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Excavations at Kition (Cyprus)

Αρχαιολογικά χρονικά

• Καραγιώργης, Β.

In the excavations of 1970 at Kition a large Mycenaean temple, with a foursided court on the West side of which was a foursided shrine, was revealed. This temple was built at the beginning of the establishment of the Achaeans on the island ( end of the 13th century B.C. ) and was in use until the end of the 11th century.To the North of the temple was discovered a foursided altar of the beginning of the 12th century of hewn stones and near this « horns of consecration » of hard limestone (fig. 1 ). This was destroyed by the earthquakes of the 11th century and replaced by another. On the large Mycenaean temple there was built by the Phoenicians about the middle of the 9th century the temple of Astarte, destroyed by Ptolemy I, in 312 B.C.Inside and outside of this was revealed a deposit with plentiful offerings of the 8th and 7th centuries ( Phoenician,Rhodian, Attic pots). Near the façade of the Mycenaean temple was excavated a second temple, built at the beginning of the 13th century and destroyed at the end of the 11 th. This was foursided also with a large open court, at the West section of which there was the shrine of two rooms. On this temple, destroyed about the end of the 13th century, was built another, contemporary with the large Mycenaean temple, upon the floor of which was found plentiful pottery characteristically Mycenaean ( III C 1 ).The existence of twin Mycenaean temples is evidence of the relations of the two divinities which were worshipped within them.

• History and Archaeology

• Excavations (Archaeology)

μυκηναϊκή εποχή

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