Sanctuary of Apollo the hidden treasure of Anoyira

[cyprusmax47]

One of by biggest hobby is Cypriot Archaeology BC (before Christ) It was actually the reason I was falling in love with Cyprus when in 69/70 I was reading in a magazine that where ever you look around you will find ancient remains of the past. So my first visit in 1970 was more or less visiting excavation sites like Engomi, Salamis, Kourion, Kouklia etc. and I was overwhelmed what I have seen then...At the end Cyprus became my new home and country.

Recently I found some information that North of Anoyira is an relatively new excavation site from which I never heard before and it suppose to be an rural sanctuary of Apollo (4th century BC - 4th century AD)

It was one of these very hot dry days and my car thermometer showed 38c when I finally found the excavation site after driving more than two hours round and round to find it and it was really hidden away..

The excavation site is more than 600 m2 big and consists of two service rooms and a main cult room and courtyard on the central axis of construction
It has a two-level surface with a pavement made of cracked limestone slabs at the top part and the natural rock, which was leveled with clay in the lower part.
Here a general view...



The place was also used as a Hellenistic workshop for the production of olive oil to a later time.


One can see the huge horizontal stone belonging to the oil press and a stone weight on the side


Very interesting the sarcophagus which was later in secondary use as a water reservoir, collecting rainwater below the level of the pavement, with an overflow on the right hand side and an large cutting to collect the water


on this photo one can see the lower level of the sarcophagus better as well as the pavement


here a huge limestone slap, with radial-shaped breakages as a result of the large quake which destroyed also Kourium. Used for processing of grain


One of the highlights this huge vertical stone belonging to the oil press


before it get's too boring here my last photo, showing the activities of this years excavations outside the fenced area.


The most interesting result was obtained in the southern sector, where investigations identified a large pottery center with evidence of ceramic kilns, pits with ceramic refuse and pits that would have been used for mixing the clay. This pottery center would probably have been connected with the Late Hellenistic olive oil production workshop that was identified during previous excavations. (Dept. of Antiquities)

So here we are. I hope it was interesting for some of you which share the same interest in Archaeology as I have...

Max

[Yioula]

Thank you Max for taking the time to share your new finding, it’s extremely fascinating I myself love exploring these sites I find them so interesting and how talented and progressive the people of these era were.
Is this somewhere off the road to Pachna from the village

[cyprusmax47]

Thank you Max for taking the time to share your new finding, it’s extremely fascinating I myself love exploring these sites I find them so interesting and how talented and progressive the people of these era were.
Is this somewhere off the road to Pachna from the village

I am glad you like my post in times when only politics and trivia dominate the general discussion area...
It is not easy to see it from the road because situated ca 300 m away in the middle of fields which are harvested now. Roughly opposite the road junction Pachna/Dhora/Oleastro Olive Park. (and there is a sign: "land for sale" on the road)

Max

[memory man]

I am glad you like my post in times when only politics and trivia dominate the general discussion area...


Max

* That's NOT entirely true Max

Politics are in their own section and trivia are too.

The 2 topics you mention do NOT dominate General Discussion.

[Cherry345]

That was so interesting, thank you so much for sharing your pictures, I don't suppose I will ever go there but seeing the pictures and imagining the life they must have had in that era is fascinating, thank you Max.

[cyprusmax47]

That was so interesting, thank you so much for sharing your pictures, I don't suppose I will ever go there but seeing the pictures and imagining the life they must have had in that era is fascinating, thank you Max.

If you are interested in ancient monuments it would be an ideal trip to this place one time when it is not so hot, while also visiting the Monastery Timios Stavros, which is only 5 km away. (viewtopic.php?f=3&t=9593

And while you are there you should have a rest at Oleastro Olive Park, which you can recognize in the background of this photo, next to the tree..




Very informative about producing the first organic olive oil in Cyprus while one can see many ancient items how olive oil was produced in the past.
http://www.oleastro.com.cy/en/

Max

[Cherry345]

I really enjoyed your post on the Monastery Timios Stavros, as I must have missed it a few weeks ago due to having visitors, so I am so glad you sent me a link, I have bookmarked it as it looks fabulous and somewhere I would love to visit, from where we are in Tsada it will take 54 minutes according to google, so not to far, will definitely wait until the weather cools a bit but what a fabulous day out that will be, thank you so much Max.

[cyprusmax47]

I really enjoyed your post on the Monastery Timios Stavros, as I must have missed it a few weeks ago due to having visitors, so I am so glad you sent me a link, I have bookmarked it as it looks fabulous and somewhere I would love to visit, from where we are in Tsada it will take 54 minutes according to google, so not to far, will definitely wait until the weather cools a bit but what a fabulous day out that will be, thank you so much Max.

If you drive from Tsada through Minthis Golf down to Konia and then to continue on the motorway to Avdimou and from there towards Anoyira, it will take you even less time...

Max

[Cherry345]

We didn't know there was a shortcut to the motorway, thanks Max, we will go and have a wander down there in the car next week and check it out, there are villages fairly close that we haven't been to yet so I think a road trip is definitely in order lol.

[cyprusmax47]

We didn't know there was a shortcut to the motorway, thanks Max, we will go and have a wander down there in the car next week and check it out, there are villages fairly close that we haven't been to yet so I think a road trip is definitely in order lol.

This route is slightly longer but much more stress-free than the normal downhill road into the Paphos traffic. It will be definitely faster, specially when you got stuck behind a large lorry descending .... and the views passing through Minthis are spectacular.

Max