The Department of Antiquities,
Ministry of Transport, Communications and Works, announces the completion of
the second part of the 2019 archaeological campaign of the Aristotle
University of Thessaloniki (AUT) in the Troodos mountains. The team, under
the direction of Professor Nikos Efstratiou, in collaboration with
educator/archaeologist Demetris Kyriakou, concentrated on further
investigating the prehistoric site at Agios Ioannis/Vretsia-Upper Rhoudias,situated
on a terrace of the valley of the Xeros river in the Troodos mountains. The
investigations have been especially revealing
and they highlight the
important role of the mountainous areas of the island during prehistory.
The identification and the
gradual revealing of a 7th millennium BC site in a
mountainous area of
Cyprus came as a surprise to researchers who considered
that, the developments in prehistory –
especially in relation to the Aceramic
Neolithic period - concerned coastal areas and sites, such as
Choirokoitia-Vouni, Kalavasos-Tenta and Apostolos Andreas-Kastros. The above
picture has changed
as a result of the discovery of the site that is being
investigated by the team from the AUT. This year’s finds are especially
revealing concerning the nature of the site and the period in general. As
such,
some of the questions and thoughts that had been expressed from the
very beginning of the team’s
research in the area, remain relevant.
The investigations, which took
place in November 2019, were more intense than other seasons and revealed a
very large part of an impressive circular building that had already been
identified in 2018.
The building’s architecture has now become clearer and at
the same time, a new series of questions
have arisen concerning the
building’s character and use, as well as its size and the possible extent of
the Upper Rhoudiassite.
Of special interest is the
circular building’s monumental character since its diameter exceeds seven
meters and its walls are comprised of two series of stones (a characteristic
known from other contemporaneous sites on the island). There is also evidence
of other features in the interior of the
building (possible rectangular
pillars). Although the building has not yet been revealed completely it seems
that, where the top soil layer is thin, the remains have not survived,
although this will be
confirmed with the completion of investigations.
However, the circular building and especially its
location, lead researchers
to a series of interesting questions concerning the nature of the Cypriot
Aceramic period (i.e. geographical distribution of sites, economy, exchanges
etc.), as well as more specific ones concerning the various types of
buildings and their use (cultivation, seasonality, special
use etc.). A
question arising is why would such a monumental and well-built structure be
constructed
at a mountainous locality, unless it had a special function.
However, it is possible that our current perceptions of such locations as
marginal, are completely wrong. All these questions will remain open
issues, until the investigations are completed.
Another question is whether
this circular building is the only one at the site or, whether it was one of
more other similar or constructions. Although once more, the answer to this
question will be given
through future investigations, other built features
have already been noted, such as a stone-built wall
which possibly surrounded
the site.
In conclusion, the
archaeological investigations conducted by the team of the AUT at the two
neighbouring sites on the Rhoudias terrace (Agios Ioannis/Vretsia-Rhoudias (9th millennium
BC) and Agios Ioannis/Vretsia –Upper
Rhoudias (7th millennium BC.) – have
successfully highlighted a completely different aspect of the prehistory of
Cyprus, that of the island’s mountainous hinterland.
The new discoveries have
greatly enriched our knowledge on the island’s early prehistory with new
sites and finds.
(MG/SCH)
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