Sotira, P. Dikaios, 1951Porphyrios Dikaios

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possible to say at this stage but the surface indications tend to show that it goes down to the base of the hill.

The meaning of this wall is difficult to grasp simply because the means and time at our disposal were not sufficient to enable thorough investigation. At this stage we can only offer guesses and two appear to be plausible: i. that at some time the inhabitants of the Sotira settlement decided to widen the plateau and make it more suitable for habitation by throwing down the slope earth and debris and then building a retaining wall. ii. that the wall is defensive. This alternative however is less probable in view of the fact that the wall covers only the northern parts of the slope, the southern slopes which were in fact the inhabited ones having no such wall. Only further investigation can throw light on this problem. It can however be said from now that this wall represents a unique feature showing tremendous activity at this early cultural stage. In fact it reminds walls built round tells in much bigger countries than Cyprus, e.g. in Palestine or other parts of the Eastern Mediterranean.

Conclusion: This preliminary investigation of the Sotira settlement has shown important results which can be summarized as follows. First of all it now appears that following the introduction of the potter's art into the Island the indigenous culture went on its course although profound changes took place. The stone vases which form the chief feature during most of the Khirokitia period are now abandoned and the red lustrous and combed pottery become general.

Sotira is the first settlement representing the second cultural stage of the fourth millenium and its investigation is bound to bring to light the general characteristics of this stage (1) It appears from the preliminary examination that a large part of the site is intact and that complete stratigraphical evidence is to be expected. Intact tholoi with untouched floors were revealed and objects such as vases, flint and stone implements as well as burials are still in situ. Moreover the "town-planning" of the site with streets main and secondary will be studied. But the most important and puzzling feature is the massive wall covering the northern slopes of the hill. It would be interesting to lay bare the whole of this impressive structure and understand its meaning. When a part of the settlement with its tholoi, streets and paths are laid bare and the whole of the wall thoroughly cleaned and investigated, Sotira will be one of the most impressive prehistoric sites in Cyprus and probably in the Middle East.

During the same campaign a cemetery of the Copper Age was discovered on the slopes adjoining the Sotira hill on the east. Owing to lack of time only one tomb was cleared. It contained Red Polished pottery of early types and dated approximately to the middle of the third millenium B.C. This discovery shows that Sotira continued to be inhabited in the third millenium B.C. and gives hopes that settlements of the Erimi period may also be brought to light in the same neighbourhood.

Curator, Cyprus Museum.

(1) Kalavassos also yields combed ware but the type of habitation is different. (see supra).