On 03.11.2025 we present the 41st session of our online lecture series with a contribution of
Jaris Cole Darwin
(Leiden University)
Maritime rituality in Late Bronze Age Cyprus: a geospatial and statistical consideration of the stone anchor assemblage at Kition Area II, Cyprus
Abstract:
The sea is a powerful, liminal space. Throughout time, it has always evoked anxiety while also offering opportunities; the use of this natural environment created groups of people, from seafarers and fishermen, to boatbuilders and merchants. This widespread association of cultural activities with the water led ancient religions in the Mediterranean to include some form of ritual connected to the sea. While Cyprus would have been no exception to this rule, dependent as the island was on overseas merchant enterprise, we have limited evidence for the maritime ritual activities of this region. One exception is the large assemblage of stone anchors found within the seaside religious complex of Kition Area II (Cyprus). These anchors are a unique and oft-mentioned example of possible Cypriot maritime rituality during the Late Bronze Age (LBA). However, the nature of this phenomenon—how these anchors may have functioned in a ritual setting—and its longevity is not well understood.
This lecture will re-evaluate the Kiton anchors using statistical and GIS analyses to offer a clearer picture of how and why anchors were used in such large quantities at Kition. The results of this work reveal a subset of cult which emphasized a maritime element, while also demonstrating ritual anchor use was chronologically limited to the 12th and 11th centuries B.C. This new exploration of anchors at Kition also better places them in a wider Mediterranean context and offers further evidence for Cypriot regionalism.
Lecture recording:
MARE - Online Lecture Series 