The Greek island of Sifnos is famous for its silver mines & beautiful beaches, but it's also home to one of the most important Mycenaean settlements in the Cyclades!
Let's visit Agios Andreas, the most interesting site you've never heard of!
1/n 🇬🇷
#Greece #Archaeology #Sifnos
2/ Founded in the 12th c. BCE, Agios Andreas is a large, heavily fortified settlement with a dense urban plan.
Perched on a hilltop high above Apollonia–the modern capital of Sifnos–it offers spectacular views of the entire east side of the island, & the neighboring islands!
3/ With its conspicuous fortificion walls, the site was first spotted in 1841 by J. A. Buchon, & Christos Tsountas conducted a brief excavation in 1898.
The site would remain relatively unknown until 1970, when Barbara Philippaki began a decade-long excavation at Ag. Andreas.
4/ Philippaki's excavations were followed by a large project to understand the plan of the site, led by Christina Televantou in the late 90s.
This exposed the walls of the individual building & the stout fortifications, but much of the site still remains unexcavated today!
5/ While there is plenty of archaeology left to do at Ag. Andreas, we already have a fascinating story that raises as many questions as it answers about life on Mycenaean Sifnos!
After being built 3,200+ years ago, the flourishing citadel was abandoned after just 150 years.
6/ The highlight of the Mycenaean citadel is its incredible circuit wall! Built in 3 phases, the wall blends Bronze Age architecture of the Greek mainland with local Cycladic flavor.
The city was entered by one of three gates, each protected by towers & a 10m wide battlement!
7/ Within the walls, the citadel was filled with small domestic, administrative, & industrial buildings, all connected by a network of narrow streets.
While most of these buildings remain buried, the excavated material shows strong connections with the mainland & other islands!
8/ Like citadels across the Mycenaean world, Ag. Andreas was abandoned in the early 11th c. BCE, after the collapse of the palaces.
Drawn by its defensible location & still-standing fortifications, the city was reoccupied in the 8th c., & this is when the story get interesting!
9/ The Geometric/Archaic city was built directly atop the Mycenaean building, reusing centuries-old architecture in new ways.
In the south side of the city, a sanctuary was founded & re-discovered Mycenaean figurines were placed on prominent display by the new occupants of AA!
10/ Agios Andreas remained an important settlement on Sifnos until the Classical Period, when it was slowly abandoned in favor of the famously marble-walled polis at modern day Kastro. By the Hellenistic Period, the city appears to be completely abandoned, once again.
11/ In more recent times, the hilltop has been home to the wonderful little church of Agios Andreas, which lends its name to the site as a whole.
Built around 1701, using ancient blocks from the site, it's home to some wonderful icons and the best view in town!
12/12 What's next at Agios Andreas?
The site is currently home to a new excavation, led by our #SCIP colleague Giorgos Gavalas, who gave an excellent tour of the site. Focused on the sanctuary, this project will help us understand the fascinating history of Agios Andreas!
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