515:
439:
419:. The most important period is dated to 650-500 B.C. since most of the finds discovered were from that time. They found 2000 figures half a meter under the sandy soil. The figures were lying and standing, grouped in the form of a semicircle, reminiscent of a theatre. The figures depicted priests, warriors, and ordinary people. Some bring offerings, dance or play musical instruments. Chariots with horses and bulls were found as well. The statues are of different sizes, the biggest one is life-sized. One of them is called the sacrificial priest and he wears a long robe and a turban. According to the excavators, he probably held a sacrificial knife in his raised left hand.
545:
268:
473:
384:
423:
150:
553:
B.C. the flood was so severe that the sanctuary was abandoned. During the 1st century B.C., a revival of the cult took place, but this was a much smaller and poorer cult that did not leave many remains behind. Much later, a small church for Ayia Irini (Holy Peace) was built on the same site. Later, in modern times, the sanctuary was forgotten and became a field until the day when Papa
Prokopios realized that he had grown his corn on top of ancient terracotta sculptures.
781:
1036:
22:
228:
157:
559:
On the other side of the valley, there is a necropolis with rock-cut tombs. The earliest tombs here are from the Cypro-Geometric period and the latest are from Roman times. Further down, close to the sea, the ruins of a small ancient town are situated. The earliest of the datable finds observed here
497:
in this
Geometric period. This sanctuary continued until the middle of Cypro-Geometric III when it changed again. The temenos area remained as before but the peribolos walls were heightened and a new, rectangular pillar was erected as the new altar. The old terracotta votives were moved to a deposit
480:
The old sanctuary was covered by red earth and a new one was erected on the top. This sanctuary was different from the first. Instead of a closed and roofed cult house with other buildings together creating a rectangular complex, the new sanctuary was an open temenos of irregular shape surrounded by
464:
as well. The excavators did not find the official cult object but pointed out that the deity could have been worshipped in the shape of a bull, which is representative of the cult’s character of fertility since bulls are connected with fertility. The cult object could have been destroyed or removed.
552:
At the beginning of Cypro-Archaic II the sanctuary was flooded and covered with a layer of sand and gravel, which made some smaller changes to the sanctuary although the cult recovered. Later, the sanctuary was flooded again, and again. At the beginning of the final phase of Cypro-Archaic, 510-500
522:
During the middle of the Cypro-archaic I period, a new temenos was again placed on top of the old one. The cult continued as before which the continuity of the votives, which were moved to the new sanctuary, displayed. This period is the great period of the Agia Eirini sanctuary. The same altar as
446:
In the beginning, the sanctuary consisted of a complex of rectangular houses with walls built of mud brick on solid stone foundations of rubble. The houses are isolated along the sides of a large open court. It seems like the western and northern houses were used by the priests as living rooms as
540:
indicate that music was an important feature of the cult. The votives consist mostly of terracotta statues of different sizes which were arranged around the altar in semicircles. The smallest ones were placed nearest the altar and the larger statutes in the back.
410:
statue from the beginning of the sixth century B.C. with him. Thereafter, the
Swedish Cyprus Expedition obtained the excavation rights and commenced an excavation on Prokopius field. The site turned out to be an undisturbed sanctuary that was used since the
447:
well as storerooms. The central and southern houses were probably used for cult purposes with the central house being the central cult house. It consists of two rooms and all the cult objects were found here, for example offering tables, large
502:
statuettes and human figures appeared as well. Therefore some of the old types remained in combination with new modified types. Some of the bulls and minotaurs have snakes along their neck and back. The snake can be seen as a
493:, carbonized matter as well as animal bones. Therefore, the excavators concluded that the cult remained a fertility cult with a deity conceived in the shape of a bull. Furthermore, it seems like the cult began with
459:
one that worshipped deities who protected the crops and cattle and filled the store-rooms with corn, wine, olives, honey, and vegetables. Products of these kinds were probably offered to the deities among the other
531:
enclosures. Because the excavators found figures with bull’s masks these were interpreted as priests, which may be a clue to how at least some of the cult’s rituals were performed. Further, many figurines with
401:
During the summer of 1929, the
Swedish Cyprus Expedition was visited by the priest Papa Propkopios. Prokopios had caught a looter on his field at the village of Agia Eirini. He decided to visit the museum in
489:
was built in the temenos close to a libation table. The majority of the votive offerings from this period were terracotta bulls which were placed around the altar. The altar was covered with layers of
511:
around this period. The human figures can be interpreted as the worshippers themselves. The armed figures and chariot statuettes might imply that the god was a god of war as well as fertility.
581:
523:
before was used but the temenos were widened. A new peribolos was built around this bigger sanctuary. Two buildings were erected in the south and seem to have been used as enclosures for
514:
181:
1101:
737:
548:
Photograph from one of the Cyprus
Exhibitions at Medelhavsmuseet with the terracotta sculptures and the betyl (stone) from Agia Eirini.
1077:
86:
1096:
58:
590:
442:
Terracotta centaur figurine with male genital organs and female breasts. Agia Eirini. Can be seen at
Medelhavsmuseet, Stockholm.
65:
39:
438:
72:
498:
close to the new altar. During this period the motives of the votives changed as well. Animal statuettes remained, but
684:
105:
54:
671:
The
Swedish Cyprus Expedition Publications Finds and Results of the Excavations in Cyprus 1927-1931, Vol. II. Text
1106:
673:. Stockholm: Victor Pettersons Bokindustriaktiebolag. pp. 2–4, 138–141, 625, 179–180, 626–628, 643, 820–24.
730:
149:
43:
631:"The Swedish Cyprus Expedition, The Cyprus collections in Stockholm and the Swedish Excavations after the SCE"
1070:
455:
vases, a cult axe of stone, and a terracotta bull. The excavators had the impression that the cult was an
323:
281:
723:
391:
79:
1063:
800:
469:, could have been the cult object in the earlier cult as well and then moved to the new sanctuary.
815:
32:
615:
Swedish Cyprus
Expedition: Finds And Results Of The Excavations In Cyprus 1927-1931 Vol.2 (text)
630:
595:
504:
1051:
707:
544:
935:
840:
302:
312:
8:
528:
241:
678:
613:
830:
472:
746:
642:
508:
456:
364:
348:
246:
136:
1000:
965:
805:
577:
465:
In the later temenos the cult object was an oval stone and this sacred stone, or
461:
427:
372:
273:
910:
383:
1047:
810:
422:
416:
395:
340:
286:
132:
1090:
930:
885:
855:
196:
183:
646:
955:
925:
970:
960:
895:
524:
356:
920:
915:
533:
412:
407:
985:
890:
880:
870:
835:
494:
482:
431:
293:
780:
21:
1010:
1005:
995:
900:
865:
845:
825:
770:
715:
706:,"The open air sanctuary at Ayia Irini", Stockholm, 2009. Carlotta,
499:
466:
452:
257:
704:
Cypern genom tiderna, The
Leventis Gallery of Cypriote Antiquities
1035:
990:
980:
945:
905:
875:
850:
765:
760:
415:, (Late Cypriote III), 1200 B.C, and lasted until the end of the
403:
360:
217:
1043:
975:
950:
940:
820:
599:
585:
448:
319:
298:
233:
1015:
860:
537:
486:
708:
https://collections.smvk.se/carlotta-mhm/web/object/3953672
387:
The excavation at Agia Eirini. Papa
Prokopios and workers.
490:
426:
Three terracotta bulls from Agia Eirini. Can be seen at
518:
From the excavations of the Swedish Cyprus Expedition.
46:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
476:Terracotta figurine with a bull mask. Agia Eirini.
1088:
398:, excavated Agia Eirini during november 1929.
1071:
731:
378:
507:. Further, the deity worshipped became more
1078:
1064:
738:
724:
628:
106:Learn how and when to remove this message
668:
611:
543:
513:
471:
437:
421:
382:
1089:
719:
698:
696:
694:
635:Cahiers du Centre d'Études Chypriotes
612:Gjerstad, Einar And Westholm (1935).
1030:
745:
664:
662:
660:
658:
656:
359:, approximately 10 km north of
44:adding citations to reliable sources
15:
578:Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus
156:
13:
1102:Populated places in Girne District
691:
14:
1118:
702:Medelhavsmuseet, The Exhibition:
653:
560:are from the Hellenistic period.
118:Place in Kyrenia District, Cyprus
1034:
779:
406:and brought the upper part of a
363:. The village is located within
266:
226:
155:
148:
20:
1097:Communities in Kyrenia District
31:needs additional citations for
622:
605:
570:
1:
683:: CS1 maint: date and year (
563:
392:The Swedish Cyprus Expedition
1050:. You can help Knowledge by
629:Göransson, Kristian (2012).
7:
10:
1123:
1029:
379:Archaeological Excavations
355:) is a village located on
788:
777:
753:
485:wall of red earth. A low
344:
309:
292:
279:
252:
239:
212:
177:
143:
130:
123:
669:Gjerstad, Einar (1935).
647:10.3406/cchyp.2012.1033
598:by any UN state except
1107:Cyprus geography stubs
1046:location article is a
549:
519:
477:
443:
435:
388:
352:
55:"Agia Eirini, Kyrenia"
936:Larnakas tis Lapithou
584:from the Republic of
582:declared independence
547:
517:
475:
441:
425:
386:
311: • Summer (
197:35.28694°N 32.96833°E
417:Cypro-Archaic period
40:improve this article
193: /
550:
520:
478:
444:
436:
389:
367:. It is under the
202:35.28694; 32.96833
169:Location in Cyprus
1059:
1058:
1024:
1023:
527:, similar to the
330:
329:
116:
115:
108:
90:
1114:
1080:
1073:
1066:
1038:
1031:
783:
747:Kyrenia District
740:
733:
726:
717:
716:
710:
700:
689:
688:
682:
674:
666:
651:
650:
626:
620:
619:
609:
603:
574:
505:fertility symbol
495:blood sacrifices
365:Kyrenia District
346:
316:
272:
270:
269:
262:
247:Kyrenia District
232:
230:
229:
222:
208:
207:
205:
204:
203:
198:
194:
191:
190:
189:
186:
159:
158:
152:
121:
120:
111:
104:
100:
97:
91:
89:
48:
24:
16:
1122:
1121:
1117:
1116:
1115:
1113:
1112:
1111:
1087:
1086:
1085:
1084:
1027:
1025:
1020:
806:Agios Epiktitos
801:Agios Amvrosios
784:
775:
749:
744:
714:
713:
701:
692:
676:
675:
667:
654:
627:
623:
610:
606:
575:
571:
566:
556:
509:anthropomorphic
428:Medelhavsmuseet
413:Late Bronze Age
381:
373:Northern Cyprus
310:
274:Northern Cyprus
267:
265:
254:
227:
225:
214:
201:
199:
195:
192:
187:
184:
182:
180:
179:
173:
172:
171:
170:
167:
166:
165:
164:
160:
126:
119:
112:
101:
95:
92:
49:
47:
37:
25:
12:
11:
5:
1120:
1110:
1109:
1104:
1099:
1083:
1082:
1075:
1068:
1060:
1057:
1056:
1039:
1022:
1021:
1019:
1018:
1013:
1008:
1003:
998:
993:
988:
983:
978:
973:
968:
963:
958:
953:
948:
943:
938:
933:
928:
923:
918:
913:
908:
903:
898:
893:
888:
883:
878:
873:
868:
863:
858:
853:
848:
843:
838:
833:
828:
823:
818:
816:Agios Georgios
813:
811:Agios Ermolaos
808:
803:
798:
792:
790:
786:
785:
778:
776:
774:
773:
768:
763:
757:
755:
754:Municipalities
751:
750:
743:
742:
735:
728:
720:
712:
711:
690:
652:
641:(1): 399–421.
621:
604:
568:
567:
565:
562:
462:votive objects
396:Einar Gjerstad
380:
377:
328:
327:
317:
307:
306:
296:
290:
289:
287:Girne District
284:
277:
276:
263:
250:
249:
244:
237:
236:
223:
210:
209:
175:
174:
168:
162:
161:
154:
153:
147:
146:
145:
144:
141:
140:
128:
127:
124:
117:
114:
113:
28:
26:
19:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1119:
1108:
1105:
1103:
1100:
1098:
1095:
1094:
1092:
1081:
1076:
1074:
1069:
1067:
1062:
1061:
1055:
1053:
1049:
1045:
1040:
1037:
1033:
1032:
1028:
1017:
1014:
1012:
1009:
1007:
1004:
1002:
999:
997:
994:
992:
989:
987:
984:
982:
979:
977:
974:
972:
969:
967:
964:
962:
959:
957:
954:
952:
949:
947:
944:
942:
939:
937:
934:
932:
929:
927:
924:
922:
919:
917:
914:
912:
909:
907:
904:
902:
899:
897:
894:
892:
889:
887:
884:
882:
879:
877:
874:
872:
869:
867:
864:
862:
859:
857:
854:
852:
849:
847:
844:
842:
839:
837:
834:
832:
829:
827:
824:
822:
819:
817:
814:
812:
809:
807:
804:
802:
799:
797:
794:
793:
791:
787:
782:
772:
769:
767:
764:
762:
759:
758:
756:
752:
748:
741:
736:
734:
729:
727:
722:
721:
718:
709:
705:
699:
697:
695:
686:
680:
672:
665:
663:
661:
659:
657:
648:
644:
640:
636:
632:
625:
617:
616:
608:
601:
597:
594:state is not
593:
592:
587:
583:
580:unilaterally
579:
576:In 1983, the
573:
569:
561:
557:
554:
546:
542:
539:
535:
530:
526:
516:
512:
510:
506:
501:
496:
492:
488:
484:
474:
470:
468:
463:
458:
454:
450:
440:
433:
429:
424:
420:
418:
414:
409:
405:
399:
397:
393:
385:
376:
374:
370:
366:
362:
358:
354:
350:
342:
338:
334:
325:
321:
318:
314:
308:
304:
300:
297:
295:
291:
288:
285:
283:
280: •
278:
275:
264:
260:
259:
251:
248:
245:
243:
240: •
238:
235:
224:
220:
219:
211:
206:
178:Coordinates:
176:
151:
142:
138:
134:
131:Αγία Ειρήνη (
129:
122:
110:
107:
99:
88:
85:
81:
78:
74:
71:
67:
64:
60:
57: –
56:
52:
51:Find sources:
45:
41:
35:
34:
29:This article
27:
23:
18:
17:
1052:expanding it
1041:
1026:
926:Koutsovendis
795:
703:
670:
638:
634:
624:
614:
607:
589:
572:
558:
555:
551:
525:sacred trees
521:
479:
445:
400:
390:
368:
336:
332:
331:
256:
216:
102:
93:
83:
76:
69:
62:
50:
38:Please help
33:verification
30:
971:Pano Dikomo
961:Palaiosofos
896:Kato Dikomo
796:Agia Eirini
789:Communities
534:tambourines
371:control of
357:Morphou Bay
345:Αγία Ειρήνη
333:Agia Eirini
200: /
163:Agia Eirini
135:) Akdeniz (
125:Agia Eirini
1091:Categories
921:Kormakitis
916:Kontemenos
596:recognised
564:References
408:terracotta
337:Agia Irini
185:35°17′13″N
66:newspapers
986:Sysklipos
891:Karpaseia
881:Karakoumi
871:Kalograia
836:Bellapais
679:cite book
483:peribolos
451:, bowls,
432:Stockholm
394:, led by
294:Time zone
188:32°58′6″E
96:July 2019
1011:Vasileia
1006:Trimithi
996:Thermeia
901:Kazafani
866:Ftericha
846:Charkeia
841:Boğazköy
831:Asomatos
826:Agridaki
771:Lapithos
591:de facto
500:minotaur
457:agrarian
453:libation
369:de facto
282:District
258:de facto
253:Country
242:District
213:Country
1001:Trapeza
991:Templos
981:Sychari
966:Panagra
946:Motides
911:Kömürcü
906:Klepini
876:Kampyli
851:Diorios
766:Kyrenia
761:Karavas
404:Nicosia
361:Morphou
353:Akdeniz
349:Turkish
218:de jure
137:Turkish
80:scholar
1044:Cyprus
976:Pileri
951:Myrtou
941:Livera
821:Agirda
600:Turkey
588:. The
586:Cyprus
538:flutes
529:Minoan
449:pithoi
271:
234:Cyprus
231:
82:
75:
68:
61:
53:
1042:This
1016:Vouno
931:Krini
886:Karmi
861:Fotta
487:altar
467:betyl
341:Greek
320:UTC+3
299:UTC+2
133:Greek
87:JSTOR
73:books
1048:stub
956:Orka
856:Elia
685:link
536:and
324:EEST
59:news
643:doi
491:ash
335:or
313:DST
303:EET
42:by
1093::
693:^
681:}}
677:{{
655:^
639:42
637:.
633:.
602:.
481:a
430:,
375:.
351::
347:,
343::
1079:e
1072:t
1065:v
1054:.
739:e
732:t
725:v
687:)
649:.
645::
618:.
434:.
339:(
326:)
322:(
315:)
305:)
301:(
261:)
255:(
221:)
215:(
139:)
109:)
103:(
98:)
94:(
84:·
77:·
70:·
63:·
36:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
