In the frame of the Research Project Sacred, Public or Private Buildings? Ambiguous sites and structures in the Early Cyclades, a strict methodology has been adopted, aiming at deciphering the “character” of a number of buildings. The adopted methodology has been based on the detailed documentation of the architectural remains and the related finds. In the former case, the photogrammetry of the buildings, including ground plans and wall sections, has been combined with a structural analysis mainly involving the descriptive representation of the architectural remains and the examination of the techniques and materials used during the construction process. The various types of finds from each building have not been only classified according to their types, but an emphasis has been placed on their spatial distribution revealed through the use of the Geographic Information System (GIS). On this basis, a synthetic study both of the architectural remains and of the artefacts in their original context was possible, elucidating the function of the selected buildings and their components. At the same time, a list of material correlates was created to provide a basis as secure as possible for designating each building’s “character”.

The last decade marked a fruitful period for the archaeology of the Cyclades. The initiation and continuation of excavations, surveys, and archaeological projects on a number of the islands, initiated by the Ephorate of Antiquities of the Cyclades of the Hellenic Ministry of Culture, the foreign schools (EfA, AAIA, NIA), and Greek universities (University of Athens and of Thessaly) offered new valuable evidence for the Cycladic history from the Early Iron Age to the Hellenistic era. New data for the Early Iron Age have emerged on Andros (Zagora), Kythnos, and Despotiko. Excavations enlightened the form and components of the poleis during the Classical and Hellenistic periods (Palaiopolis, Vryokastro), revealed parts of cemeteries (Tenos, Seriphos, Paros, Naxos), and enriched our knowledge on island cultic life from the Geometric period onwards (Vryokastraki, Siphnos, Despotiko). The underwater surveys and excavations (Kythnos, Delos, Naxos) form one of the most interesting aspects of recent archaeological work in the Cyclades, elucidating the maritime landscape and the operating trading networks.