The Department of Antiquities of the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Works announces that in November 2021 the archaeological mission of the Department of History and Archaeology of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Cyprus carried out investigations at the site of Agios Ioannis/Vretsias-Roudia, after a one-year interruption due to the pandemic. The surveys were carried out under the direction of Nikolaos Efstratiou, Professor Emeritus of Archaeology at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and the paleoenvironmentologist Maria Dinou, Assistant Professor of the Department of Archaeology at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. The Cypriot archaeologist Dimitris Kyriakou and the students of the Department of History and Archaeology of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Stelios Kechagias, Anastasios Bekiaris, Artemis Koutsogeorgopoulou, Zoe Amiridou, Nikoletta Antoniou and Nina Kovbas participated in the research.
The 2021 excavation survey concerned both the Epipaleolithic site (Ag. Ioannis/Vretsias-Roudias), in the southern part of the Roudias terrace, and the Aceramic Neolithic site (Ano Ag. Ioannis/Vretsias-Roudias), which is located a little further north. At the Epipaleolithic site it was decided to continue the excavation of sections G8 and F7, which had been left incomplete since 2018. The aim was to investigate the stratigraphic sequence of the deeper deposits, to carefully record the lithic finds on the site and, most importantly, to implement a rigorous protocol that, in addition to the dry sifting of all fill soils, would allow the identification of archaeobotanical remains through the systematic flotation of the deposits.
The excavation at the Aceramic site focused on uncovering the impressive arched building, with the removal of the fallen stones and the uncovering of the arch fronts where superimposed layers and possibly fallen stones could be discerned. Particular attention was paid to the recording and collection of the abundant abraded material embedded as building material in the building. And in the case of the Ano Roudia excavation the entire archaeological backfill was sifted to locate small finds. In parallel with the work on the arched building, and with the aim of identifying other similar stone structures on the site, two new test cuts of 4X1m were defined. The aim was to investigate whether there were other structures similar to the arched building in the Ano Roudia area, which would characterize a typical settlement of the Aceramic Neolithic period.
This attempt was successful as a new stone building was found next to the known arched building. Although the extent of the trial cut did not allow the full floor plan of the new building to be revealed, several features were revealed that suggest a similar arched architectural type. This is the row of beams of a second circular building that began to be clearly delineated, which will be investigated in the next excavation period.
The excavation investigations of 2021 at the Aceramic site Ano Ag. Ioannis/Vretsias-Roudias in Troodos confirmed the dynamics of the prehistoric evolution of mountainous Cyprus.
The excavation investigations of 2021 at the Ano Ag. Ioannis/Vretsias-Roudias site in Troodos confirmed the dynamics of the prehistoric evolution of mountainous Cyprus. The fact that the Roudia terrace seems to host more than one stone building of the Choirokoitia phase (mid 7th millennium BC), indicates that this is an organised settlement of the Akeramic period that still hides many surprises regarding the extent of this cultural cycle and its possible connection with earlier stages of the island's evolution (Akeramic Neolithic B).
(MGS/SX)
Contents of this article including associated images are owned by PIO
Views & opinions expressed are those of the author and/or PIO
Source
