Choirokoitia: A Neolithic Site In Eastern Cyprus

One of the things that surprised me about Cyprus was how ancient and multi-layered its history was. The island was occupied not just by the Romans, but by the Greeks and the Egyptians as well, to say nothing of the waves of invaders who followed them. And I was certainly not expecting to find one of the most important prehistoric sites in the eastern Mediterranean. This is the neolithic settlement of Choirokoitia, a village 9,000 years old with stone huts and city walls, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

An Advanced Neolithic Society

Choirokoitia was occupied from the 7^th to 5^th millennia BCE. By way of comparison, Stonehenge and Avebury in England were built around 3000 BCE and the Pyramids of Egypt came around 2600 BCE. Yet, despite its antiquity, the village was advanced for its time, with individual dwelling huts, and surrounded by a strong stone wall.

Archaeologists have pieced together a picture of how people lived in Choirokoitia. The population was around 300-400, and tools, vessels and animal remains have been found. There is also evidence of funerary rituals and religious beliefs. The walls (there were at least three walls at different times) are intriguing. Despite the considerable effort needed to build them, it isn’t thought that the walls were built to defend the community from enemies or wild animals. The purpose seems to have been social, perhaps a way of identifying the village and creating a sense of belonging.

Exploring Choirokoitia

The village is built on the slopes of a hill. In fact, there were a number of successive villages on different parts of the hill, because the first site was on a steep slope subject to erosion. Visitors can walk up the hill and see where the walls and huts were built at different times, and look at the excavated remains of huts.

For many visitors the highlight of the site is the reconstructed wall and huts near the entrance. You can see the size and shape of the dwelling huts, and imagine what it might have been like to climb the stone stairway and enter the enclosed village.

A UNESCO World Heritage Site

Choirokoitia became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1998. This was partly because it is an exceptionally well preserved site, and partly because in neolithic times Cyprus acted as a bridge between the cultures of Europe and the Near East.

A further consideration is that Choirokoitia was only discovered in the mid-20^th century, and only a small part has been excavated. Another reason for the UNESCO inscription is that there are untouched parts of the site which will be available to future generations of archaeologists. It seems as if there is a lot more to learn about Choirokoitia!

Visiting Choirokoitia

• Choirokoitia is 31 km from Larnaca, 50 km from Nicosia and 100 km from Paphos.
• The easiest way to visit Choirokoitia is by car.
• It is also possible to visit as part of a full day tour from Paphos.
• The site is open all year round. Small entrance fees apply.
• Other UNESCO sites in Cyprus are Paphos and the Painted Churches of the Troodos Region.

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