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According to archeological findings, the history of Aglantzia begins, at least, since 3888 BC. The first archaeological discoveries in the area of Aglantzia took place in the last decades of the 19th century, a period where all earliest excavations in Cyprus in general are dated.
ARONAS
Epicentre of the first excavations both by the German as well as the English archaeologists in the area is an imposing trapezoidal hill to the east of Aglantzia, known as Leontari Vouno or Liontarovounos or Aronas. A number of tombs from the Bronze Age (3200-1100 BC) were found on the hill. A prehistoric settlement discovered in Arona, built in a key position for the defence of the area, is very likely, that during the first phase of its history, to have the character of a military installation.
CASTLE LA KAVA
The Medieval Castle La Kava that was built in the same place with Aronas, in the middle of the flat hilltop, around 1385 B.C., by King Iacovos A’ was used for the control of the access and the highway leading to Nicosia from Larnaca.
La Kava was destroyed in 1426 by Mameloukes. It was rebuilt, but in the third decade of 16th century, the Venetians blew it up. Following repairs, the Ottomans used the larger of the two towers of the castle as a gunpowder magazine. The wear of neglect during the 18th century, was completed by the demolition of the castle’s walls in 1878 and the use of its stones for the building of Faneromeni church in Nicosia.
La Kava castle is the only medieval monument that is preserved in Aglantzia’s region and one of the few castles of Cyprus. La Kava castle is included in the list of ancient monuments by the Antiquities Law of 1905 (revised in 1915) as one of the four ancient monuments of Nicosia district.
KAFIZIN
Kafizin or small Aronas, is an archaeological site, near the area of Aronas hill. On this site there is a cave of worship of the Nymph, within it ,a number of important works of archaeological art and inscriptions in Cypriot syllabary and alphabetical script were found. Vessels with votive engravings represent almost the total of the offerings of the cave.
The tributes to the Nymphaeum of Kafizin, vessels and utensils, inscribed or not, are representative of the types of pottery of local construction and of a specific date. There is a great variety of shapes and some are unique. The offerings include cups of different variations, skyphoi (drinking cups),oenochoe (wine jugs),baby milk bottles, beetles, lagynos(wine jugs), cooking utensils, pans, basins, prochoi (elegant pitchers), composite vessels, water pots, amphorae, reins, wine jars, lids for wine jars, implements evidence of the practice of weaving, etc. Based on dates noted in some inscriptions, the use of the Nymphaeum dates back to the Hellenistic Period and specifically between the years 225 – 218 BC.
It is noteworthy that the area is full of sherds.
LEFKOMIATIS
In the area where Aglantzia is located today, the settlement of Lefkomiatis existed during the medieval years. Very few remains are preserved from this period. After the conquest of Cyprus by the Ottomans, in 1571, the settlement declines. It begins to form an independent rural settlement at the end of the 18th century. The residents were engaged in agriculture, animal husbandry and quarrying.