The Religion of Early Cyprus

Archaeological evidence from UNESCO World Heritage Site Choirokoitia reveals early religious practices on Cyprus, dating back to the Neolithic period (c. 3000 BCE). Excavations at Khirokitia uncovered sacrificial tables and carbonized animal bones within burial enclosures, indicating a cult of the dead. In contrast, later settlements like Erimi showed no such rituals, with burials occurring in simple ground holes or even inside houses. Notably, cremation was not practiced on Cyprus until after the Bronze Age. The study contrasts literary traditions—particularly the Phoenician-focused worship of Aphrodite—with archaeological findings to provide a more objective perspective on early Cypriot religion.

(Ed.). (2010). The Religion of Early Cyprus. To the Conquest by Richard Lion Heart, 55–81. https://doi.org/10.1017/cbo9780511751707.005