Nicosia: Vast quantities of statue fragments were found at the Sanctuary of Apollon at Frangissa site in the area of Pera Orinis, Nicosia district, following the completion of the 2024 excavation season by the Universities of Frankfurt and Kiel/Wrzburg. The excavation, led by Matthias Recke and Philipp Kobusch, aimed to explore the Sanctuary.
According to Cyprus News Agency, the Department of Antiquities, Deputy Ministry of Culture, issued a press release detailing that the German archaeologist Ohnefalsch-Richter initially began excavations in a remote valley near ancient Tamassos in 1885. He discovered a richly furnished rural sanctuary of Apollo, later known as Frangissa, adorned with an abundance of votive statues. Over time, the sanctuary’s location was forgotten as it was completely covered, including the statue bases and walls.
The press release further explains that nearly 140 years later, the sanctuary has been reopened for modern archaeological research. In 2021, a team from the Universities of Frankfurt and Kiel/Wrzburg resumed the search for the Frangissa site. Through extensive excavation efforts, the location of the old excavation was identified, revealing the dedication courtyard walls and over 100 statue bases, some of colossal size.
It was an unexpected discovery that not only the pedestals for votive statues were found in the 19th-century backfill, but also vast quantities of statue fragments. In 1885, these fragments were not recognized as artefacts in the rush of the excavation, thus expanding the current understanding of this sacred site. The Department of Antiquities notes that many statues in the Cyprus Museum and the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto can now be completed with these newly found fragments, restoring them to their original appearance.
The discovery also documented completely new types of statues previously unknown from Frangissa. The finding of larger-than-life feet now proves the existence of colossal male limestone figures from archaic times. Previously, such figures were only known in Frangissa made from terracotta, including the famous ‘Colossus of Tamassos’ displayed in the Cyprus Museum.
Additionally, evidence of other previously unknown types of votive objects, such as marbled glass beads or Egyptian amulets made of faience, was also uncovered. The press release highlights the discovery of two bases with inscriptions, one inscribed with local Cypro-Syllabic characters and the other with Greek letters referring to the Ptolemies, the Hellenistic rulers of Egypt who also controlled Cyprus at the time. This indicates the sanctuary’s significance not only during archaic times but also after the end of the royal period.
The site of worship underwent an expansion phase during this period, evident in the architecture. A large peristyle courtyard was constructed next to the votive offering room, likely used for banquets. These findings promise to shed new light on the worship of the deity through votive statues and provide opportunities to explore the sanctuary’s architecture, which was inadequately documented by Ohnefalsch-Richter.
The preserved remains hold the potential to offer important insights, bringing to life the ritual behavior of the past and allowing a glimpse into the original spatial setting of the sanctuary.