4,000-Year-Old Temple With Monolith Resurfaces in Cyprus

A mysterious monolith adorned with a circular motif of cups in the center has surfaced in Cyprus, shedding light on an ancient artisan community from 4,000 years ago. The space contains the remains of what is now recognized as the oldest sacred site on the island, sparking significant interest in the scientific community.

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The Italian Erimi Archaeological Project, led by Professor Luca Bombardieri from the University of Siena, in collaboration with the Department of Antiquities of Cyprus, has been instrumental in this groundbreaking discovery. Over the past fifteen years, Bombardieri and his team have conducted systematic investigations in the Erimi area, revealing a wealth of information about the Bronze Age community that once thrived there, with the complex including contained dyeing vats, warehouses, and workshops, evidence of a textile industry that thrived there.

Recently, the team made a standout discovery in the western wing of the artisan complex: a room containing a large, smooth monolith approximately 2.30 meters (7.55 feet) high, with a circular motif of small cups in the center.

"The monolith, which originally stood in the center of the room, collapsed onto the floor and destroyed a large amphora placed at its feet in front of a small circular hearth," Bombardieri explained.

"The interior space of this room was thus free to circulate around the monolith, the amphora, and the hearth that occupied the central part. The peculiarities of this space, especially if compared to the spaces surrounding the production laboratory, indicate that it is a small sacred space, the oldest actually attested on this island, with an interesting cultural function precisely because it is located inside the laboratory complex. In this way, the activity that supported the community economically also involved its members ideologically and symbolically."

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Excavations at Erimi archaeological site, Cyprus. (University of Sienna)

Bronze Age Erimi

Bombardieri explains that the early settlement of Erimi is located in the hinterland of Limassol, extending over a high limestone terrace overlooking the Kouris River and a large portion of the coast of the Gulf of Kourion and the Akrotiri peninsula.

During the Middle Bronze Age (around 2000-1600 BC), a community of artisans chose to settle on the Erimi hill, creating a settlement with unique characteristics.  According to Arkeonews, the site provided ‘optimal conditions for their craft’, including ventilation, water sources and a variety of dye plants on hand.

The fieldwork and research activities have involved a diverse team of 30 specialists and students from Italy, Cyprus, and Greece. The core team from the University of Siena includes graduate and undergraduate students from the Department of Philology and Criticism of Ancient and Modern Literatures and the Department of Historical Sciences and Cultural Heritage. Specialists in Mediterranean Prehistory, conservation, geoarchaeology, and landscape studies have also played crucial roles in the project.

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Aerial view of the 4,000-year-old site in Cyprus. (Bombardieri/ CC BY-SA 4.0/University of Sienna)

Broader Implications and Future Research

This discovery offers a rare glimpse into the ideological and ritual practices of the ancient Cypriot community. The integration of the sacred space within the artisan complex suggests a close relationship between economic activities and spiritual life, highlighting the multifaceted nature of ancient societies.

Future research will continue to explore the connections between the economic, social, and religious aspects of this community, providing further insights into the development of urban society in the Mediterranean region. The Italian Erimi Archaeological Project's findings underscore the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration and the enduring quest to understand humanity's distant past.

The Italian research program has received support from numerous institutions, including the Cyprus Institute and INFN-Labec, and has been funded by the Mediterranean Archaeological Fund and the Institute of Aegean Prehistory. Additionally, the Farnesina and the Italian Embassy in Nicosia have provided constant support, enabling the research to flourish.

Top image: Reconstruction of how the Bronze Age temple might have looked. Source: University of Sienna

By Gary Manners