The Phrygian mother goddess Cybele from Asia Minor, later known to the Greeks as Rea, was the goddess of wild nature and the creative forces of the earth and fertility. On the western and northern fringes of the upper city of ancient Samos, outdoor shrines dedicated to the godess were carved into the rocks. Access to the sanctuaries came from two roads, one which led to the temple of Artemidos and the other that came from the ancient Agora. At the highest point of the hill on which the ruins lie, a large rock carved in the shape of two throne-like seats was found.
