Santander, February 19th-22nd 2008 - Aranzadi

Archaeomalacological Data from the Bronze Age Industrial Complex of Pyrgos-Mavroraki (Cyprus). A Non-dietary Mollusc Exploitation Case
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Figure 5. "Cassid lip" from Pyrgos-Mavroraki.
“Cassid lips” were a widespread object in
Cyprus, southern Anatolia and Near East from the
earliest Neolithic phases (Reese 1989). The
“Cassid lip” pendant tradition continued in the
Near East and in Cyprus also in the Bronze Age
and also spread into inner Syria and northern
Mesopotamia (Reese 1989: 36).
“Cassid lips” are attested in Cyprus from
Aceramic Neolithic (c.a. 7000-6000 B.C.) (Reese
1989) but the continuity of this tradition is also
attested in several Bronze Age and later sites. Two
“Cassid lips” fragments were found at Late
Chalcolithic/Early Bronze Age Sotira-Kaminoudhia,
one was found at Middle-Late Bronze Age
Episkopi-Phaneromeni and two at Late Bronze
Age Hala Sultan Tekké (Reese 1989). The Cypro-
Archaic IIA (1200-1190 B.C.) Tomb 232 at
Amathus, nearby Pyrgos-Mavroraki, produced
eight “Cassid lips”.
Reese (1989: 38) points out that “Cassid lips”
from Near Eastern sites are often holed to be used
as pendants while those from Cyprus are always
unholed. The Pyrgos-Mavroraki ones are all unholed
and confirm the Reese remark.
9. “PHILIA PENDANTS”
A “Cassid lip” pendant is a kind of ornament
common to a cultural koiné that embraced all the
prehistoric eastern Mediterranean regions from
Taurus to Jordan and from Cyprus to the
Euphrates. In contrast, another kind of ornament is
exclusive to Cyprus and somewhat limited to the
first phase of the Early Bronze Age. This phase is
denominated “Philia phase” and marks the transition
from the Chalcolithic to the Bronze Age. The
typical ornament of this phase is called the “Philia
pendant” and is considered one of the “index fossils”
of the period (Webb and Frankel 1999).
“Philia pendants” consist of a ring with generally
one or two protrusions sometimes similar to a
fish tail so they were initially called “fish amulets”
(Dikaios and Steward 1962: 264). They were generally
made of shell whereas they were also made of
stone at most inland settlements.
A complete shell “Philia pendant” and a fragment
of a second one carved in gastropod shell
have been brought to light in Pyrgos-Mavroraki.
“Philia pendants” have been found at
Kissonerga-Mosphilia (all made of shell), in some
Philia-Laksa tou Kasinou tombs (most of which
made of shell), in several Nicosia-Ayia Paraskevi
tombs (45 examples in picrolite), in a Sotira-
Kaminoudhia tomb (Webb and Frankel 1999,
among others) and at Mylos on the Kyrenia Pass
(Dikaios and Steward 1962: 264).
Such objects, according to Frankel and Webb
(2004), had not merely an ornamental value but had
also an important role in the assertion and maintenance
of cultural identity in the transition from the
Chalcolithic to the first phase of Cypriot Bronze Age.
10. TRITON SHELLS
Seven Charonia tritonis, the triton shell, remains
have been found in Pyrgos: two apical parts of two
specimens and five little fragments.
Triton shells are attested in Bronze Age Cyprus
at Kition (three fragments from some deposits in a
sacred area), Hala Sultan Tekké (at least three specimens)
and Sotira-Kaminoudhia (six fragments)
but their use to make trumpets, vases or spoons is
attested on the island from the Neolithic (Reese
1985, 2003).
The large triton shells were used in the Aegean
and Cypriot Bronze Age to make libation vases
(rhyton) by removing the columella. These vases
had an important role in Minoan ritual activities (for
a concise review of this topic see: Åström & Reese
1990). In the two upper portions of triton shell
found in Pyrgos, however, the columella had not
been removed so it is possible to affirm they were
not used as rhyta.
MUNIBE Suplemento - Gehigarria 31, 2010
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