Mikon’s Hekatompedon: An Architectural Graffito from Attica

Abstract

Among the more than 2,000 ancient engravings on marble outcrops in hills north and east of Vari, Attica, there appears a remarkable drawing of a building. The structure, which seems to be a temple, is identified by its inscription as “the Hekatompedon” and was produced by an individual named Mikon. This note presents the drawing and the inscription. Following a discussion of the peculiarities of the graffito and its relevance for our understanding of the term ἑκατόµπεδος, it argues that the graffito depicts an Archaic temple on the Acropolis of Athens.