Carnasium or Karnasion (Ancient Greek: Καρνάσιον) was a town of ancient Messenia, 8 stadia distant from Andania, and upon the river Charadrus.[1] Pausanias identified it with Oechalia. In his time (2nd century), Carnasium was the name given to a grove of cypresses, in which were statues of Apollo Carneius, of Hermes Criophorus, and of Persephone. It was here that the mystic rites of the great goddesses were celebrated, and that the urn was preserved containing the bones of Eurytus, the son of Melaneus.[2]

Its site is located near the modern Polichni.[3][4]

References

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  1. ^ Pausanias (1918). "2.2". Description of Greece. Vol. 4. Translated by W. H. S. Jones; H. A. Ormerod. Cambridge, Massachusetts; London: Harvard University Press; William Heinemann – via Perseus Digital Library., 4.33.4.
  2. ^ Pausanias (1918). "33.4". Description of Greece. Vol. 4. Translated by W. H. S. Jones; H. A. Ormerod. Cambridge, Massachusetts; London: Harvard University Press; William Heinemann – via Perseus Digital Library.-5.
  3. ^ Richard Talbert, ed. (2000). Barrington Atlas of the Greek and Roman World. Princeton University Press. p. 58, and directory notes accompanying. ISBN 978-0-691-03169-9.
  4. ^ Lund University. Digital Atlas of the Roman Empire.

  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domainSmith, William, ed. (1854–1857). "Oechalia". Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography. London: John Murray.

37°15′59″N 21°56′56″E / 37.2663°N 21.9488°E / 37.2663; 21.9488