Pleiades wrote:Sticking with the Anatolian origin argued by Enchantress earlier,Hekate's Temple at Lagina has some interesting archaeological finds including the presence of large amounts of oak pollen.As one archaeologist pondered :
"Requiring more of an explanation is the large percentages of oak pollen we find within the temple floor which is clearly not an economically tithed plant." Patrick Scott-Geyer Patterns of Worship at the Temple to Hecate at Lagina 2007
Another unusual feature are the carved pillars there which display Acanthus leaves.This plant does not appear in any pollen finds in excavations of the site and is more well known as one of the most common forms of decoration in ancient Greek architecture.Not sure if the specific pillars hosting Acanthus leaves were a later addition after refurbishment.
Had to go and find Patterns of Worship at the temple of Hecate of Lagina actually. I tend to enjoy the historical side of things but find many do not engage that part of their practice. Yet the author addresses the statement with three possible answers. 1. Oak was a common tree in the area and used for fire. 2. The amount of oak pollen suggests there could have been a sacred oak grove that was later replaced by a sacred grove of willow, which replaces the amount of oak pollen with willow pollen. 3. Festival decorations.
Though the author does ask, does it prove there was in fact a sacred grove of Willow or Oak tree's at Lagina.
I know Lagina went through a couple of major renovation projects through out it's active life time. Parts of it's temple pediments were supposed to rival anything in Anatolia itself. Figure it was part of Straronicea basically and the Jewell of that area. Though destroyed in 40 BCE it was rebuilt and enhanced multiple times until finally falling by the 3rd century c.e.