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- Ελληνικά
The Department of Antiquities of the Deputy Ministry of Culture announces the completion of the first phase of the annual field surveys 2023 of the Archaeology Research Unit of the University of Cyprus (BC) in Palaipafos, which has been directed since 2006 by Professor Maria Iakovou within the framework of the Palaepaphos Urban Landscape Project (PULP). This year, the expedition was active exclusively at the site of Laona (Fig. 1). After the completion of the geomorphological study and the publication of the findings concerning the construction of the Laonas mound, which was the focus of the investigations for a decade (2012-2022), this year's research was entirely dedicated to the excavation of the monumental fortress of the Cypro-Classical period (5th-4th century BC) that was found buried under the mound (Fig. 2).
During 4 weeks of intense excavation activity in which participated, apart from the regular members of the expedition, undergraduate students of the Department of History and Archaeology of the University of Cyprus in the framework of practical training, post-doctoral researchers from the University of Siena UNISTRASI with their professor Dr. Jacopo Tabolli, who was also responsible for the management of the fieldwork, and postgraduate students from the University of Crete with their teacher Dr Artemis Karnavas, removed layers of the mound that touched the inner face of the monument, in order to reveal and highlight the fortress at a height of about 3 metres (Fig. The purpose of this intervention, which exposes the highest part of the fortress to natural hazards, was the digital mapping of the monument, which was achieved during the 5th week of work by the Polytechnic University of Milan, within the framework of the INSIGHT project (research project funded by the A.G. Leventis Foundation). The immediate protection and maintenance needs that have been created, particularly of the three staircases of the fortress and their construction materials (clay stones and bricks) will be addressed during Phase B in Autumn 2023.
The two opposite staircases are located on the eastern side (Fig. 4), while the third was found 5m east of the top of the mound, and its lower grades are still below the mound strata (Fig. 5). Based on the survey conducted to locate the natural surface of Laona (ranging between 105.5-107m. from the sea surface) on which the fort was erected, the maximum preservation height of the monument under the top of the mound (114m.) is expected to reach 7m (Fig. 6). In previous years, based on the digital division of the mound into excavation squares (4×4m.), about 500 m2 of the mound's earthen and anthropogenic layers were explored (Fig. 7), with no evidence of a burial chamber so far.
Although the westward course of the fort is still not visible, the length of the visible part of the Laona wall exceeded 135 m this year. On the north side, the construction of the wall on the sloping surface was investigated and confirmed to be entirely built. On a large dressed stone of the outer base of the fortress the syllabary 'E' was identified by Artemis Karnava, which probably represents the original name of the stonewall (Fig. 8a-b).
To the south, the excavation added another section of the wall 35m long, which is built with impressive dressed but reused stones (Fig. 9a-b). In this southern extension, preserved at a height of only 1-1.5 m., the construction of the wall is realized with three parallel rows of large uniform bricks (made in a matrix), placed between the internal and external stonework (Fig. 10).
The southward development of the monumental defensive complex of Laona, although violently interrupted (due to extensive erosion caused by mechanical interventions of levelling agricultural fragments), has reduced the distance from the Hatziaptoulla plateau to 30 m and is planned to be connected to the wall protecting the eastern side of the palace at Hatziaptoulla (Fig. 11). If the next excavation period (2024) confirms this prediction, Laona and Hadziaptoullas will form a single part of the acropolis of Ancient Paphos. It is recalled that at Chatziaptoulla, the University of Cyprus expedition identified and excavated an extensive laboratory complex that touches the western side of the palace.
Kouklia-Palaepafos today boasts the most extensive and monumental royal-administrative landscape of the Cypro-Classical period. The completion of the expropriation of the land between Laona and Chatziaptoullas allows the Department of Antiquities to look forward to the creation of a protected archaeological site.
*For the annex with the images under reference click here.
- Fig. 1. Orthophotograph analysis of the Ancient Paphos cityscape with main locations east of the sanctuary of Aphrodite. 2. Part of the eastern side of the wall (height 3 m) where the bricks of the inner face remained exposed after the loss of the argillaceous stones that served as a protective covering. - Fig. 3. Resolved stone cover of the inner bricks of the wall. 4. Antique scales of the eastern face of the wall.
- Fig. 5. North scale, east of the top of the mound.
- Fig. 6. Top of mound, as preserved today. The 'dome' created by the loose soil and anthropogenic layers with which the mound was constructed can be seen. 7. Plan of Laona with the digital squares guiding the exploration method. 8a-b. North exterior view - sloping structure. Worked stone with initials lithoxow (syllabic E) attributed to Artemis Carnava. - Fig. 9a-b. The southern extension of the fort with dressed stones (external view). - Fig. 10. southern extension of the Laona wall proceeding towards the eastern wall of the palace at Chatziaptulla
- Fig. 11. Southern part of the wall with 3 parallel rows of bricks between the stonework. 12. Laona: the wall is visible (right/left). Hagiaptoulas (left/south): the palace and the laboratory complex with temporary protection roofs can be seen. Photo from UAV (drone) from east to west.
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