1981–1983

(6)

contained fragments of bowls and plates of Eastern Sigillata A and Cypriot Sigillata indicating a date as late as the 1st century A.D. for the construction of the walls. Excavation of these walls disclosed a series of small rooms randomly built. The type and quantity of cooking ware associated with these rooms suggests that they functioned as fast food stands, built outside the perimeter of the sacred area to provide sustenance for hungry pilgrims. This complex is dated to the late Hellenistic period.

Fig. 5

Finally, investigation of the northern boundary wall of the Archaic Precinct dated to the Roman period, revealed an earlier wall underneath, constructed of huge, well-dressed blocks of local limestone. The foundation trench of this early wall contained only 7th-6th century B.C. material. Furthermore, the early platform foundation tightly abuts the lower wall. We can conclude that the Roman boundary wall visible today followed the line of the Archaic precinct wall at least on the north side.

Fig. 6

Plans of the whole Sancutary had been prepared for Robert Scranton's 1967 architectural history of the site, and in 1979 our architect prepared an updated version to incorporate the joint Missouri-Walters discoveries. In 1982 we engaged a professional Cypriot architect to prepare a detailed, large scale plan of the Archaic Precinct itself, taking into account all of our discoveries within the Roman boundaries, together with the votive deposit area to the north, and in addition the area across the Roman street where McFadden had found many archaic objects and which (before the Roman street was driven through) must have formed part of the Archaic Precinct. Aerial photographs, courtesy of a Royal Air Force helicopter, supplemented the ground survey.