Les galets des rois : dépôts de galets en contexte sacrificiel au palais d'Amathonte

Abstract

During the 1993 excavation of the Palace of Amathus, a thick layer of pebbles was discovered, accompanied by numerous fragments of terracottas, limestone sculptures, and Attic sherds. It also contained a great quantity of burnt bones and ash. These are obviously sacrificial remains and votive objects from a bothros, but in a secondary deposit. In order to interpret the find, this article examines parallels with pebble deposits in sacrificial contexts elsewhere in Cyprus, in Greece, and in the Levant. Four hypotheses are considered as to the nature of the find: “sacrifice stones”, a hearth-altar, a built platform associated with ancestor or heroic cult, or votive pebbles.