Κitio
The archaeological site of Kition that comprises two locations, Kathari and Bamboula, is situated within the modern town of Larnaka. Between the 18th and the 20th centuries excavations by foreigners as well as illicit activities of tomb robbers brought to light various findings such as the famous Assyrian stele of king Sargon the 2nd, found today in Berlin. A plaster cast of the stele is exhibited in the Larnaka museum.
The first systematic excavations began in 1929 by the Swedish Archeological Mission under Einor Gjesterd. In 1959,the Antiquities Department under Vassos Karageorgis, srated excavations at the location of Kathari while excavations at Bamboula were undertaken, after 1974, by the French Archaeological Mission of the University of Lyon that had, up to that date, been conducting excavations at Salamina.
The earliest phase of settlement and worship at Kitio are pinpointed at the location Kathari where five successive temples as well as workshops for smelting copper were bunearthed. These date from the end of the 13th century BC up to the 11th century BC These bare the Late Bronzeb Ageb and the Geometric period during which times Kitio prospered and was inhabited by Mycenaean Acheans.
Following the destruction of the temple, the Phoenicians built, about 850 BC, a grandiose temple, identified as the temple of Astar which continued to be aplace of worship until the beginning of the 3rd century BC when it was destroyed.
Excavations in Bamboula indicate that the site was continuously inhabited from the end of the Geometric period until the Hellenistic period.
The first buildings that date from 9th century BC consist of a Sanctuary and other buildings During the Archaic and Classical periods, the sanctuary was enlarged to include numerous halls, courtyards with colonnades and altars, offering centers and workshops for the smelting of copper.
A number of findings bear witness that a number of gods was worshiped in Kitio, the most important being Astar, the Phoenician deity Astaroth, (corresponding to Aphrodite) Melkart (corresponding to Hercules) and Esmoun (corresponding to Asclepios), as well as the Egyptian deities Athos, Bess and Horos.
During the classical period great works take place in Kition such as large scale town planning forming part of a significant programme of erecting public buildings, within which programme the Bamboula site was drained, the sewage system constructed and two ports built, a commercial and a military one respectively.
Tom date,only the military port has been excavated.
Source: Department of Antiquities Republic of Cyprus
Address: Archbishop Kyprianou Street –Larnaka
Administration Department of Antiquities
Working hours:
Winter Season September 16th – April 15th: Monday – Friday 8:30 to 16:00. Saturday – Sunday Closed
Summer Season April 16th – September 15th: Monday – Friday 9:30 to 17:00. Saturday – Sunday Closed
Season: All year except January 1st, Easter Day and 25 December
Open all round the year.
Facilities: The site is accessible to wheelchairs and there is possibility of moving around the area. Transactions in cash only. Groups over 11 persons can get a 20% reduction on entrance fee (2,50 Euros) if escorted by a licensed tourist guide. There are weekly and daily tickets 25 Euros and 8,50 Euros respectively, 3 day special entry card (17 euros) obtainable at any museum or archaeological site under the competence of the Department of Antiquities. Parking is available. There are no toilets.
Telephone / Fax: 00 357 24304115 / —
Website / email: www.mcw.gov.cy/mcw/da/da.nsf / antiquitiesdept@da.mcw.gov.cy
Entrance fee: 2,50 Euros. (free entrance for elementary and secondary students, students – should have student cards, soldiers in uniform, holders of icom card and unemployed. 50% ticket price reduction for recipients of public assistance, retired persons and members of large families).
Tickets: At the entrance of the archaeological site or at any museum or archaeological site under the competence of the Department of Antiquities.
Navigation map Google earth:
In the map the follows, point 19, you can spot the exact site of the Kitio.