| Transcript |
| 0:01 | · | most of us are familiar with the |
| 0:02 | · | Terracotta Army of Canan in China those |
| 0:05 | · | thousands of life-sized Warriors |
| 0:07 | · | standing in silent formation guarding |
| 0:09 | · | the tomb of Emperor chin Shi hang for |
| 0:12 | · | over two |
| 0:13 | · | Millennia but few know that halfway |
| 0:15 | · | across the world on a sundrenched |
| 0:17 | · | Mediterranean island lies another Army |
| 0:20 | · | of clay figures that Rivals its Chinese |
| 0:22 | · | counterpart in both scale and historical |
| 0:25 | · | significance in the heart of Cyprus in a |
| 0:28 | · | small village called Agia ini known in |
| 0:31 | · | Turkish as Acton is an extraordinary |
| 0:33 | · | archaeological Discovery was made that |
| 0:35 | · | would reshape our understanding of |
| 0:37 | · | ancient Mediterranean culture this |
| 0:40 | · | picturesque location in the kirania |
| 0:41 | · | district nestled in moru Bay and |
| 0:44 | · | currently under the de facto control of |
| 0:46 | · | the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus |
| 0:48 | · | is home to what has come to be known as |
| 0:50 | · | the cypriate Terracotta |
| 0:52 | · | Army Our Story begins in the summer of |
| 0:55 | · | 1929 when the local priest of Agia irini |
| 0:59 | · | Papa procopio made an unexpected visit |
| 1:01 | · | to the museum in nikosia he had |
| 1:04 | · | apprehended a looter in his field and |
| 1:06 | · | brought with him a curious object the |
| 1:08 | · | upper part of a sixth Century basy |
| 1:10 | · | terracotta statue this seemingly small |
| 1:13 | · | incident would lead to one of the most |
| 1:15 | · | significant archaeological finds in |
| 1:18 | · | Cyprus the artifact immediately caught |
| 1:20 | · | the attention of the Swedish Cyprus |
| 1:22 | · | Expedition led by the archaeologist inar |
| 1:25 | · | gead recognizing the potential |
| 1:28 | · | importance of the discovery gear ad |
| 1:30 | · | swiftly requested excavation rights and |
| 1:32 | · | began work in procopio's field in |
| 1:34 | · | November of the same year what the |
| 1:36 | · | Swedish team uncovered was beyond their |
| 1:39 | · | wildest |
| 1:40 | · | expectations just half a meter below the |
| 1:42 | · | Sandy surface they discovered an |
| 1:44 | · | astonishing site around 2,000 terracotta |
| 1:48 | · | figures arranged in a semicircle |
| 1:50 | · | reminiscent of a theater |
| 1:52 | · | formation these figures dating from |
| 1:55 | · | between 650 and 500 BC represented a |
| 1:58 | · | diverse array of characters |
| 2:00 | · | priests Warriors common people and |
| 2:03 | · | animals the sheer variety and scale of |
| 2:06 | · | the Figures were impressive with the |
| 2:08 | · | largest being |
| 2:09 | · | life-sized as the excavation progressed |
| 2:12 | · | it became clear that the site was not |
| 2:14 | · | just a repository for these figures but |
| 2:16 | · | a sanctuary with a long and complex |
| 2:21 | · | history the archaeologists discovered |
| 2:24 | · | that the AIA arini Sanctuary had been in |
| 2:27 | · | uninterrupted use from the late Bronze |
| 2:29 | · | Age around 1200 BC to the end of the |
| 2:32 | · | cypriate Archaic Period the earliest |
| 2:34 | · | phase of the sanctuary consisted of a |
| 2:37 | · | complex of rectangular houses made of |
| 2:39 | · | mud bricks on solid Stone |
| 2:41 | · | foundations these houses were arranged |
| 2:43 | · | around a large open courtyard with |
| 2:45 | · | different areas serving specific |
| 2:48 | · | purposes the Western and Northern houses |
| 2:51 | · | likely served as residences and sto |
| 2:53 | · | rooms for the priests while those in the |
| 2:55 | · | center and South were used for cult |
| 2:57 | · | purposes the complex housed cult object |
| 2:59 | · | object s such as offering tables large |
| 3:02 | · | pitho storage jars libation vessels a |
| 3:06 | · | stone cult ax and terracotta bull |
| 3:08 | · | figures the nature of the offerings and |
| 3:11 | · | the arrangement of the objects suggest |
| 3:13 | · | that the cult was dedicated to agrarian |
| 3:15 | · | deities who protected crops and |
| 3:17 | · | livestock symbolizing fertility and |
| 3:20 | · | abundance over time the ancient |
| 3:22 | · | Sanctuary was covered and buried |
| 3:24 | · | underground and a new one was erected on |
| 3:26 | · | top this new Sanctuary differed from the |
| 3:29 | · | previous one by being an irregularly |
| 3:31 | · | shaped open tominos surrounded by a |
| 3:34 | · | perbos priest's Garden or Orchard |
| 3:37 | · | numerous terra cotta offerings mainly |
| 3:39 | · | bull Figures were found in this new |
| 3:41 | · | enclosure around an altar covered in |
| 3:44 | · | layers of Ash and charred remains |
| 3:46 | · | suggesting the practice of blood |
| 3:48 | · | sacrifices during the cypro geometric 3 |
| 3:51 | · | period the sanctuary underwent another |
| 3:54 | · | transformation the walls of the perbos |
| 3:56 | · | were raised and a new rectangular altar |
| 3:59 | · | was erected displacing the old offerings |
| 4:01 | · | to a nearby deposit the votive offerings |
| 4:04 | · | also evolved now introducing |
| 4:06 | · | anthropomorphic figures and minotaurs |
| 4:08 | · | alongside the traditional animal figures |
| 4:11 | · | indicating a growing |
| 4:12 | · | anthropomorphization of the venerated |
| 4:14 | · | deity who also began to be seen as a |
| 4:17 | · | warrior Divinity the peak of the AA |
| 4:20 | · | irini Sanctuary came during the cypro |
| 4:22 | · | archaic AAR period when the temos was |
| 4:25 | · | expanded to accommodate more structures |
| 4:27 | · | two of these in the southern part |
| 4:29 | · | probably served as enclosures for sacred |
| 4:32 | · | trees a feature reminiscent of Manan |
| 4:34 | · | culture here figures with bull masks |
| 4:37 | · | interpreted as priests were found |
| 4:39 | · | providing clues about the Cults rituals |
| 4:42 | · | which included music as suggested by the |
| 4:44 | · | numerous figurines with tambourines and |
| 4:46 | · | flutes the offerings continued to be |
| 4:48 | · | mostly terracotta figures arranged in |
| 4:50 | · | semicircles around the altar with the |
| 4:52 | · | smallest ones placed closest to the |
| 4:54 | · | Altar and the largest ones behind so |
| 4:56 | · | that all were visible during ceremonies |
| 4:59 | · | the deity to whom the sanctuary was |
| 5:01 | · | dedicated and under what form it was |
| 5:03 | · | worshiped remains unknown archaeologists |
| 5:07 | · | believe that an oval stone or Beetle |
| 5:09 | · | found in the most recent layers may have |
| 5:11 | · | been the cult object being transferred |
| 5:14 | · | from one phase of the sanctuary to |
| 5:15 | · | another as it |
| 5:19 | · | expanded at the beginning of the cypro |
| 5:22 | · | archaic 2 period the sanctuary was |
| 5:24 | · | repeatedly flooded leading to its |
| 5:26 | · | eventual abandonment around 500 BC |
| 5:30 | · | however there was a brief Revival of the |
| 5:32 | · | cult in the first century BC although on |
| 5:34 | · | a much smaller scale and with fewer |
| 5:37 | · | resources the site fell into Oblivion |
| 5:40 | · | until Papa procopio unknowingly |
| 5:42 | · | cultivated corn over the ancient |
| 5:44 | · | terracotta sculptures the lutters |
| 5:47 | · | however must have known that something |
| 5:49 | · | valuable was buried there their |
| 5:51 | · | fortuitous Discovery thus led to the |
| 5:53 | · | revelation of one of cypresses and the |
| 5:55 | · | Mediterraneans most important sets of |
| 5:58 | · | archaeological artifacts |
| 6:03 | · | in 1931 half of the objects found were |
| 6:06 | · | sent to Sweden with the permission of |
| 6:08 | · | the British colonial government |
| 6:10 | · | therefore many of the Terracotta figures |
| 6:12 | · | discovered at AGA irini are now in the |
| 6:14 | · | metal haves Mite or the Museum of |
| 6:17 | · | Mediterranean and near Eastern |
| 6:18 | · | Antiquities in Stockholm where they are |
| 6:20 | · | displayed as a testament to the |
| 6:22 | · | sanctuary's Glorious past cyprus's Rich |
| 6:25 | · | cultural heritage and the work of |
| 6:27 | · | Swedish |
| 6:28 | · | archaeologists the other half remains in |
| 6:30 | · | Cyprus housed in the museum in nikosia |
| 6:33 | · | on the island of |
| 6:34 | · | Cyprus this division of the finds |
| 6:37 | · | reflects the complex history of Cyprus |
| 6:39 | · | itself an island that has long been at |
| 6:41 | · | the intersection of different cultures |
| 6:43 | · | and Powers it also raises questions |
| 6:46 | · | about the ownership and display of |
| 6:47 | · | cultural heritage that continue to be |
| 6:49 | · | debated in the archaeological Community |
| 6:52 | · | the Terracotta Army of AGA arini stands |
| 6:55 | · | as one of the most remarkable |
| 6:57 | · | archaeological discoveries in the |
| 6:58 | · | Mediterranean |
| 7:00 | · | its significance lies not only in the |
| 7:01 | · | sheer number and quality of the |
| 7:03 | · | Terracotta figures but also in the |
| 7:05 | · | insights it provides into the religious |
| 7:07 | · | practices and artistic achievements of |
| 7:09 | · | ancient Cyprus moreover the Agia irini |
| 7:12 | · | finds showcase the skill of ancient |
| 7:14 | · | cypriate artisans in creating |
| 7:16 | · | large-scale terracotta sculptures this |
| 7:19 | · | challenges previous assumptions about |
| 7:21 | · | the capabilities of local Craftsman and |
| 7:24 | · | highlights cyprus's important role in |
| 7:26 | · | the artistic developments of the ancient |
| 7:28 | · | Mediterranean world |
| 7:30 | · | from its accidental Discovery in a |
| 7:32 | · | farmer field to its current status as a |
| 7:34 | · | world-renowned treasure the Terracotta |
| 7:36 | · | Army of AIA arini continues to Captivate |
| 7:39 | · | archaeologists historians and the public |
| 7:42 | · | alike as we Marvel at these ancient |
| 7:44 | · | figures we're AED by the power of |
| 7:47 | · | archaeology to connect us with the past |
| 7:49 | · | offering insights into the beliefs |
| 7:51 | · | Artistry and daily life of ancient |
| 7:53 | · | Cyprus and its place in The Wider |
| 7:55 | · | Mediterranean |
| 7:57 | · | world the tale of AIA |
| 8:00 | · | is also a reminder of the surprises that |
| 8:02 | · | may still lie beneath our feet who knows |
| 8:05 | · | what other wonders might be Unearthed on |
| 8:07 | · | this island of Aphrodite this Crossroads |
| 8:09 | · | of |
| 8:10 | · | civilizations in the end the Terra Cotta |
| 8:12 | · | Army of AIA arini stands not just as a |
| 8:15 | · | collection of ancient artifacts but as a |
| 8:17 | · | bridge across time connecting us to the |
| 8:20 | · | hopes fears and beliefs of people who |
| 8:22 | · | lived thousands of years ago thank you |
| 8:24 | · | for joining us on this fascinating |
| 8:26 | · | Journey Through Time exploring the |
| 8:28 | · | remarkable ter otta Army of AIA |
| 8:31 | · | arini we hope this glimpse into ancient |
| 8:34 | · | Cyprus has sparked your curiosity and |
| 8:36 | · | deepened your appreciation for the |
| 8:38 | · | wonders of archaeology if you've enjoyed |
| 8:41 | · | this exploration of history please |
| 8:43 | · | consider subscribing to our channel for |
| 8:45 | · | more intriguing stories from the ancient |
| 8:47 | · | world don't forget to hit the |
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| 8:54 | · | continue to unearth and share these |
| 8:56 | · | Hidden Treasures of human |
| 8:58 | · | history until until next time keep |
| 9:00 | · | wondering keep exploring and remember |
| 9:03 | · | the past is always closer than we think |
