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Greece Keros Sanctuary of the Cycladic figurines The enigmatic Cycladic figurines, the abstract figures found in the Cyclades islands, have had enormous influence on modern art. They first came to notice at the same time as modern art was beginning to go abstract, and their stark abbreviated geometric forms persuaded modern artists to do likewise. But when exactly did they flourish and what were the settlements that produced the figurines? When Colin Renfrew, back in the 1960s, was looking for a subject for his doctoral thesis, he chose to study the Cycladic figurines and the Cycladic early bronze age. Colin Renfrew was one of the brilliant crop of archaeologists nourished at Cambridge in the late 50s and early 60s by Grahame Clark and Glyn Daniel; indeed Colin became not only president of the Union but he gained a ‘first’ – a rather unusual distinction. In order to study the figurines and the cultures which produced them, he had to spend six months in the Cyclades, going round and visiting at first hand the sites from which figurines had been recovered. In fact almost all had been looted: Left Professor Lord Renfrew excavating on an uninhabited Greek island of Dhaskalio. Below Panoramic view (across two pages) of the two excavation sites. The large uninhabited island of Keros, where the figurines were buried, is on the right. The very small island of Dhaskalio from which the photo is taken is on the left. This is where the habitation site has been discovered. 12 26 archaeologycurrent world
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Map of the Central Cyclades, with the large islands of Paros and Naxos top left, and Amorgos bottom right. Between them is a small group of islands including Keros. Below Dhaskalio is almost inaccessible, but a temporary landing stage and pathway up the rock was rigged up for the excavators. Top left The island of Kouphonisi where the excavation team is centred. Today it has everything that finds favour in the modern world. It is flat, fertile, and has fine sandy beaches for the modern tourists. But for the rituals of the Early Bronze Age, the harsh rugged terrain of Keros was preferred. Left Crossing to the excavation site in a fishing boat. On the left is the large island of Keros, on the right is the small conical island of Dhaskalio. archaeologycurrent world 13 26

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Map of the Central Cyclades, with the large islands of Paros and Naxos top left, and Amorgos bottom right. Between them is a small group of islands including Keros. Below Dhaskalio is almost inaccessible, but a temporary landing stage and pathway up the rock was rigged up for the excavators.

Top left The island of Kouphonisi where the excavation team is centred. Today it has everything that finds favour in the modern world. It is flat, fertile, and has fine sandy beaches for the modern tourists. But for the rituals of the Early Bronze Age, the harsh rugged terrain of Keros was preferred.

Left Crossing to the excavation site in a fishing boat. On the left is the large island of Keros, on the right is the small conical island of Dhaskalio.

archaeologycurrent world

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