Lesson 3 An unknown goddess

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Some time ago, an American team explored a temple which stands in an ancient city on the Agean island of Kea.

The archaeologists discovered some interesting things. This dity at one time must have been prosperous,for it enjoyed a high level of civilization.All the houses were built of stone.The rooms were very large and the walls were decorated beautifully. To their surprise, the city was even equipped with a drainage system,for a great many clay piples were found beneath the narrow streets.

The temple was used as a place of worship from the fifteenth century BC until Roman time.On entering one of the most sacred rooms,the archaeologists found clay fragments of fifteen statues.Each of these represented a goddess and they at one time had been painted. The body of one statue was found among remains dating from the fifteenth century BC,but its missing head happened to be among remains of the fifth century BC. When the archaeologists reconstructed the fragments carefully, they were amazed to find that the goddess turned out to be a very modern looking woman. She looked old but was very graceful.

So far,the archaeologists have been unable to discover her identity.