Conclusion

This book represents the first monograph solely dedicated to ancient Tainaron. As such, this work satisfies a lacuna in the scholarship and provides a comprehensive resource for the site itself in all its myriad roles; in a way, therefore, this volume also functions as a sourcebook for Tainaron, by compiling all the evidence in one place. My decision to arrange the chapters thematically – rather than, say, chronologically – was motivated by a desire to highlight the various roles that Tainaron fulfilled throughout antiquity, with an overarching goal to weave the threads of these seemingly disparate narratives together, in order to present a more complete picture of this fascinating site. Thus, what first appear as distinct, unrelated functions, represented by individual chapters, actually reveal themselves to be intertwined, inseparable roles that collectively contribute to a holistic perception and appreciation of Tainaron as a safe, neutral, liminal, sacred place.