City and Cemetery

The Amathous Gate Cemetery played a key role in the spatial and social organization of the well-preserved city of Kourion on the south coast of Cyprus, and in its transformations between the Hellenistic and Byzantine periods, from massively destructive earthquakes and the rise of Christianity to new social and administrative structures.



The excavations were directed by the late Danielle A. Parks from 1995 to 2000, and found striking evidence for burial and commemoration, a wide range of material culture, and a large assemblage of well-preserved human remains. The project uses an innovative methodology for analyzing mixed stratigraphy and legacy data, which we offer to those researching sites with similar challenges.



This volume presents detailed descriptions and interpretations of the ecofacts and artifacts. These include human and animal bone, pottery, lamps, figurines, stone objects, painted plaster, glass, jewelry, coins, and loom weights. Scientific methods include isotopic analysis of the bones, Neutron Activation Analysis of the pottery, and spectroscopic analysis of the glass.