Ritualising memory: A view from 11th century Cyprus (original) (raw)

2019, E. Borgna, I. Caloi, F.M. Carinci & R. Laffineur (eds.), Μνήμη/ Mneme, Past and Memory in the Aegean Bronze Age, Annales d'archéologie égéenne de l'Université de Liège et UT-PASP 43

The paper explores the role of the so-called “Myceneanising” chamber tombs with long dromoi as means of organised promoting and/ or legitimising common memory implemented in Cypriot communities during the early phase of the Early Iron Age, i.e. after the arrival of several groups of peoples from the Aegean, during the 12th and 11th centuries BC. This subject has been so far discussed with reference to the geographic distribution and specified location of these monuments, as well as their topographical and chronological association with different types of tombs, especially those associated with local Bronze Age traditions. In contrast to these approaches, the present analysis focuses on ritual activity centred in and/ or around the tombs under examination, as ritual has been proven by both social anthropologists and archaeologists to constitute an ideal field for the development, consolidation and demonstration of identities, cultural and/ or other. Indeed, the last two decades have witnessed the development of various research projects associated with the identification and reconstruction of ceremonial actions (processions, libations, feasting etc.) within Late Bronze Age Aegean funerary contexts. Nevertheless, no analogous studies have appeared with regards to 11th century Cyprus, although the fact that its society is generally thought to have had included more than one distinctive cultural groups, renders plausibility to the hypothesis of increased ritual visibility as a result of social antagonising. Moreover, reconstructing the ritualistic activity that was taking place in burial grounds associated with the Aegean world, essentially the homeland, close or more distant, of some population groups in Cyprus is bound to cast some light on the character and extent of this homeland's role in the construction and maintenance of common memories and, consequently, cultural identities. As the effective reconstruction of ritual can be achieved only through the contextual analysis of the archaeological material, our discussion is based on the thorough reconsideration of the evidence from all published Cypriot burial sites containing chamber tombs with long dromoi, as no contextual analysis of this material has yet been undertaken. Special emphasis is placed on the dromoi, as, according to recent research focussing on Aegean examples, it was there that most of the ceremonial deeds were taking place. Moreover, the long dromoi constitute the principal structural difference between the traditional Late Bronze Age Cypriot tombs and the novel type, which is thought to have been brought to the island by the Aegean newcomers.