Expedition
Athienou Archaeological Project
Athienou, Cyprus · founded 1990
Expedition in Athienou, founded 1990; part of Davidson College. 42 people in the register connected with it.
History
- 1862Context only: the French mission of de Vogue (with the architect Duthoit digging in de Vogue's absence) excavated sanctuary deposits at Ayios Photios near Golgoi, Arsos and Malloura. The Malloura sanctuary the AAP later relocated was first identified here; some 70 sculptures in the Louvre have been identified as coming from Malloura
Athienou-MallouraEdmond DuthoitMelchior de VogüéToumazou et al. 2011
- 1920–1939Context only: systematic looting around Athienou, reported as particularly rampant in the 1920s and 1930s when villagers were short of money; the only sanctioned digs in the area were Department of Antiquities salvage operations (attributed in the source to a personal communication from Toumazou)
AthienouToumazou et al. 2011
- 1969–1972Context only: before the AAP, Bakalakis (Thessaloniki) excavated the Golgoi acropolis settlement 1969-1972 and a Hebrew University team (Dothan, Ben-Tor) dug Athienou-Bamboulari tis Koukounninas in 1971-1972; work halted at the 1974 invasion
AthienouGeorghios BakalakisTrude DothanAmnon Ben-TorToumazou et al. 2011
- 1989Michael Toumazou travels to Cyprus to find a site; on a visit to Athienou (his mother's home town) Giorgos Koursaris shows him the Malloura area, where farmers had found antiquities and where there were looted tombs. Mayor Kostas Sakkalos promises municipal help and Nikos Mouyiaris, an Athienou native living in New York, funds the initial seasons; the arrangement rested on verbal promises, not a written agreement
Athienou-MallouraMichael K. ToumazouGiorgos KoursarisKostas SakkalosNikos MouyiarisToumazou et al. 2011
- 1990First field season at Malloura, the first systematic archaeology in the Athienou area since 1974 (per the project's own account of the earlier digs halting then). A large building (EU 2) was found in the inaugural season and excavated through 1993; Joseph Parvis, Derek Counts and others were on the 1990 crew
Athienou-MallouraMichael K. ToumazouP. Nick KarduliasDerek B. CountsJoseph A. ParvisToumazou et al. 2011Archaeology in Cyprus 1995… 1995, p. 26
- 1990–1995Malloura Valley survey over about 20 sq km identifies some 30 sites, from Aceramic Neolithic lithic workshops to Classical, Hellenistic, Roman and later settlements, with excavation of the Magara Tepesi rock-cut tombs (eight tombs by the late 1990s; remains of over 100 individuals from Tomb 27)
Malloura ValleyRichard W. YerkesP. Nick KarduliasSteel 1997-1998, p. 6Archaeology in Cyprus 1995… 1995, p. 27Toumazou et al. 2011
- 1991AAP relocates the rural sanctuary at the west edge of Malloura first investigated in 1862; survey begins; the Dumbarton Oaks Foundation supports the 1991 season; a seven-week undergraduate field school runs from this year (bank-funded weekend excursions from 1991)
Athienou-MallouraMichael K. ToumazouRichard W. YerkesP. Nick KarduliasToumazou et al. 2011Toumazou et al. 2015
- 1995National Science Foundation Research Experiences for Undergraduates funding begins; in total it supported nine field seasons (1995, 1997, 1998, 1999-2002, 2004-2007). From 1995 to 2008 the Kostas Lambaskis family lend their house ('the Palace') rent-free as project headquarters
- 1998Toumazou, Yerkes and Kardulias, 'Athienou Archaeological Project: Investigations in the Malloura Valley, Cyprus, 1990-1995', Journal of Field Archaeology 25(2)
Michael K. ToumazouRichard W. YerkesP. Nick KarduliasToumazou et al. 2011
- 2006The Kallinikeion Megaron, a new municipal building, is completed; it houses the Athienou Municipal Museum, shows AAP artifacts and images, and has a permanent archaeological laboratory with storage designed with the AAP's needs in mind
AthienouToumazou et al. 2011
- 2008The road from Athienou to Malloura is paved and brown heritage signs installed, a visible return for the municipality's support of the project
Athienou-MallouraToumazou et al. 2011, p. 364
- 2011Crossroads and Boundaries: The Archaeology of Past and Present in the Malloura Valley, Cyprus (AASOR 65, dated 2010), edited by Toumazou, Kardulias and Counts: the synthesis of the first 20 seasons (about 27 chapters, with sections on sanctuary sculpture, terracottas, ceramics, bioarchaeology and community relations)
BostonMichael K. ToumazouP. Nick KarduliasDerek B. CountsToumazou et al. 2011
- 2011–2013Excavation in the Geometric-to-Roman rural sanctuary and limited resurvey (2013); the project adopts a mobile-computing platform for born-digital field recording. Reported in Toumazou, Counts, Averett, Gordon and Kardulias, Journal of Field Archaeology 40(2), 2015
Athienou-MallouraMichael K. ToumazouDerek B. CountsErin Walcek AverettJody GordonP. Nick KarduliasToumazou et al. 2015
People
42 peopleStaff and members · 34
- Kostas Sakkalosofficial (from 1989)Toumazou et al. 20111989–1990
- Alec Macalistermember of the 1990 field crew1990
- Demos Christouofficial · licensed byToumazou et al. 20111990–1997
- Derek B. Countsfield-director (from 1990) · member of the 1990 field crew; Associate Director (by 2011) · worked withToumazou et al. 2011, p. xviToumazou et al. 20111990
- Erin Casey1990 field crew member1990
- Joseph A. Parvisstaff (1990–1999) · volunteer, Area Supervisor, Assistant Field Director; lecturer in medieval and modern history for the AAP Field School 1998-1999Toumazou et al. 20111990
- Michael K. Toumazoudirector (from 1990) · DirectorToumazou et al. 20111990
- P. Nick Karduliasfield-director (from 1990) · Associate DirectorToumazou et al. 20111990
- Vassos Karageorghisofficial (from 1990) · licensed byToumazou et al. 20111990
- Walter Payne1990 field crew1990
- Richard W. Yerkesfield-director (1991–1997) · Associate Director 1991-1997; environmental and lithic specialist, survey co-supervisorToumazou et al. 20111991
- Kostas Lambaskisother (1995–2008) · provided his family's house as project headquarters, free of chargeToumazou et al. 20111995–2008
- Clay M. Coferstudent (from 1997) · Field School student and NSF-REU recipient 1997, later trench supervisor; Assistant Director (as of 2011)Toumazou et al. 20111997
- Erin Walcek Averettstaff (from 1997) · Assistant Director; joined 1997 as an NSF-REU recipientToumazou et al. 20111997
- Sophocles Hadjisavvasofficial · licensed byToumazou et al. 20111997–2004
- Nicholas G. Blackwellmember since 2000 · worked with2000–2011
- Tiffiny A. Tungbioarchaeological analyst of the Magara Tepesi tomb skeletal remains (dental traits)2000
- David P. Masseystudent (2002–2011)Toumazou et al. 20112002–2011
- James A. Johnsonmember2004
- Jody Gordonspecialist (from 2008) · contributor (Hellenistic/Roman lamps, historical background); no role title statedToumazou et al. 2011Toumazou et al. 20152008–2011
- Elisabetta Covaspecialist (2010–2011) · epigraphic study of the Malloura inscriptions · worked withToumazou et al. 2011, p. 1792010–2011
- Timothy E. Gregoryco-author of the survey pottery chapter2011
- Alicia Marie Dissingerparticipant (thanked for introducing her to Cypriot art, archaeology and history)
- Andreas GeorgiadesspecialistToumazou et al. 2011
10 more
- Andreas SavvastaffToumazou et al. 2011
- Apostolos SarrisspecialistToumazou et al. 2011
- Athanasios Papageorghiouofficial · licensed byToumazou et al. 2011
- Diane Stirlingstaff (from 1990)Toumazou et al. 2011
- Giorgos Koursarisother (1989–1989)Toumazou et al. 2011
- Maria Hadjicostiofficial · licensed byToumazou et al. 2011
- Michael Loulloupisofficial · licensed byToumazou et al. 2011
- Pavlos Flourentzosofficial · licensed byToumazou et al. 2011
- R. Scott Mooresurvey pottery analyst (with T. E. Gregory)
- Sabine FourrierspecialistToumazou et al. 2011
Fieldwork · 1
- Matthew Spigelmanfield-director (2002–2011)Toumazou et al. 20112002–2011
Donors and lenders · 3
- Nikos Mouyiarisdonor (from 1990) · private funder of the initial seasons · funded itToumazou et al. 20111990
- Duffy Coferdonor · private donor · funded itToumazou et al. 2011
- Lalita Coferdonor · private donor · funded itToumazou et al. 2011
Others connected · 4
Objects
Terracotta chariot model with charioteer and two warriors, Cypro-Archaic
AAP-AM 1218+1459+2007from Athienou-MallouraToumazou et al. 2011, Fig. 10.3
Terracotta figurine of a man in a bull mask and cape, Cypro-Archaic
AAP-AM 1170from Athienou-MallouraToumazou et al. 2011, Fig. 10.14
Mold-made terracotta 'Astarte' figurine, late Cypro-Archaic to early Cypro-Classical
AAP-AM 1366+1595from Athienou-MallouraToumazou et al. 2011, Fig. 10.13
Handmade terracotta charioteer, Cypro-Archaic (held in Larnaka District Museum)
AAP-AM 653from Athienou-MallouraToumazou et al. 2011, Fig. 10.6
Handmade terracotta warrior with shield, Cypro-Archaic (Larnaka District Museum)
AAP-AM 2675from Athienou-MallouraToumazou et al. 2011, Fig. 10.10
Fragmentary limestone statuette of a Category 5 'Cypriot Pan' (Larnaka District Museum)
AAP-AM 1076from Athienou-MallouraToumazou et al. 2011, Fig. 12.6
Limestone male figure holding a bird by its wings, Cypro-Archaic c. 540-450 BC (Larnaca Museum)
AAP-AM-0099from Athienou-Malloura, sanctuary, EU 10, SU 1032Dissinger 2017
On Ancient Cyprus
2 pages- AthienouSite
- Population and Demography in Ancient CyprusCompendium
Sources
- 1.M. K. Toumazou (ed.), P. N. Kardulias (ed.), D. B. Counts (ed.) (2011). Crossroads and Boundaries: The Archaeology of Past and Present in the Malloura Valley, Cyprus.
- 2.M. K. Toumazou, D. B. Counts, E. W. Averett, J. M. Gordon et al. (2015). “Shedding light on the Cypriot rural landscape: Investigations of the Athienou Archaeological Project in the Malloura Valley, Cyprus, 2011-2013”. Journal of Field Archaeology 40, 204-220. Online
- 3. (1995). “Archaeology in Cyprus 1995 (annual survey of work in Cyprus, Athienou-Malloura entry)”.
- 4.Louise Steel (1997-1998). “Archaeology in Cyprus 1987-1997”. Archaeological Reports 44, 137-149.
- 5.Alicia Marie Dissinger (2017). “Cypro-Archaic Bird Iconography: Types, Uses, and Meanings”. University of Virginia.