Agrokipia Kottafoi

Agrokipia Kottafoi: An Inland Glimpse into Early Cypriot Prehistory

The archaeological site of Agrokipia Kottafoi is identified as a lithic scatter site in central Cyprus, located in the vicinity of Ayia Varvara Asprokremnos, Politiko Keladhoni, Pera Chorio Moutti, Alambra Koundourka, Alambra Spileos, Alambra Foradomantres, Alambra Mouttes, Ayia Varvara Pervolia, and Ayia Varvara Poupes. While direct detailed archaeological information specific to Agrokipia Kottafoi is limited in current publications, its significance lies in its categorization as a site from the Cypro-PPNA period, a crucial phase in the early prehistory of Cyprus. Understanding Agrokipia Kottafoi requires placing it within the broader context of the earliest human occupation of the island, the transition from mobile foraging to early agriculture, and the research questions that define our comprehension of Cypriot prehistory.

The Chronological Framework: From Late Epipalaeolithic to Cypro-PPNA

Cypriot prehistory is conventionally divided into several periods, beginning with the Late Epipalaeolithic, followed by the Cypro-PPNA, Cypro-PPNB, Ceramic Neolithic (Sotira Culture), and subsequently the Chalcolithic and Bronze Ages. Agrokipia Kottafoi is attributed to the Cypro-PPNA phase.

The earliest documented human presence on Cyprus dates to the Late Epipalaeolithic, a period known as the Akrotiri Phase. The eponymous site, Akrotiri Aetokremnos, often referred to as "Vulture Cliff" or "Site E," is a collapsed rock shelter on the southern Akrotiri Peninsula. Initial investigations began in 1987, revealing the oldest evidence of human activity on the island, dating back to the 11th millennium BC. Radiocarbon dates place this short-term occupation around 9825 BC (calibrated calendar age), with a range of 9702–10,005 BC, based on 26 samples. This challenges earlier notions that Cyprus was not settled before the Aceramic Neolithic period.

Akrotiri Aetokremnos is particularly notable for the vast abundance of pygmy hippopotamus (Phanourios minutus) bones found in association with artifacts and features like hearths. This suggests human involvement in the extinction of endemic fauna, a controversial but significant hypothesis. The site also yielded chipped stone artifacts that show parallels with Late Epipalaeolithic or Natufian assemblages from the Levantine mainland. Other early coastal sites, like Ayia Napa Nissi Beach and Akamas Aspros, along with the inland site of Vretsia Roudias, also exhibit similar lithic assemblages, supporting the presence of mobile fisher-foragers from the mainland who visited or temporarily stayed on the island. These early occupations are interpreted as temporary or seasonal visits, with no evidence for permanent settlement on Cyprus before the Cypro-PPNA.

The period between the Akrotiri Phase and the Cypro-PPNB (approximately 2000 years) is known as the Cypro-PPNA. Research in this phase, notably by the Elaborating Early Neolithic Cyprus project (EENC), aims to explore the nature of this early occupation, hypothesised to be continuous since 10,000 BC, and the processes leading to the colonization of the island by early farming communities.

Agrokipia Kottafoi within the Cypro-PPNA Context

Agrokipia Kottafoi is one of several lithic scatter sites identified by surveys in central and southern Cyprus that appear to fall chronologically into the Cypro-PPNA phase, dating to the late 10th to mid-9th millennia Cal BC. These sites, unlike earlier coastal or rockshelter sites, represent early Neolithic activity in the Cypriot hinterland.

The primary characteristics inferred for Agrokipia Kottafoi, based on its classification within this group of sites, are:

Temporary Use and Specialized Activities: The analysis of cultural material from these lithic scatter sites indicates they were "temporarily used, possibly for specific activity tasks". This suggests a continued mobile or semi-sedentary lifestyle for the early inhabitants during the Cypro-PPNA, rather than fully sedentary village life typical of later Neolithic phases. Such tasks could include resource exploitation (e.g., chert quarrying and knapping, plant processing), hunting, or short-term encampments.
Location and Resource Access: These sites, including Agrokipia Kottafoi, are located inland, often near chert sources and water supplies. This indicates a shift in landscape exploitation patterns compared to the predominantly coastal sites of the Akrotiri Phase. Agrokipia Kottafoi is situated in the eastern foothills of the Troodos mountains in the Nicosia district, providing access to different environmental niches and resources than those found on the coast.
Lithic Assemblages: As "lithic scatter sites," their primary archaeological signature is the presence of chipped stone tools and debitage. The lithic assemblages from Cypro-PPNA sites like Ayia Varvara Asprokremnos show similarities to contemporary cultures on the adjacent mainland. There are observations hinting at cultural continuity in lithic industry from the Late Epipalaeolithic to Cypro-PPNB sites, though this is not necessarily a simple linear process.
Contribution to the Colonization Debate: Despite their ephemeral nature, sites like Agrokipia Kottafoi are considered important. Knapp suggests that these sites "may well represent the first solid evidence for a more permanent occupation sequence on Cyprus". This implies a gradual shift from short-term visits to more sustained presence, laying the groundwork for the later, more established farming communities of the Cypro-PPNB and Khirokitia Culture.

To understand the Cypro-PPNA and, by extension, Agrokipia Kottafoi, it is necessary to examine the more extensively investigated contemporary sites:

Ayia Varvara Asprokremnos (Asprokremnos): This site, also in the Nicosia district, was chosen for intensive investigation because it chronologically fills a gap between the Akrotiri Phase and the Cypro-PPNB, showing parallels with PPNA site assemblages on the mainland. Radiocarbon dates place its occupation between 8850/8750 and 8650/8550 Cal BC. Investigations at Asprokremnos have uncovered ephemeral structures, such as a semi-subterranean structure (F300) with three phases of activity, interpreted as a well-organised formal camp used for quarrying, knapping, core reduction, tool production, and plant processing. The site's location provides good access to chert sources and water supply, indicating short-lived, ephemeral activities. The faunal assemblage from Asprokremnos suggests pigs were predominant, and there is evidence for small pigs being hunted. Imported elements like carnelian beads and obsidian have been found at other Cypro-PPNA sites like Khirokitia and Ortos, suggesting external contacts.
Ayios Tychonas Klimonas: Located in the Limassol District, this Cypro-PPNA site provides important information about early occupation. Excavations have revealed settlement remains dating to the first half of the 9th millennium BC, including foundation trenches for curvilinear structures and a large semi-subterranean circular building (around 10m diameter) comparable to mainland structures possibly used for storage or communal activities. Evidence suggests a more or less permanent settlement with an economy based on agriculture, supplemented by hunting, and cereal processing (emmer-wheat, barley).
Parekklisha Shillourokambos: This site near Limassol has provided some of the earliest evidence for the Cypriot Aceramic Neolithic, with occupation beginning towards the end of the 9th millennium BCE and continuing throughout the 8th millennium, lasting over a thousand years. Shillourokambos shows features that become characteristic of the Khirokitia Culture, suggesting it marks the beginning of the Cypriot Aceramic Neolithic. It reveals crucial information about the transfer of subsistence economy from the mainland and the development of cultural traits associated with colonization.
Kalavasos Tenta: While better known for its later Early Aceramic Neolithic remains, Period 5 at Kalavasos Tenta (mid-9th millennium BC) is approximately contemporary with Kissonerga Mylouthkia Period 1A and Shillourokambos Early A. Located in the Vasilikos River Valley, the site on a hillock provides a commanding view and strategic position near the coast. The earliest evidence includes postholes indicative of ephemeral structures or an enclosure, suggesting a potentially sizeable, though lightly built, settlement.
Kissonerga Mylouthkia: Part of the Lemba cluster in the Paphos District, this site includes Cypro-PPNB features (Period 1A), dated to c. 8600–8200 Cal BC. These features primarily consist of wells, indicating advanced water engineering technology. The well content points to a sedentary or semi-sedentary community with a mixed agricultural economy, supplemented by fishing, and evidence of stone bowl production and foreign contacts (Anatolian obsidian).

The Shift to Sedentism and Agriculture

The Cypro-PPNA period marks a pivotal transition in Cypriot prehistory. While the earlier Akrotiri Phase represents mobile hunter-gatherers, the Cypro-PPNA sites, including Agrokipia Kottafoi, offer clues about the early stages of a more settled lifestyle. The presence of features at sites like Ayios Tychonas Klimonas suggesting agriculture and more substantial structures points towards the emergence of early farming communities. The introduction of non-endemic fauna like fallow deer, caprines, pig, and cattle, brought by colonists from the mainland, further supports the development of a mixed economy based on hunting, animal husbandry, agriculture, and gathering.

This period represents a critical phase in the "Neolithization" of the island, where the "Neolithic Package" (domesticated ovicaprines, cereal grasses, and wild species of economic importance) was presumably introduced. The development of these early farming communities led to the establishment of the Aceramic Neolithic (Khirokitia Culture), characterized by widespread, largely egalitarian agricultural societies, with larger buildings and collaborative structures seen at sites like Khirokitia and Kalavasos Tenta.

Methodology for Identifying and Interpreting Early Sites

The identification of sites like Agrokipia Kottafoi relies heavily on surface surveys, which are crucial for documenting the numerous prehistoric sites across Cyprus. In the Paphos District alone, over 150 sites dating from the Late Neolithic to the Chalcolithic have been identified, mostly through surface surveys. Similar extensive survey work, such as the Vasilikos Valley Project, has identified 135 sites ranging from Cypro-PPNB to the Roman period. This highlights that while many sites are known, only a comparably small number have undergone intensive investigation, meaning our understanding grows with each new excavation.