticed that conversations I overhear in public are generally in broad agreement with each other, as the kernel of that ‘news’ invariably arrives from the same source, albeit across possibly differing mediums. Such be today’s viral propagation.

This has also infected my sphere of interest; that of history, aesthetics and archaeology. I hope that you have the patience to tolerate me whilst I endeavour to redress the equilibrium to a level of sanity.

The 'streaming' sky above the Temple of Apollo in Didyma

Tourism gate-crashing culture through the backdoor

Submitted by Iza on Sun, 11/06/2022 - 16:46

Text by our correspondent from Didyma, Glenn Maffia.

An article appeared in the Didim press a short while back, where the title rather intrigued me in respect that it suggested that the Temple of Apollo, at the very least, would be afforded some defence against the rampant exploitation of mass tourism.

Though, after absorbing the content, I was left utterly deflated in any lingering hope that those whom purport to care and tend to the protection of this site have any altruistic motivations whatsoever.

Photo of the surrounding area of the Temple of Apollo in Didyma taken in the late 60's/early 70's. The German built wall from 1906 and the mosque remain the same, but those buildings to the right have long gone. So much for authentic 'preservation'

The truth stands, it doesn’t lie

Submitted by Iza on Wed, 10/26/2022 - 16:48

Text by our correspondent from Didyma, Glenn Maffia.

A rather curious snippet of information came to my attention recently, whereby I learnt that a scurrilous rumour is circulating that the three standing columns at the Temple of Apollo here in Didyma are recent reconstructions.

I found that quite laughable, though then realised that these ill-informed pieces of nonsense could impair people’s judgement of this most magnificent site. That perplexed me somewhat and therefore I decided to counter these malicious erroneous deceits with solid evidence; both from literary sources and pictorial.

The temple of Apollo in Didyma and its three standing columns today

The Wonder of Aphrodisias

Submitted by Iza on Fri, 09/30/2022 - 12:24

Text and photos by our correspondent from Didyma, Glenn Maffia.

It delighted me immensely to recently read that the Aphrodisias Archaeology Workshop shall resume after the Covid enforced hiatus of some two years. This initiative, set in motion in 2018, fulfils an important educational and social criterion which hopefully realizes a vast improvement on the appreciation of historical artefacts; their context, their unadulterated quality and beauty, and the constant state of flux which encapsulates all civilizations.

What fate awaits the Apollon Temple at Didyma?

Submitted by Iza on Tue, 07/05/2022 - 17:57

Text and photos by our correspondent from Didyma, Glenn Maffia.

And so it begins, when friends from many a foreign shore start to descend into this timeless ancient Ionian landscape. Full with wonderment and, contrary to the sun-seeking hordes, a thirst for what remains of our shared historic past. Though we have been known to quench the dusty dryness with a cold beer or two in the often torrid heat.