Larnaca: Surface material from the Late Roman period has been uncovered across the Larnaca Salt Lake landscape during the 2025 field campaign of the Hala Sultan Tekke Hinterland Project.
According to Cyprus News Agency, the Department of Antiquities announced in a press release on Monday that the campaign included a three-week field season conducted in October and November. This research was carried out in the wider landscape surrounding the Late Bronze Age urban center of Hala Sultan Tekke, located in the Larnaca District. The project, which began in 2021, is led by Prof. Dr. Ralf Vandam, Dr. Jan Coenaerts, and Prof. Karin Nys from Vrije Universiteit Brussel, in collaboration with international partners.
The press release highlighted that the Autumn 2025 campaign integrated a systematic archaeological surface survey with an extensive geophysical prospection program. The goal was to enhance the understanding of settlement organization, land use, and activity zones in the Larnaca area. The archaeological survey documented surface material throughout the Larnaca Salt Lake landscape and the Pyrga region, which improved the chronological and functional interpretation of known sites and identified new areas for further exploration.
Previous research in Pyrga documented numerous copper-slag heaps. Dense concentrations of Late Roman material were recorded at various locations near these heaps, suggesting the existence of a Late Roman production landscape. In 2024, a ground-penetrating radar survey was conducted in collaboration with The University of Cyprus under the direction of Prof. A. Sarris.
In 2025, a large-scale magnetometric survey covering approximately 8,000 m² was undertaken by Dr. I. Medaric from the University of Ljubljana and University of Zurich. High-resolution magnetometry revealed a complex pattern of subsurface anomalies, including linear features, clusters of strongly magnetized zones, and spatially organized concentrations indicative of human activity.
Several anomalies align with features potentially related to metallurgical installations, slag deposits, and associated infrastructure, while others may reflect geological formations characteristic of the wider region.
The results of the 2025 campaign significantly enhance the spatial understanding of activity areas in the hinterland of Hala Sultan Tekke, providing a solid foundation for future targeted excavation and interdisciplinary research.