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They were used as homes, for the individual gods or goddesses who protected and kept the community together.​
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The gods controlled the forces of nature such as the sun, the rain and crops.​
Although sometimes  the gods were good, sometimes they turned against the community.​
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They received daily offerings such as food and drink, and the  profits of the harvest.                                                      ​
The god or goddess were represented by an image, usually seated or standing statue which occupied the central place in the temple. They were made of stone or bronze as the statues of  Zeus at Olympia or Athena in the Parthenon. Ancient pottery model shows us what the first Greek temples probably looked like.

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Caves and springs were believed to be the homes of spirits. Shrines were built in these places where people could pray.

Temples