This site is reputed to be the shrine of Menelaus and Helen, central figures in Homeric epics. Excavations have revealed Mycenaean palace remnants, evidence of ritual activity, and artifacts that attest to the site's significance over centuries. Its mythological associations, coupled with its archaeological richness, make the Menelaion an important landmark for understanding both the heroic age of Greece and the enduring legacy of the Mycenaeans.

circa 1550 to 1400 BCE BCE

Mycenaean Palace (Period II)
The Mycenaean palace complex, discovered during excavations, demonstrates architectural features characteristic of the Late Bronze Age, such as megaron-style buildings with rectangular halls and hearths. The later Classical period shrine, likely used for hero worship, reflects a transition in function from a royal residence to a sacred space. The Menelaion's location atop a hill offers a strategic vantage point, emphasizing its importance in the political, religious, and cultural landscape of ancient Laconia.

circa 500-600 BCE

Menelaion
The Menelaion (Μενελάειον) is a significant archaeological site in Laconia, Greece, comprising a complex of structures primarily associated with Mycenaean and later Greek periods. Situated on the Profitis Ilias Hill, it is widely regarded as a shrine dedicated to Menelaus, the king of Sparta, and Helen of Troy. The site includes a series of monumental terraces, Mycenaean tombs, and the remains of a sanctuary that dates back to the Bronze Age.

circa 1600–1050 BCE

Terracotta Figurine
The figure, dated back to the Late Helladic IIIB or IIIC, represents a standing female with raised arms. The head, though somewhat naturalistic, contrasts with the rest of the body, which is simplified and cylindrical, shaped using a wheel and hand-modelling techniques. The body has a slightly curved profile, and the arms, likely made separately, are attached to the chest without dowels.

The head features a raised ridge or band on top, possibly representing a hat or crown (polos), formed by pinching the clay. A ribbon of clay, resembling a headdress or garment strap, extends from the forehead over the back of the head and down to the waist, marked with an incised line that spreads at the bottom like a fish tail. The breasts are noticeable but positioned low, possibly shaped directly from the body rather than added on.

Details like the eyes, ears, and mouth were probably painted, though this is no longer visible. Paint was also used for decoration, including ornaments like necklaces and patterns on what might have been a dress, similar to designs found on pottery from the same period.

The material is soft, evenly fired clay with tiny pinholes and no significant inclusions. The surface is worn and covered in matt dark red paint, with faint patterns on the front and right shoulder. The lower part of the figure's surface is typical of ceramics from the Menelaion.

The figure, currently stored in Sparta Museum, does not have a museum accession number. Its dimensions are given in meters: height 0.145, width at the feet 0.06 x 0.062, top of the head 0.035 x 0.04, and neck diameter 0.047. The estimated span of the raised arms (when complete) would have been about 0.15. It has been reconstructed from fragments, but parts of the right arm and body are missing.