2010-10-03 06:11:42 • ID: 1005
Khirokitia: The insularity of the late aceramic Neolithic in Cyprus
Khirokitia was not the first aceramic Neolithic village on the island, indeed it was late and about 20 other villages from this culture are known in Cyprus. In contrast, the site of Shillourokambos represents an earlier period of colonization from the Anatolian mainland. Parekklisha-Shillourokambos was occupied from 8300 BC to 7000 B.C. Here large quantities of obsidian blades and bladelets were found which were brought from Cappadocia (Anatolia) in finished form. Naviform cores and Byblos points show, that the first farmers at Shillourokambos were part of the PPNB sphere.
Until recently the cat was commonly believed to have been domesticated in ancient Egypt, where it was a cult animal. But at Shillourokambos the remains of an 8-month-old cat buried with its presumed human owner was excavated. The date of the burial far precedes Egyptian civilization. Together with the new genetic evidence, it places the domestication of the cat in a different context.
Resources and images in full resolution:
- Image: 2018-06-26_Khiro_visit04_round_huts.jpg
- Extern Link: whc.unesco.org…848
- Extern Link: www.mcw.gov.cy…4EF92D50616EFE49C225719B00314171?OpenDocument
- Extern Link: www.prehistoire.org…515_pj_020517_101056.pdf