Conny Waters – AncientPages.com – An international team of archaeologists led by Professor Peter M. Fischer of the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, has unveiled three chamber tombs (the 14th century BC), pottery, tools, and personal adornments, offering invaluable insights into the burial customs practiced in the necropolis of the Late Cypriot city-port Dromolaxia-Vyzakia.
Egyptian scarab of ivory – 18th Dynasty, 16th/15th centuries BC. Source: Department of Antiquities, Deputy Ministry of Culture, Cyprus
The excavated necropolis is situated along the shore of Larnaca Salt Lake, near the mosque of Hala Sultan Tekke, and close to Larnaca International Airport.
The tombs unearthed during the excavation period from May to June 2024 provide significant insights into the international and long-distance interactions maintained by the settlement’s inhabitants. This is evident from the origin of the objects discovered in the tombs.
Egyptian scarab made of ivory, 18th Dynasty, 16th/15th centuries BC). Source: Department of Antiquities, Deputy Ministry of Culture, Cyprus
Dromolaxia-Vyzakia covered an area of at least 25 hectares and flourished from about 1630 BC to -1150 BC.
Based on surface discoveries and prior geophysical surveys, the excavations focused on Area A, which was identified as the city’s extra-urban cemetery. The team uncovered three chamber tombs—designated as Tombs ZZ, ABE, and ABW—which have been preliminarily dated to the 14th century BC.
The roofs of the chambers collapsed in antiquity, breaking some finds, but also sealing the burials and grave goods within a closed environment.
Thus, the tombs provide further insights into the funeral rites conducted at the site. This archaeological material also gives us knowledge that the inhabitants of the settlement had long-distance contacts.
Egyptian scarab made of ivory, 18th Dynasty, 16th/15th centuries BC). Source: Department of Antiquities, Deputy Ministry of Culture, Cyprus
In addition to the locally crafted pottery, tools, and personal adornments found within the tombs, there was an impressive collection of imported artifacts.
These items offer a fascinating glimpse into the extensive trade networks and cultural interactions of the time. Primarily, these imports originate from the Aegean region, encompassing Crete, the Greek mainland, and various Aegean islands.
However, the reach of these imports extends far beyond just the Aegean; they also include pieces from Egypt, Anatolia, and the Levantine coastlands, and others most probably from more distant countries.
Among the traded objects from the Aegean, archaeologists have unearthed high-quality pottery, such as the so-called “Chariot Kraters,” featuring painted decoration of warriors carrying weapons and standing in chariots drawn by two horses. Many of the Mycenaean ceramic vessels were imported from two sites in the Peloponnese – Berbati (primarily) and Tiryns, as indicated by the use of Neutron Activation Analysis.
Seated ‘bird-faced’ female figurine of Base-ring ware. Image credit: Department of Antiquities, Deputy Ministry of Culture, Cyprus
Other vessels originated from Crete and the Aegean islands., while ivory artifacts, hippopotamus bones, alabaster vessels, scarabs, and precious metals were imported from Egypt.
Some fascinating and unique this year’s findings, include a “bird-faced” ceramic figurine of a seated female. Other finds include two-cylinder seals: one is of haematite, and the other of bronze, an uncommon material for seal construction. Both are covered with incised motifs of humans, gods, humans, animals, and various symbols.
Large Mycenaean beaked jug (14th century BC). Image : Department of Antiquities, Deputy Ministry of Culture, Cyprus
Regarding burial customs, specific archaeological and historical contexts reveal a fascinating practice involving the deliberate and intentional arrangement of bones from earlier generations that were interred. The study of the skeletal remains is ongoing, and the estimation of the number of individuals, their gender, age at death, pathology, and trauma has to await further investigations. What is known is that the tombs contain the remains of newborn children, infants and young and “old” adults (over 40 years).
Accordingly, the average lifespan was quite low in this period.
The city-port Dromolaxia-Vyzakia flourished, which was mainly based on the production of copper and trade with near and distant cultures. Judging by the rich mortuary goods, the tombs belonged to families of the city’s ruling class who took part in the export of copper and intercultural trade. Further, the predilection of particular imports in some family tombs likely indicates the presence of specialised traders and/or immigrants.
The excavation was conducted by an international team led by Professor Peter Fischer from the University of Gothenburg. Alongside the excavations, which were attended by archaeologist Reiner Feldbacher and other members of the Swedish expedition, under the supervision of Professor Tereze Birge, who processed findings from both previous and recent excavation periods. Professor Sorin Hermon’s team from the Cyprus Institute, was also involved the mission.
Bioarchaeologists Professor Kirzi Lawrence, doctoral student Yuko Miyaucci, and The research teams at the Cyprus Institute provided expertise in the disclosure and recording of human remains, as well as in the creation of two-dimensional and three-dimensional representations of objects and the analysis of the material.
These findings are housed in the warehouses of the Archaeological Museum of Larnaca District.
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Written by Conny Waters – AncientPages.com Staff Writer
