Hellenistic evidence from the sanctuary at Maroni-Vournes

Book section

Inside the central part of an abandoned Late Bronze Age monumental building at Maroni-Vournes, on the south coast of Cyprus, a sanctuary was established at the beginning of the Archaic period. It seems to have been used continuously, without any recognisable architectural alterations, until the Hellenistic period. The lack of distinctly 2nd century BC votive figures and, apparently, of typical Hellenistic pottery in the archaeological evidence for this sanctuary suggests that it was abandoned sometime towards the end of the 3rd century BC. This paper presents the spatial organisation of the temenos, in immediate vicinity of which an olive press was installed at some point, as well as other evidence for cult activity in the late 4th and 3rd centuries BC. The evidence comes mainly from small to medium-size votive sculptures of local limestone, the majority of which represent votaries, but one Classical and four Hellenistic deity representations were found as well. The iconography of all those late Classical and early Hellenistic votive figures that can be compared with votive statuettes and statues found at several other sanctuary sites, mostly in the eastern half of Cyprus, combines features with longstanding traditions in Cypriot votive sculpture with new, mostly Hellenic, motifs and styles. Furthermore, they visualise the nature and function of the divine couple worshipped at Maroni.

Authors: Ulbrich, A

• Publication status: Published
• Peer review status: Peer reviewed
• Publisher: Zentrum Antike der Karl-Franzens-Universität (Graz)
• Host title: Hellenistic Cyprus: Proceedings of an International conference at the Karl-Franzens University, Graz
• Publication date: 2013-10-14
• Keywords: SBTMR