It is regarded the official sanctuary of the island urban centre during the archaic period. The cult goes back to Mycenaean times (1300 B.C.). It was a timeless cult centre of Dionysus in the antiquity and Agios Georgios afterwards. The cult in a temple, which replaced the earlier form of worshiping the gods in the open air, is distinguished in four phases: a) 800 B.C.: a single-aisled temple constructed of wood and bricks, b) 730 B.C.: an elongated four-aisled hall, c) early 7th century B.C.: a three-aisled temple that is an early form of tetrastyle portico and d) 580-570 B.C.: the earliest stone Ionic prostyle temple is constructed. The quadrilateral Stoic edifice found to surround the temple has been identified to a ceremonial dining hall and gives important information about the history of the dining ritual in sanctuaries.
Naxos Iria sanctuary at Livadi
