Phrygia Hierapolis’indeki Ploutonion’un ion portikosu

A large quantity of architectural materials attributable to an ionic portico was recently discovered in the Ploutonion of Hierapolis, a sanctuary dedicated to Pluto and Kore built over a sacred cave from which poisonous gases were emitted. The blocks include a frieze-architrave with a dedicatory inscription to the emperor Nero, which enables us to date the construction with certainty. The portico stood at the top of the Π-shaped ritual theatron of the Ploutonion, as a sort of porticus in summa cavea; it also has a central aedicula, that can be interpreted as the naos of the sanctuary, where the Hades' statue was originally positioned. In the framework of the conservation project of the Ploutonion, the portico is currently under restoration: thanks to the anastilosis of some columns, the original aspect of the stoa will be displayed in the context of the ancient sanctuary.