Page - 60 - in The Power of Urban Water - Studies in premodern urbanism

60 NicolaChiarenza Thewestern entranceand the functionof perirrhanteria In addition to the northeast and south entrances, the sanctuary had a third one during the secondhalf of the6th centuryBC.The latterwas located in themiddleof thewest temenoswall andmaybeprovidedwith a gate during this phase.53 A circularwellwas located in front of it, acoupleofmeters to theeast.Peopleenteringthesanctuary54 likelyusedthiswater forpurifica- tion rituals.55 Two of the three entrances to the sanctuary, therefore, were providedwithwater installa- tions likelyusedbyworshippers approaching the sacred space: the fountainnext to thenorth- east entrance, and the circular well in front of the west entrance. Another circular well was located not far from the south entrance and provided the space to the east of Temple Cwith necessarywater.Due to the lackof information fromtheexcavations,wecanonlypostulate the existenceofperirrhanteriaandotherkindsofbasins locatedclose toentrances,wellsandaltars inorder to facilitate ritualactivityperformedwithwater.Perirrhanteria fromSelinouswereusu- Fig. 7:Palermo, MuseoArcheologico AntoninoSalinas, human-shaped standof aperir- rhanterion from Selinous’ urban sanctuary. examplesof theseprohibitions,seealsoThesCRAII (2004),26f. s.v.Purificazione,Gr. (O.Paoletti).Ontherelations of the thysiawithnotionsof community andpurity, see alsoRudhardt 1992, 257–266. 53 Mertens 2003, 84, figs. 77. 80.81;Mertens 2006, 101f. figs. 145–147. According toMarconi 2007, 74, there is no evidence that thegatebelongs to this phase. 54 Thewell is partially covered by a later north-west/south-eastwall built after 409BC. For bothwell andwall, see: Gabrici 1929, pls. 1. 3; Helas 2011, Faltbeil. 1. 4. 6. The circular opening inMertens 2003 fig.81 andMertens 2006, fig. 146 likely belongs to aPunic-Hellenistic cistern (Helas 2011, 235 fig. IX49Beil. 24). 55 On thepurification rituals requiredbefore enteringGreek sanctuaries, seeKobusch, this volume.