Khirokitia, or ‘pig-cradle’ was a neolithic town in Cyprus dating to almost 10 thousand years ago. It maybe one of the most important & best preserved sites in the eastern Mediterranean

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Khirokitia or pig cradle is in the Saint Minas valley river valley. Only 6km from the Mediterranean
Covering a large area, There are about 300 well preserved structures.

There are surrounding fortifications. Some of the earliest evidence of an organized functional society exist here
A collective settlement.

In 1934 and 36, it was excavated

The site has been radio carbon dated around 7000 BC
Some of the excavators thought it was younger.

The walls were strong of stone 8.2 feet thick; and, at least 9.8 feet high

There were buildings within the wall. They consisted of round structures huddled close together. They were between 2 and 9 meters (6.6 and 29.5 feet). They may have had windows

These ‘tholoi’ or round huts were organized in tight groups around an unroofed courtyard

Houses were built with stone as a foundation. While the upper part was built with adobe and mud. The roofs were created with branches and straws covered in mud
Most had entresols (storage areas).

Each of the buildings were internally dived according to purpose. Including lower wall sections; and platforms designated work, rest, or storage area(s). Hearths were used for cooking, heating and sanitation. There were windows, benches and some had a pier to support upper floor
Some of the dead were burried under houses. And, there were murals but none were preserved.

Farming included wheat, & barley; lentils, peas, horse bean, vetch; foraging olives, flax, figs nuts, plums, and pears
They also herding sheep, goats, pigs, and hunted deer.

Mills, hammers, rammers; and pottery were found. As well, jewelry and figurines

An expected early road, narrow and long stone construction, runs across the settlement

The village appeared to be abandoned around 6000 BC

Check out Khirokitia, it maybe one of the most important and best preserved neolithic architecture sites in the eastern Mediterranean.

Bibliography: Knapp, A. Bernard (2013). The Archaeology Of Cyprus: From Earliest Prehistory Through The Bronze Age. New York: Cambridge University Press. p. 125. ISBN 978-0-521-72347-3

Le Brun, Alain (March 2001). “Le Néolithique de Chypre” (http://www.clio.fr/BIBLIOTHEQUE/le_neolithique_de_chypre.asp) (in French).

Khirokitia, an Aceramic Neolithic site in Cyprus (7th-6th millennium BC) | The Shelby White and Leon Levy. (n.d.). https://whitelevy.fas.harvard.edu/khirokitia-aceramic-neolithic-site-cyprus-7th-6th-millennium-bc

Karageorghis, Vassos (1982). Cyprus: From The Stone Age To The Romans. London: Thames And Hudson

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