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Aitolia and Akarnania constitute true cave landscapes. Their complex natural environment includes coastal zones along the Ionian Sea and the Corinthian gulf, a rugged rocky hinterland, mountainous forests, lakes, lagoons, and rivers. Their geographical position highlights the region as a prehistoric and ancient crossroads of maritime communication as well as overland routes leading southwards. The Varasova mass marks the beginning of this long trajectory with evidence of Palaeolithic and Mesolithic groups. A series of caves with Neolithic occupation includes Agios Nikolaos at Astakos, Kokkini Spilia at Aitoliko, and Kissoti on the Valtos mountain range. They mark the presence of farming communities who visited those inaccessible cavities for secondary burials, small gatherings, and enigmatic symbolic practices that linked them to the land and their ancestors.<\/p>\n
In Classical antiquity, the Mastro cave near the Acheloos river, together with other caves on the Ionian coast or the Ambracian gulf, emerge as spaces of systematic religious worship. Worshippers brought\u2014or cast from above\u2014their votive offerings, performed sacrifices, shared meals, and possibly danced during festivals on the terraces located outside certain caves.\u00a0A wide range of coroplastic offerings is attested, including imports from distant regions and influences from Magna Graecia and the colonial world. The historical and political influences of Corinth and Athens, and their rivalry are materially inscribed in the composition of the dedications offered to these sanctuaries.<\/p>\n
[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=\u201d1\/2\u2033][vc_column_text][\/vc_column_text][vc_media_grid element_width=\u201d6\u2033 item=\u201dmasonryMedia_Default\u201d initial_loading_animation=\u201dnone\u201d grid_id=\u201dvc_gid:1769386993375-5091613e-f3ea-1\u2033 include=\u201d1081,1083\u2033][vc_media_grid element_width=\u201d6\u2033 item=\u201dmasonryMedia_Default\u201d initial_loading_animation=\u201dnone\u201d grid_id=\u201dvc_gid:1769386993377-8c9a55c2-41b6-6\u2033 include=\u201d1080,1082\u2033][vc_media_grid element_width=\u201d6\u2033 item=\u201dmasonryMedia_Default\u201d initial_loading_animation=\u201dnone\u201d grid_id=\u201dvc_gid:1769386993379-1b9721ef-1bb0-2\u2033 include=\u201d1084,1085\u2033][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row el_class=\u201ds2-project-read-more\u201d][vc_column width=\u201d1\/3\u2033][\/vc_column][vc_column width=\u201d2\/3\u2033][vc_column_text]2026, C. Morgan, A. Karadima, S. Katsarou,\u00a0F\u00eate champ\u00eatre? Feasting in the central Ionian countryside.<\/a>\u00a0\u03a3\u03c4\u03bf: X. Charalambidou, J.-P. Crielaard, C. Morgan (eds.),\u00a0Feasting with the Greeks. Towards a Social Archaeology of Ritual Consumption in the Greek World<\/em>. Amsterdam University Press.<\/p>\n 2025, S. Katsarou, A. Nagel, A. Karadima,\u00a0Akarnania\u2019s ancient caves in modern times: new archaeological research and material evidence<\/a>, Interdisciplinary Studies in Ancient Western Greece and Beyond. Farewell to Franziska Lang, International Conference, Technical University of Darmstadt, 11-12 December 2025 (Organizer: Technical University of Darmstadt).<\/em><\/p>\n 2025, S. Katsarou, Ritual journeys t\u03bf caves during the Greek Neolithic: an integrated perspective of rituals, voyaging and caves,\u00a0Acta Archaeologica\u00a0<\/em>95(2), pp. 262-282.\u00a0https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1163\/16000390-09501001<\/a><\/p>\n 2025, R. M. Ammerman, S. Katsarou,\u00a0Sacred caves in Magna Grecia. Adaptation and development of ritual traditions in the colonial world,<\/a>\u00a0Archaeology & Arts\u00a0<\/em>149 (December 2025), pp. 17-29.\u00a0[in Greek]<\/span><\/p>\n 2025 I. Efstathiou, S. Katsarou,\u00a0Sacred coastal caves,<\/a>\u00a0Archaeology & Arts\u00a0<\/em>149, pp. 49-67.\u00a0[in Greek]<\/span><\/p>\n 2025, S. Katsarou,\u00a0R\u00e4tselhafte H\u00f6hlen in Griechenland. Wechselwirkungen zwischen Kultur und Naturals Herausforderungen der H\u00f6hlenarch\u00e4ologie,<\/a>\u00a0Antike Welt\u00a0<\/em>2, pp. 49-55.<\/p>\n 2025,\u00a0<\/em>S. Katsarou,\u00a0Cave excavations and their contribution to understanding Greek prehistory,<\/a>\u00a0Half a Century of Cave Protection and Research. Symposium Dedicated to the Memory of Evangelia Protonotariou-Deilaki, Athens, Epigraphic Museum, 9 October 2025<\/em>\u00a0(Organizer: Ephorate of Palaeoanthropology-Speleology).\u00a0<\/em>[in Greek]<\/span><\/p>\n 2025, I. Efstathiou, S. Katsarou, A. Papadea, G. Valvis,\u00a0Caves in the Ionian sea and western Greece: Human activity, new evidence and research perspectives,<\/a>\u00a0Half a Century of Cave Protection and Research. Symposium Dedicated to the Memory of Evangelia Protonotariou-Deilaki, Athens, Epigraphic Museum, 9 October 2025 (Organizer: Ephorate of Palaeoanthropology-Speleology).\u00a0<\/em>[in Greek]<\/span><\/p>\n 2025, I. Efstathiou, E. Zavvou, S. Katsarou,\u00a0Epigraphic evidence from caves of the Ionian sea and Crete,<\/a>\u00a0Discovering the Past. Epigraphic Evidence from Caves. Round Table, Athens, Epigraphic Museum, 6 May 2025 (Organizers: Epigraphic Museum & Ephorate of Palaeoanthropology-Speleology).\u00a0<\/em>[in Greek]<\/span><\/p>\n 2025, I. Efstathiou, S. Katsarou, A. Mari, F. Mavridis, C. Agouridis, I. Zygouri, A. Vlachopoulos,\u00a0New evidence of ritual and symbolic behaviour in coastal caves in Greece: a preliminary assessment,<\/a>\u00a06th International Maritime Archaeology Graduate Symposium (MAGS 2025), Ioannina, 2-5 April 2025<\/em>\u00a0(<\/em>Organizers: University of Ioannina &\u00a0<\/em>Honor Frost Foundation<\/em>).<\/em><\/p>\n 2025, S. Katsarou, E. Karkazi, A. Darlas,\u00a0Coast and karst dynamics: the case of Limnopoula rockshelter, Varassova, Nafpaktia,<\/a>\u00a06th International Maritime Archaeology Graduate Symposium (MAGS 2025), Ioannina, 2-5 April 2025<\/em>\u00a0(Organizers<\/em>: University of Ioannina &\u00a0<\/em>Honor Frost Foundation<\/em>).<\/em><\/p>\n 2023, S. Katsarou,\u00a0Caves in Greece: Places for life, death, and gods,<\/a>\u00a0Drawing on Stones; Brazilian Rock Art, Embassy of Brazil in Athens, Athens, 24-29 November 2023 (Organizers<\/em>: Embassy of Brazil in Athens, E. Angliker).<\/em><\/p>\n 2022, S. Katsarou, \u201cLindsey B\u00fcster, Eug\u00e8ne Warmenbol and Dimitrij Mleku\u017e, eds. Between Worlds: Understanding Ritual Cave Use in Later Prehistory. (Cham: Springer, 2019, 270pp., 17 b\/w illustr., 85 colour illustr., hbk, ISBN 978-3-319-99021-7),\u201d\u00a0European Journal of Archaeology<\/em>\u00a025<\/em>(2), pp. 262-266. Review. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1017\/eaa.2022.8<\/a><\/p>\n 2021, S. Katsarou,\u00a0<\/em>A. Nagel (\u03b5\u03c0\u03b9\u03bc.),\u00a0Cave and Worship in Ancient Greece.\u00a0<\/em>New\u00a0<\/em>Approaches to Landscape and Ritual.<\/em><\/a>\u00a0London\/New York. Routledge. ISBN 9780367859169.\u00a0https:\/\/doi.org\/10.4324\/9781003015765<\/a>.<\/p>\n 2021, S. Katsarou, A. Nagel,\u00a0Introduction: On reading caves and ancient Greek cult.<\/a> \u03a3\u03c4\u03bf: S. Katsarou, A. Nagel (eds.), Cave and Worship in Ancient Greece.\u00a0<\/em>New Approaches to Landscape and Ritual<\/em>, pp. 1-16. London\/New York. Routledge.\u00a0https:\/\/doi.org\/10.4324\/9781003015765-1<\/a><\/p>\n 2021, S. Katsarou,\u00a0The dawn of ancient Greek cave cult: Prehistoric cave sanctuaries.<\/a> \u03a3\u03c4\u03bf: S. Katsarou, A. Nagel (eds.), Cave and Worship in Ancient Greece.\u00a0<\/em>New Approaches to Landscape and Ritual<\/em>, pp. 17-48. London\/New York. Routledge.\u00a0https:\/\/doi.org\/10.4324\/9781003015765-2<\/a><\/p>\n 2021, A. Darlas, S. Katsarou, L. Kormazopoulou, V. Giannopoulos,\u00a0Caves and archaeology. The work of the Ephorate of Palaeoanthropology-Speleology of the Ministry of Culture and Sports in the area of Aitolia.<\/a>\u00a0In: H. Yfantis, V. Fountoulis, M. Manikarou, S. Skandalou, M. Vasilopoulou (eds.),\u00a0The Thestian Territory in Historical Space and Time. 2nd National Conference of History-Culture, Vlochos, Kainourgio, May 14-15, 2016<\/em>, vol. B, pp. 47-68. Vlochos Thestieis, Thestieis Archaeological-Historical-Folklore Society.\u00a0[in Greek]<\/span><\/p>\n 2019, C. Morgan, A. Karadima, S. Katsarou,\u00a0F\u00eate champ\u00eatre? Feasting in the central Ionian countryside,<\/a>\u00a0Feasting with the Greeks. Towards a Social Archaeology of Ritual Consumption in the Greek World, Oxford, All Souls College, 12-13 March 2019 (Organizer: All Souls College, Oxford).<\/em><\/p>\n 2018, \u0391\u0399\u0391 Annual Meeting, Boston, January 4-7, 2018.\u00a0Colloquium:\u00a0New Approaches to Caves and Worship in the Ancient Mediterranean.<\/a> Organizers: S. Katsarou, A. Nagel.<\/em><\/p>\n 2017, S. Katsarou, A. Darlas, Cave heritage in Greece: Aetoloakarnania,\u00a0Archaeological Reports\u00a0<\/em>63 (Archaeology in Greece 2016-2017<\/em>), pp. 89-105.\u00a0<\/em>https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1017\/S057060841800008X<\/a><\/p>\n 2016, G. Valvis, S. Katsarou,\u00a0Mastro cave,<\/a>\u00a0Archaiologikon Deltion<\/em>\u00a071 (publ. 2022),\u00a0Chronika,<\/em>\u00a0vol. \u03922, pp. 1760-1762.\u00a0[in Greek]<\/span><\/p>\n