Two Bronze Age chamber tombs containing luxurious items have been found in Larnaca on the south coast of Cyprus. The objects have been imported from everywhere in the Mediterranean and illustrates the relationships between the elite households and the commerce networks of the traditional metropolis.
The traditional metropolis of Dromolaxia-Vyzakia, also called Hala Sultan Tekke after a close-by mosque, was based round 1650 B.C. on the shore of Larnaca Salt Lake, which at the moment was open to the Mediterranean. Town flourished as producer of copper, reaching its biggest extent within the twelfth century B.C. with a inhabitants of 11,000. Metalworkers sourced uncooked supplies regionally from the Troodos Mountains after which exported the processed copper through transport within the metropolis’s protected harbor. It was a magnet for merchants throughout the Mediterranean. Town was destroyed by hearth and completely deserted in round 1150 B.C.
The 2025 fieldwork season targeted on a bit of the extraurban cemetery of the traditional website. Archaeologists unearthed two chamber tombs relationship to the 14th century B.C. The ceilings had collapsed in antiquity damaging a few of the grave items, however a lot of them survived, they usually attest to the huge attain of Dromolaxia-Vyzakia’s commerce networks.
The tombs yielded a wealth of artefacts, together with finely crafted native pottery, instruments, and private adornments. Of specific significance is the spectacular vary of imported items, which attest to Hala Sultan Tekke’s energetic participation in long-distance commerce networks. Luxurious ceramics arrived from the Greek mainland (predominantly Berbati and Tiryns), Crete and different Aegean islands, whereas Egypt contributed objects product of ivory and high-quality calcite (alabaster) vessels. Further imports embrace the deep-blue semi-precious stone lapis lazuli from Afghanistan (the Sar i-Sang mine), the reddish-brown carnelian from India (the Gujarat mine), and amber (some formed into beads and even a scarab) from the Baltic area. These unique objects possible reached Cyprus through complicated commerce routes, typically involving middleman cultures such because the Mycenaean, Egyptian and Mesopotamian.
Pottery from Sardinia’s Nuragic tradition echoes beforehand documented exchanges through which Cypriot copper ingots, particularly oxhide ingots, reached Sardinia, highlighting Cyprus’ pivotal position within the Bronze Age Mediterranean commerce.
The tombs contained human stays from a number of generations over a century of use. Older bones present proof of getting been fastidiously moved to make room for brand new burials. They have been possible household tombs, and the human stays are presently present process DNA evaluation to elucidate any kinship ties between the deceased. Preliminary evaluation of the osteological stays discovered people ranged in age from new child to grownup, however only a few of them have been older than 40, indicating a low common life expectancy even in such a affluent city.
In abstract, the discoveries at Hala Sultan Tekke reaffirm town’s significance as a significant Late Bronze Age financial and cultural hub. The wealthy assemblage of imported items and complex native artefacts discovered within the tombs suggests they belonged to elite households engaged in copper export and worldwide commerce. Preferences for sure overseas items inside particular tombs might even trace at specialised commerce roles or the presence of migrant communities throughout the metropolis.
