[Hilary]

Alice,
Yes I read about the plane tree at Kaphyai in Pausanias. I don't think there must be one there now.
We " did" that area a few years ago in predigtal camera time. I don't think we will be going back there.
Joanne
Ten books on Architecture by Vitrubius. If I really wanted to know where these trees are mentioned I should try to find the Society which had the well made notices made. They must know.
The list of dates is very interesting. Where should I file it?
The sanctuary has not been excavated so no early bronze pottery
Alice
Interesting piece about Helen and tree cult.
Since you have found all this interesting I will now send something about the Cartyatids

[Alice]

Thank you for starting this thread, Hilary, and so nice to see that it has generated so much interest as far away as Australia!

I was also intrigued by the reference to Menelaus having married into a tree-cult.
It seems there were a number of cults of Helen (Helen of Troy, wife of Menelaus, daughter of Zeus and Leda, sister of Castor, Polydeuces (Pollux) and Clytemnestra).
There was a cult of Helen and Menelaus at the Menelaion in Therapne (near Sparta), focusing on Helen as a married mortal woman (in spite of its name, this was originally a shrine to Helen alone) and a cult of Helen Platanistas (Helen of the plane trees) focusing on Helen as a divine virgin figure associated with fertility through tree worship.
Helen was also worshipped in Attica along with her brothers and in Rhodes as Helen Dendritis (Helen of the trees).

For more information see:
http://argos.chs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/WebObjects/eJournal.woa/wa/dist?dis=159#n.5

[Hilary]

Alice,
More wonderful information about Helen, Menelaos and extended family.
There is a wide street in Sparta name Platanistas.
No body could explan the significance to me apart from " something to do with plane trees"
Thanks
Hilary