ExcavationDepartment of Antiquities
Amathus: Department clearance of the small basilica, 1965–1966
1965–1966 · Amathus
The Department of Antiquities' clearance of the small basilica at Amathus in November 1965 and summer 1966 under A. Papageorghiou, which exposed a three-aisled church that the report dates to the late fifth century, and a later chapel.
The project
The small basilica at Amathus had been discovered five years earlier during works to align the Nicosia–Limassol road, and the Department of Antiquities cleared its east end in November 1965 under Athanasios Papageorghiou1. The report describes a medium-sized three-aisled church, its aisles divided by two colonnades and ending in three projecting eastern apses, with a small adjacent chapel; it dates the church to the late fifth century and says it seems to have been destroyed during the Arab incursions1. Wall-mosaic fragments were recovered1. Systematic clearance in the summer of 1966 exposed all three aisles, the narthex of the basilica and that of the chapel, and found several early Christian burials, together with sculpted stucco and more wall-mosaic fragments2. After the destruction a wall on the north stylobate separated the north side as a chapel, reportedly used by local Christians until the tenth century2.
Directors and team
Directed by
- Athanasios Papageorghiou1965–1966
Institutions
Seasons
2 seasons- 1965November 1965
Clearance of the east end of a medium-sized three-aisled basilica (discovered five years earlier during road works) with three apses, and a small contemporary chapel; wall mosaics; dated late 5th century and destroyed in the Arab invasions.
Directed by A. Papageorghiou[2]
- 1966summer 1966
Systematic clearance of the small basilica resumed in summer: all three aisles, narthex and the chapel narthex exposed; several early Christian burials; the north side kept as a chapel into the 10th century; stucco and wall mosaic fragments.
Directed by A. Papageorghiou[3]
What was found
Periods
- Late Antique
- Medieval
Features and finds
basilica; chapel; exonarthex.
Publications
2 itemsChronique des fouilles (Bulletin de correspondance hellénique)
Related
Other fieldwork at Amathus · 14
- Amathus: Cesnola's tomb clearance1874–1876
- Amathus: Ohnefalsch-Richter's excavation of four tombs1885
- Amathus: the British Museum (Turner Bequest) excavation1893–1894
- Amathus: the Swedish Cyprus Expedition necropolis survey1930
- Amathus: Department of Antiquities necropolis and town rescue, 1959–19791959–1979
- Amathus: Department excavations on the acropolis slope and the Early Christian basilica, 1960–19611960–1961
- Amathus: Department excavations of the lower city, agora and east necropolis (Loulloupis)1972–1987
- Amathus: the French School at Athens mission1975–today
- Amathus: Department necropolis rescue and east necropolis excavation, 1980–1986 (Ino Nicolaou)1980–1986
- Amathus: Department secondary excavations in the west necropolis and at Ayios Tychonas, 1980–19811980–1981
- Amathus: survey of the territory of the kingdom, 1988–19911988–1991
- Amathus: Department excavation of the lower town (Palea Lemesos), 1991–20061991–2006
References
- 1.V. Karageorghis, 1966, Chronique des fouilles et découvertes archéologiques à Chypre en 1965, Bulletin de correspondance hellénique 90.
- 2.V. Karageorghis, 1967, Chronique des fouilles et découvertes archéologiques à Chypre en 1966, Bulletin de correspondance hellénique 91.