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- Ελληνικά
The Department of Antiquities of the State Ministry of Culture announces the completion of archaeological investigations at St George of Pegeia by New York University, under the direction of Joan Breton Connelly, Professor of Classical Studies at New York University. The investigations, which lasted three months, included surveys, excavations and the study of excavated material. The excavations focused on the Maniki Harbour and Geronissos, while the excavation findings were studied in detail for future publication.
The harbour, the island of Geronissos and the coast of Cape Dreponon are important areas of Cyprus, historically charged and known for their natural beauty and biodiversity. The small port of Maniki is an important place for the community of Pegeia and for generations of fishermen for whom it has always served as a 'place of memory'. Since the Hellenistic period, the port of Maniki has served as the main port of call to the island of Geronissos, while during the Byzantine period it was the main port serving the important Justinian basilica located in the citadel of Cape Dreponon.
The above interdisciplinary researches involved scientists, students from academic and research institutions from various countries. Dr. Stella Demesticha, Associate Professor of Maritime Archaeology at the University of Cyprus, undertook the study of the large number of amphorae of the Late Roman period, which were discarded along the shores of Maniki harbour. Most of the amphorae belong to the Late Roman type (LR1) and appear to be locally produced. Fragments of other types belong mainly to two categories of Late Roman amphorae: Gaza-type amphorae and Palestinian amphorae (bag-shape type). These types can be dated to the 6th century AD and testify to important trade contacts with southern Palestine in the mid-6th century AD.
Dr. Theotokis Theodoulou, head of the Ephorate of Enalian Antiquities in Crete and Dr. Theotokis Theodoulou, head of the Ephorate of Enalian Antiquities in Crete, and Dr. Alexandros Tourtas, from the University of the Aegean, have completed their coastal and underwater survey of Maniki harbour and all of Cape Drepanon. The survey included aerial mapping of the area and the creation of a three-dimensional (3D) model of the coast from the Sea Caves to the White River. As part of the surveys, a number of stone anchors were recovered from the seabed and ship bindings were recorded.
At Geronissos, Philip Ebeling led a team from the Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster in the photogrammetric mapping and excavation of a particularly important pile of Hellenistic tiles.
At Geronissos, Philip Ebeling led a team from the Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster in the photogrammetric mapping and excavation of a particularly important pile of Hellenistic tiles. The tiles are of Laconian and Corinthian type and reveal the importance and monumental character of the buildings that would have once stood on Geronissos. Architect Pieter Brouke, Professor of Art History and Architecture from Middlebury College, continued his study of the limestone architectural remains from Geronissos.
The team from New York University also completed the excavation of an important carved tomb, which was discovered in 2018 in the necropolis of Meleti, about half a kilometer from St. George. This family tomb is the earliest grave so far in the Meleti area and was in use from the late Hellenistic to the Roman period, from around the 1st century BC to the early 4th century AD.
Dr. Paul Croft, from the Lemba Archaeological Research Centre, directed the excavation of this tomb, which includes a stepped road leading to a central chamber with two burial chambers (loculi) and two tetrasolia. Prof. Jolanta Mlynaczyk of the University of Warsaw undertook the study of the vessels (proxies, laches, amphorae and lynchets) from the tomb, while Dr. Monika Miziolek from the Institute of Mediterranean and Oriental Cultures, Polish Academy of Sciences is studying the Roman period cooking utensils.
Dr. Efthymia Nikita, Assistant Professor of Bioarchaeology at the Cyprus Institute (STARC) and her team continued the study of human skeletal remains from the tomb. Preliminary analysis of the material indicates that at least six individuals (five adults and one adolescent) were buried in the tomb. In an alcove at the end of the road, just outside the chamber, the remains of four infants (including a fetus) were found.
Athanasios Koutoupas and his team from the Andreas Pittas Art Characterization Laboratories (APAC Labs) of the Cyprus Institute, completed the mapping of the tomb at Meleti using 3D scanning and photogrammetry.
(AF/SX)
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