World’s oldest village settlement discovered in Cyprus

After completing the fifth season of excavation at the site of Ayios Tychonas-Klimonas site in Limassol District, they have discovered an organized village. It's architecture, stone tools and presence of agriculture and hunting elements reveal the earliest manifestation of an agricultural and village way of life known to date, worldwide. The findings were announced by the Department of Antiquities, Ministry of Transport, Communications and Work. The excavations were directed by François Briois (EHESS) and Jean-Denis Vigne (CNRS- Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle).

The excavations brought to light the amazing remains of more than 20 round buildings with a 3-6m diameter, date to between 11,200 and 10,600 years before present, this is the earliest known village in Cyprus, and it is more than twenty centuries older than Chirokitia. The buildings were constructed on small terraces, notched into a gentle slope facing the sea. The walls were built with earth and strengthened with wooden poles and the floors were often plastered. In most buildings large hearths were discovered, sometimes accompanied by a 30-50 kg millstone. These buildings were probably frequently reconstructed, as seen by the multiple layers of remains that were found, one above the other, on the terraces.

Large quantities of stone tools, stone vessels, stone and shell beads and pendants were also found. Animal bones indicate that domestic dogs and cats were already introduced to Cyprus, and that the villagers hunted a small Cypriot wild boar and birds. Intensive sieving provided strong evidence for the cultivation of emmer wheat: a primitive cereal introduced from the continent. At this time, the Ayios Tychonas-Klimonas villagers were hunter-cultivators who did not produce pottery.

The excavations were supported by the Department of Antiquities of Cyprus, the French School at Athens, the French Ministère des Affaires Etrangères et du Développement International, the CNRS, the Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, the French Institute for Rescue Archaeological Research (INRAP) and the Ayios Tychonas Community Council.

You can visit the Amathus archaeological site winter hours Monday to Sunday 8.15-17.15 and Summer hours Monday to Sunday 8.15-19.45. For more information call 25635226

Link from: http://www.mcw.gov.cy/

#oldestvillage #cyprus #Limassol #antiques