Abstract

Maa (map 14) Late C13 and C12 fortified settlement on the west coast of Cyprus. The site is located at Palaeokastro on a small steep-sided promontory with a perennial spring and wide sandy bays on either side. It is defended by a Cyclopean fortification wall with a dog-leg entrance across the neck of the promontory and a second wall along the southern seaward limits. A number of late C13 buildings, excavated by V. Karageorghis and M. Demas for the Dept of Antiquities, Cyprus, from 1979 to 1986, provide evidence for olive oil and metallurgical production and storage. Two were equipped with communal halls and a central hearth. These buildings were destroyed by fire at the beginning of C12, and rebuilt on a reduced scale for a short period before the site was finally abandoned. Karageorghis has identified Maa as an early Aegean stronghold, established by an intrusive population unfamiliar with the Cypriot hinterland and concerned to secure the seaward approach. Other scholars suggest, alternatively, that both Maa and Pyla-Kokkinokremos (see Pyla) were indigenous strongholds, reflecting the unsettled conditions on the island in late C13 and C12. Internal activities at Maa are similar to those evident at other C13 settlements, such as Kalavasos, Maroni, and Alassa. The material culture shows both local and Aegean influences.