New Bronze Age discoveries at Pyla Kokkinokremos excavations in Cyprus island

The Cyprus Department of Antiquities, Ministry of Transport, Communications and Works, announces that a fifth joint excavation campaign between the Universities of Ghent, Louvain and the Mediterranean Archaeological Society took place at Pyla-Kokkinokremos from the 27th of March until the 26th of May.The site of Pyla-Kokkinokremos represents a singularly short-lived settlement in the island’s Late Bronze Age history. Established only a generation or so prior to its eventual abandonment in the early 12th century BC, the site provides important evidence relating to the crucial period at the end of the 13th and the beginning of the 12th century BC. Former excavations suggest the entire plateau of ca. 7 ha to have been densely occupied. Excavated parts on the plateau were laid-out regularly within a perimeter ‘casemate’ wall. During the 2018 season excavations continued both on the west and east lobe in an effort to better discern the layout, organisation and functional specialisation of the settlement. 

Several rooms were partly or totally excavated in Sector 4. Their main characteristic is the great depth of deposit, in places up to 3 metres against the slope of the plateau. Specific stratigraphic details point to a natural disaster, possibly a seismic event, which led to the collapse of part of the plateau and the partial sealing of rooms built against it. The excavation of these rooms brought to light novel details suggesting a sudden and very quick departure of the inhabitants from the site, obviously in the face of acute danger.Therefore, in Room 8 ca. 100 loom weights, still unbaked and in the process of being made with raw strips of clay, were placed in a perishable container, possibly a basket with an oval shape, as their location on the bedrock suggests. The strips of clay were still malleable. It is the first time that such 12th century BC clay becomes available in considerable quantities, ideal for scientific investigation. Fragments of charcoal and burnt soil buried under the collapse of the plateau will provide important chronological details regarding the abandonment and partial destruction of some buildings.Further loom weights, fired this time, came to light in Rooms 15-16 suggesting the propable location of a loom.

The excavation continued in the partly investigated Rooms 25 and 43-37bin Sector 4.1. It became evident that these rooms continue further to the east, towards the centre of the west lobe of the plateau.

Five excavation seasons have resulted in the discovery of 34 spaces, built on three distinct terraces. Spaces 21-34 were excavated during the 2018 campaign. The architecture within this sector is remarkably well preserved, especially against the slope. So far, the remains of Sector 5 show no signs of a clear north-south external façade suggesting the presence of a casemate wall.Spaces 5.26 and 5.28 each seem to have held an outer (settlement) entrance which appears to have been closed off at some point in time. If so, the rock-cut shafts adjacent to the entrance in both these rooms might have belonged to a later phase, since they would not fit within the context of an entrance. Another major element in Space 5.26 is a large, well-cut, trapezoid ashlar block.Space 5.31 generated an ensemble of finds, namely three dozen chunks of ore neatly stacked within a rectangular surface alongside a complete pithos, a stone hammer and a ca. 2,5 kilo heavy lead block – denoting the use of this room as part of a metal workshop. Assemblages of bronze objects were unearthed in Spaces 5.2 (excavated in 2014) and 5.21. The latter yielded a concentration of more than 100 bronze fragments as well as a sickle, an arrowhead and earrings; presumably all these bronze objects had been collected in a vessel. Some other significant finds are a large stone tripod mortar or vessel (Space 5.25) and a bronze arrowhead, probably intentionally deposited within a crack in the bedrock floor (Space 5.28). 

Topographical survey

During the topographical survey of the Kokkinokremos hill a large, hitherto non-published limestone quarry was discovered (Fig. 3). Located immediately below the west lobe of the plateau on which the Late Bronze Age settlement is situated (Sector 4), the quarry extents over ca. 500 metres², with a width of 40 metres and a length between 15 to 24 metres. The exploitation, either by chisels or stone picks, is illustrated by the usual extraction channels (ca. 8 to 10 cm wide) in the rock along with several, unfinished regular blocks. No surface sherds were observed, hence further study is necessary to decide whether the quarry already dates to the Bronze Age or to the historical period occupation that is attested in the proximity. This said, several ashlar blocks were also noted on the surface of the Bronze Age site and some were either found reused in the walls or used as lintels.

New Bronze Age discoveries at Pyla Kokkinokremos excavations in Cyprus island

Archaeological dig in Kouklia reveals ancient rampart

Archaeological excavations taking part in the area of Ancient Paphos at Kouklia in 2016 have revealed, among others, an ancient rampart dating as far back as 6th century BC.

The Department of Antiquities of Cyprus has announced the completion of the University of Cyprus 2016 field project in the economic-administrative citadel of Ancient Paphos at Kouklia, under the direction of Professor Maria Iacovou. 

The 2016 excavations were conducted in two phases between May and October on the plateau (citadel) of Hadjiabdoulla, which houses an extensive storage-plus-industrial complex of the Cypro-Classical period, and on the nearby impressive man-made mount of Laona, the press release says.

Both monuments were unknown prior to the initiation of the Palaepaphos landscape analysis project (2006-2016) by Professor Maria Iacovou.

It is thought that the plateau of Hadjiabdoulla, located east of the sanctuary of Aphrodite, functioned "as the centre of the royal dynasty that ruled the city-state of Paphos until the end of the 4th century BC.”

The stone-built complex under investigation extends over 65 m. along the plateau’s northern edge.

"It consists of stepped terraces built down the slope; it is subdivided into production and storage units by means of long cross-walls and parallel retaining walls,” the press release reads.

It is further explained that as of 2016, field methods were modified in order to ensure the collection and state-of-the-art analyses of sensitive palaeo-environment data from the workrooms and industrial units sealed under collapsed walls and roof materials in the middle wing.

"This new approach has been successfully initiated thanks to the effective collaboration developed with the specialized Wiener Laboratory of the American School of Classical Studies in Athens,” it says.

"Samples were taken for micro-morphological studies, and mud-brick, wall plasters, phytolith and starch analyses, while the students were trained in the selection process of bio-data by palaeo-botanist Anayia Sarpaki and anthracologist Maria Ntinou,” the press release adds.

Besides agricultural products such as olives, grapes and wheat, whose handling and storage in the complex is now confirmed, the excavation team has come across "a surprising discovery of primary significance for the economy of the ancient polity: a thick layer of crushed murex shells was found lying on the floor of one of the units.”

"It is the first time that archaeological data confirm the production of this precious and expensive purple dye, produced from murex shells, in Cyprus,” it is noted.

In 2012, geological and archaeological investigations conducted within the framework of the Palaepaphos project confirmed that the Laona mount, situated 75 m. north of the Hadjiabdoulla complex, is a man-made tumulus measuring 100 x 60 m.

"Its summit rises to 114.20 m. above sea level, almost 10 m. above the natural hillock,” the press release says.

The tumulus is a mortuary monument built in order to preserve the memory of renowned individuals, but it is extremely rare in ancient Cyprus.

"This and its unusual construction of thick horizontal layers of marl alternating with layers of red soil, make the Laona tumulus a special, if not unique, monument in the Cypriot landscape,” it adds.

Contrary to the red soil, which could be collected from the surrounding surfaces, marl had to be quarried from its geological environment, and then transported to where the mount was raised.

It has been estimated that the construction of the tumulus required 9.888 cubic m. of marl and red soil.

The ceramic material collected from the red soil layers allows us to suggest that the tumulus was erected in the 3rd century BC. It is, therefore, likely that this labour demanding monument, was related to the political program of the Ptolemies, the press release notes.

Ptolemy Soter had taken over Cyprus at the start of the 3rd century BC and had proceeded to eliminate the island’s autonomous city-kingdoms.

At the same time investigations carried out in the south-east quarter of the mount "revealed a much older monument that had been preserved under the layers of marl.”

"It is a rampart running north-south, so far excavated to a length of 42.5 m. Two staircases facing each other, whose state of preservation is so far unparalleled, must have been leading to towers,” the press release says.

The rampart was founded at 107,20 m. above sea level; its northern section, which rises to 112 m., is preserved to a height of 5 m.

It is explained however that "since the inner face is made of layer upon layer of mudbricks which, when exposed, deteriorate fast, the excavators decided to uncover only a small section.”

"The ceramic material isolated in the foundation trench between the two staircases suggests that the rampart was constructed late in the 6th century BC, probably towards the end of the Cypro-Archaic period,” it is added.

Due to the sensitive character of the excavated materials, the Department of Antiquities has applied preventive preservation and protection measures that have rendered the staircases and the mudbrick walls invisible.

Archaeological dig in Kouklia reveals ancient rampart

A rare mosaic depicting a horse race has been uncovered at a 4th-century villa in Cyprus.

Archaeologists at Akaki, about 20 miles from the Cypriot capital of Nicosia, have uncovered a rare mosaic depicting a horse-racing venue known as a hippodrome.

The work, one of fewer than 10 extant ancient mosaics on the subject in the world, was likely part of a lavish villa from the fourth century A.D., when the Romans controlled Cyprus.

The villa site so far measures more than 36 feet long and 13 feet wide, though it may well be much larger. Although horse races were some of the most important spectacles staged by the emperor, they are an especially unusual artistic subject in the eastern Mediterranean. Notably, above each four-wheeled chariot are inscribed two names, which Cyprus Department of Antiquities archaeologist Fryni Hadjichristofi believes belong to the charioteer and one of the horses.

A rare mosaic depicting a horse race has been uncovered at a 4th-century villa in Cyprus.