Kabeirion, Lemnos: A center of occult worship

The Kabeiri, who lent the sanctuary their name, were malevolent spirits representing underground fire and mining, unleashing earthquakes and destruction from the depths of the earth.

The Kabeirian Mysteries were held once a year after sunset, lasting nine days, and initiation was accessible to everyone, whether free or slave. The rituals included animal sacrifices, libations and offerings, while the Porphyria festival was a reenactment of the discovery of fire, comparable to the lighting of the Olympic flame. 

The ruins of the Kabeirian sanctuaries, preserved on two plateaus, offer a good insight into how these ceremonies were conducted. In fact, at the top of the hill, one can discern the remains of a tall fortification wall that had been erected to conceal the events from the rest of the island.