The sanctuary flourished during the LA period (second half of the 6th c. BC), but evidence shows cult activity at the area during the G and EA times (9th-7th c. BC). Apollo was the deity primarily worshipped at the sanctuary, as indicated by the graffiti on 6th and 5th c. BC vases. Artemis might have been worshipped too. Hestia ‘Isthmia’ was also worshipped at the sanctuary during the CL period. In 2011, the excavation started in the S complex of buildings (the building Θ and the building I). In the north part of the room Θ1 they revealed post-byzantine phase on the A phase of the building. The rooms Θ1 and Θ2 can be dated in the second half of the 6th c BC. The room Θ3 that can be recognized as the loutro of the sanctuary can be dated in the end of the 6th c. BC. Under the loutro the excavator could collect pttery sherds from the A period. Also they continued excavating in the temple and the building E. In the entrance it was built-in (εντοιχισμένο) the upper part of a kouros from the A period. They researched the room A (the main temple) and under the archaic floor of the prostoo of the rooms A3-A4-A5 they found a part of a square marble vothros that could have been used for the worship. This structure was dated in the beginning of the A period. Also from the excavation of 2011, the excavators collected pottery sherds from the LG and EA period and they thought that the sanctuary could have started working from the G period. From May 2012 until July 2012 excavation took place in the N part of the temenos and the south building, in order to be found different phases of the using of the sanctuary's buildings. In the building D they excavated in two trenches. The first trench was along the Sside of the pronaos and the revealed the foundation. The second trench was opned in the connecting point between the perivolos and the W wall of the building. From these trenches the excavators collected pottery from the LG and the EA period and due to that they confirmed that inside the N temenos there was established a worship in previous centuries. In 2012 it was excavated the building B and especially the room 5. In the middle of the room it was revealed a grave. Inside the grave there were many burials. The grave had an orientation N-S amd its dimensions are 2.17 x 0.50m. It had been used for at least three burials; two of them were a secondary deposition of bones. From the grave or the room (it is not clear if the small finds that they collected in 2012, came from the grave or generally from the room 5), the excavators collected fine ware from the EA period (skyphoi, rims from kraters, two almost complete cups from the A period, three lamps, a clay figurine -the face-, a clay animal figurine, metal objects and part of a kouros' leg).

Records

• 1959: Extensive Survey by N. Zapheiropoulos (Greek Archaeological Service)
  
• 1985: Extensive Survey by G. Gruben, M. Schuller (Technical University of Munich)
  
• 1985: Extensive Survey by K.Schnieringer, A. Ohnesorg (Technical University of Munich)
  
• 1997-2000: Extensive Survey by Y. Kourayos (Greek Archaeological Service)
  
• 2001-2012: Systematic Excavation by Y. Kourayos (Greek Archaeological Service)
  
• 2011: Systematic Excavation by Y. Kourayos (Greek Archaeological Service)
  
• 2012: Systematic Excavation by Y. Kourayos (Greek Archaeological Service)
  

References: Primary

• Karakassi, K., 2006. Eine archaische Terracotta Statuette aus Despotiko (Antiparos), in N. Chr. Stampolidis (ed.), Γενέθλιο (τόμος προς τιμή της Ντόλλης Γουλανδρή), Athens: 159–164
• Kourayios, Y., 2005. Δεσποτικό-Θέση Μάνδρα, ArchDelt 60, Chr.: 928–934
• Kourayos, Y., 2001. Ανάδειξη Αρχ/κών Χώρων της Πάρου και των μικρών νησίδων Δεσποτικό, Τσιμιντήρι, Στρογγυλό, Η συμβολή του Υπουργείου Αιγαίου στην έρευνα και ανάδειξη του πολιτισμού του Αρχιπελάγους, Athens: 104–109
• Kourayos, Y., 2001. Πάρος. Νέα σημαντικά ευρήματα, Corpus 43: 66–79
• Kourayos, Y., 2004. Δεσποτικό. Η ανακάλυψη ενός Νέου ιερού, in N. Chr. Stampolidis & A. Giannikouri (eds.), Πρακτικά Διεθνούς Συμποσίου, Το Αιγαίο στην πρώιμη Εποχή του Σιδήρου (Ρόδος 1-4 Νοεμβρίου 2002), Athens: 437–452
• Kourayos, Y., 2005. Νέο ιερό του Απόλλωνα αποκαλύπτεται στο Δεσποτικό, ακατοίκητη νησίδα της Αντιπάρου, Corpus 68: 18–25
• Kourayos, Y., 2006. The archaic sanctuary of Apollo on the island Despotiko, in J. de la Genière (ed.), Les Cahiers du CVA N°1: les clients de la céramique grecque. Actes du Colloque de l’Académie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres, Paris, 30-31 janvier 2004, Paris: 59–67
• Kourayos, Y., 2006. Η ανασκαφική δραστηριότητα του 2005 στο Ιερό του Απόλλωνα στην θέση Μάντρα της νησίδας του Δεσποτικού, in N. Chr. Stampolidis (ed.), Γενέθλιο (τόμος προς τιμή της Ντόλλης Γουλανδρή), Athens: 147–158
• Kourayos, Y., 2008. Η ανασκαφική δραστηριότητα στην Πάρο, Το χρονικό της αποκάλυψης των γλυπτών, in Y. Kourayos & F. Prost (eds.), La sculpture de Cyclades a l’ époque archaique, Histoire des Ateliers Rayonnement des Styles, Πρακτικά Συνεδρίου Γαλλικής Αρχαιολογικής Σχολής, Athens: 87–129
• Kourayos, Y., 2009. Δεσποτικό. Το Ιερό του Απόλλωνα, Athens:
• Kourayos, Y., 2011. Δεσποτικό, ArchDelt 66, Chr.: 919–923
• Kourayos, Y., 2012. Δεσποτικό. Μάντρα, ArchDelt 67, Chr.: 710–714
• Kourayos, Y., Ohnesorg, A.,  Lambertz, M. & Papajanni, K., 2011. Apollon unterm Ziegenstall – Das neugefundene Heiligtum auf Despotiko, AW : 1–11
• Zapheiropoulos, Ν., 1960. Πάρος, ArchDelt16, Chr.: 245–247

References: Secondary

• Mermoz, J., 2010. La vie religieuse des Cyclades de l’HR IIIC à la fin de la période archaïque, Lyon (unpublished PhD Thesis): 131–137

Written Sources

• None