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Article: Cypriot site hints at early fertility rite. (Mosphilia )
- Article from:
- Science News
- Article date:
- January 6, 1990
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1990 Science Service, Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Cypriot site hints at early fertility rite
For nearly 10 years archaeologists have been digging up remnants of Mosphilia, a settlement on the Mediterranean island of Cyprus dating to between 4000 B.C. and 2500 B.C. But their most exciting discovery came to light only recently. An exploratory trench has revealed an oblong, flat-bottomed pit containing fire-cracked and ochre-stained stones, stone tools, a triton shell, stacked pottery vessels and a group of 18 stone and pottery figurines.
Further investigation of the 5,000-year-old artifacts indicates they were used in a ritual ceremony that revolved around birth and fertility, project director Diane ...