The results of the excavations in Frangissa in 2023 are ground-breaking and mark an important success of many years of endeavour. The remains of walls and structures that Max Ohnefalsch-Richter had already excavated and documented in a plan at the end of the 19th century have finally been discovered. This means that the sanctuary structures of Frangissa, which were considered lost for over 140 years, are now available for critical revision. At the same time, they can be linked for the first time to the newly discovered building complexes found in recent years. In this way, the structure of the entire complex can now be much better understood.
Important steps towards the localisation and recovery of the Frangissa sanctuary, which was discovered in 1885, have already been achieved in previous campaigns, as can be read in the reports linked here: After the analysis of finds from the preparatory 2020 survey campaign had made it clear that there must have been an ancient sanctuary in the area under investigation, the first architectural remains were found right at the start of the excavation in 2021. However, despite their good preservation, the walls could not be reconciled with the plan of the 1885 excavation. The fact that the site of the famous Apollo sanctuary of Frangissa had indeed been rediscovered was confirmed in 2022 by the discovery of terracotta fragments that matched the breakage of votive statues that Ohnefalsch-Richter had excavated in 1885. At the same time, however, it became clear that the extensive architectural structures belonging to an extensive building measuring at least 14 x 20 metres were undisturbed by modern interventions and that a previously unknown complex had been discovered here, the investigation of which offered the opportunity to gain unique insights into the structures of the ancient sanctuary.
Based on this level of knowledge, the research objectives for 2023 were clearly defined:
(a) the precise localisation of the walled votive courtyard excavated in 1885,
b) in-depth research into the newly discovered architectural complex — particularly with regard to its exact appearance and function
c) To clarify the spatial and functional relationship between the two architectural complexes.
The campaign, led by Dr Matthias Recke (University of Frankfurt) and PD Dr Philipp Kobusch (Kiel University), lasted from 6 September to 7 October 2024 and involved students from the University of Frankfurt and Kiel as well as students from Cyprus University in Nicosia. The team was complemented by an archaeologist from Cyprus, Dr Thea Christoforou, as well as the experienced team of conservators Irene Pamer-Gatzsche and Alexander Gatzsche (AMRICHA Leipzig); the latter also supported the work with his technical expertise (drone photography; 3D scanning). The animal bones were identified by Dr Angelos Hadjikoumis (Cyprus Institute) and the pottery by Dr Anna Georgiadou (University of Cyprus). Our sincere thanks go to all those involved.
One of the most important successes of the 2023 campaign was the uncovering of a wall section running diagonally to the previously uncovered building remains. The discovery of a massive statue base at the head of this wall, with its unique, characteristic shape with a profiled recess and lateral projections, finally enabled the long-awaited correlation with the 1885 excavation: the base is marked in its unmistakable shape on the stone plan by Ohnefalsch-Richter at exactly this point. This means that it is now possible to correctly align the old plan and plan the next steps to uncover the statue courtyard. Uncovering the area that had already been excavated turned out to be more time-consuming than expected, as Ohnefalsch-Richter — as he also stated in his reports — had parts of the masonry torn down in search of inscriptions. Numerous remains of votive statues and terracottas were found in the rubble of the walls and the backfill of the old excavation area, meaning that a very careful approach was also required when uncovering the site.
The evaluation of the information known to date now reveals the following picture: the sanctuary, which was much larger than previously assumed, consisted of two directly adjoining areas that fulfilled completely different functions. The open courtyard, documented by Max Ohnefalsch-Richter in 1885, served as a place to display the votive offerings in the form of statues made of limestone and terracotta — some of which were much larger than life. There was also an enclosed cult chamber and the altar where sacrifices were made to the god Apollo. A surprising discovery was the observation that the densely packed votive offering statues on the south-facing hillside, which was partially encased by the enclosing wall, stood partly on brick steps that rose upwards and presented themselves to the visitor as if in a theatre. This created the image of a dense staggering of the votives without restricting their visibility and effect. Ancient votive offerings from the Archaic period (7th-6th century BC) were evidently placed next to votives from the Classical or Hellenistic periods (5th-1st century BC). The extent to which this was the result of a successive placement of the statues or possibly the result of a rearrangement in the Hellenistic period will be answered by the complete uncovering of the area.
To the east of this sacred courtyard is a large building with four surrounding halls which, according to the finds, was used for ritual banquets in honour of Apollo. The halls, which were open to the courtyard and regularly supported by pillars, also offered visitors to this rural sanctuary protection from the sun and rain. It is also conceivable that visitors could spend the night here under the shelter of the roofs.
Analysing the finds from the 2023 excavation campaign also yielded surprising results. In addition to the famous “Colossus of Tamassos”, which is one of the most monumental exhibits of the Cyprus Museum in Nicosia and was found in situ in 1885 in the Apollo sanctuary of Frangissa, another figure of a similar size has been found. So far, only a few fragments of it have been found in 2023, but they can be augmented by matching finds from the 1885 excavation.
In a research project by German archaeologists closely linked to the excavations, most of the pieces from the 1885 excavation in international museums were digitally scanned in March and April 2024. This will make it possible to identify related pieces more quickly in future, especially the new votives found in the coming years, and to obtain a comprehensive picture of the range of votives and votive art of the period in general instead of a wealth of individual fragments. For example, it is now possible to provide physical evidence of the affiliation of individual heads and bodies by matching 3D replicas with original artefacts The continuation of the work promises a variety of in-depth insights into the ritual and social life of ancient Cyprus. The excavation project makes it possible to understand the functional structure of such a sanctuary in a special way. The work will therefore continue this year. The research has so far been generously funded by the AMRICHA Research Institute Leipzig, whose director Alexander Malios has once again pledged substantial support for the current year.
