1981–1983

Project Summary

Excavation at the Sanctuary of Apollo Hylates, Kourion, Cyprus, has focussed for the last four years on the earliest part of the Sanctuary, the Archaic Precinct. During this period we have sought to clarify three points about the Sanctuary: (1) the earliest use of the Sanctuary in the Archaic Period; (2) the physical extent and layout of the sacred precinct in the period before Hellenistic and Roman development of the site; (3) the nature of the ritual that took place. Our discoveries provide new support for the continuity of Mycenaenan religious customs into the Archaic Period in Cyprus.

Funding is now sought to complete study of the results and finds of our project, as well as the discoveries made within the Precinct by our predecessor at the site, George McFadden of the University of Pennsylvania Museum, from 1935-1953. In 1953 McFadden drowned in a sailing accident before having published the results of his work. His field notes have been made available to us, and his finds are stored in the museum at Episkopi. We intend to publish all aspects of McFadden's work relevant to the Archaic Precinct, along with our own conclusions.

A study season was held in 1983 during which eight scholars and specialists studied the material remains in preparation for publication. Conservation, photography and drafting also took place, but were not completed in the 8-week season. Study of the terracotta finds also remained incomplete due to the quantity of objects and the determination of the speicalist to do them full justice.

The second study season proposed for 1984 will take place in July and August 1984 at Episkopi, 3 miles from the Sanctuary where the finds are stored. During the 5-week season we plan to complete conservation, photography and drafting of objects, as well as study of the terracottas. The final monograph has been accepted for publication in Studies in Mediterranean Archaeology.

For NEH Use Only