Hidden for Millennia: The Stunning Lost Sanctuary of Apollo Unearthed in Cyprus Reveals Mysterious New Artifacts
Rediscovering The Sanctuary Of Apollo
According to a statement from the Republic of Cyprus Department of Antiquities, the Sanctuary of Apollo in Cyprus was originally discovered in 1885 by German archaeologist Max Ohnefalsch-Richter.
Public DomainMax Ohnefalsch-Richter in Cyprus circa 1910.
Ohnefalsch-Richter unearthed the temple, which was once connected to the ancient city-kingdom of Tamassos, in the Frangissa Valley. He excavated hundreds of votive statues, some of which were “colossal.” But then Ohnefalsch-Richter completely reburied the temple — and it was lost to time until the 21st century.
In 2021, archaeologists from the University of Frankfurt, the University of Kiel, and the University of Würzburg began to excavate the site in search of the lost Sanctuary of Apollo. They successfully located it and began searching through the treasures inside.
Thrillingly, the archaeologists found that the sanctuary was even richer in ancient artifacts than Ohnefalsch-Richter had originally described.
The Many Treasures Found In The Sanctuary Of Apollo
During the most recent excavations, archaeologists uncovered the walls of the sanctuary courtyard, as well as over 100 statue bases. Some of these were “colossal in size.” Researchers also found statue fragments which, for whatever reason, had not been documented back in the 19th century.
Republic of CyprusArchaeologists were thrilled to find a wealth of artifacts at the Sanctuary of Apollo, some of which had not been documented previously.
“Apparently, in 1885, during the rush to locate impressive finds, these were not recognized as objects,” the Department of Antiquities noted in its statement. “These findings significantly expand our knowledge of the sanctuary. Many limbs from statuettes in the Cyprus Museum and the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto can be supplemented with the now found fragments and thus restore their original appearance.”
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