Larnaca: Two chamber tombs, dating to the Late Bronze Age (14th century BC), were revealed by excavations carried out during May and June 2025 at the extraurban cemetery of the Late Bronze Age harbour city of Dromolaxia-Vyzakia (Hala Sultan Tekke) (Area A) under the direction of Professor Peter M. Fischer of the University of Gothenburg in Sweden.
According to Cyprus News Agency, the Department of Antiquities said in a press release that "Hala Sultan Tekke, a thriving urban centre covering at least 25 hectares, was established around 1650/30 BC during the transition from the Middle to the Late Bronze Age. It prospered for nearly five centuries before being destroyed and abandoned around 1150 BC."
The 2025 fieldwork focused on Area A, guided by prior geophysical surveys and surface finds. Excavations revealed man-made structures affected by erosion and agriculture, including a long-abandoned well and two chamber tombs dating to approximately the 14th century BC. A modern borehole adjacent to the ancient well confirmed high salinity in the groundwater (at c. 10 m from surface), likely contributing to the well's abandonment even in antiquity. "The chamber tombs, whose roofs had collapsed in ancient times, preserved valuable archaeological contexts. Though some objects were damaged, the collapse effectively sealed the tombs, protecting their contents and enabling the team to gain critical insights into Late Bronze Age funerary customs," the press release added.
Excavation was assisted by Dr. Rainer Feldbacher and members of the Swedish mission. Artefacts from both past and current campaigns were processed by Professor Teresa Brge in the storerooms of the Archaeological Museum of the Larnaka District. The mission also benefited from the expertise of bioarchaeologists Professor Kirsi Lorentz and Dr. Yuko Miyauchi (Cyprus Institute) for the excavation and recording of human remains. Professor Sorin Hermon and his team from the same institute supported 2D and 3D documentation and material analysis.
"The tombs yielded a wealth of artefacts, including finely crafted local pottery, tools, and personal adornments. Of note is the impressive range of imported goods, which attest to Hala Sultan Tekke's active participation in long-distance trade networks," the Department of Antiquities said. Luxury ceramics arrived from the Greek mainland (predominantly Berbati and Tiryns), Crete, and other Aegean islands, while Egypt contributed objects made of ivory and high-quality calcite (alabaster) vessels. Additional imports include the deep-blue semi-precious stone lapis lazuli from Afghanistan (the Sar i-Sang mine), the brownish-red carnelian from India (the Gujarat mine), and amber (some shaped into beads and even a scarab) from the Baltic region. "These exotic items likely reached Cyprus via complex trade routes, often involving intermediary cultures such as the Mycenaean, Egyptian, and Mesopotamian," the Department noted.
Pottery from Sardinia's Nuragic culture echoes previously documented exchanges in which Cypriot copper ingots, specifically oxhide ingots, reached Sardinia, highlighting Cyprus's pivotal role in the Bronze Age Mediterranean trade. "The city's wealth was underpinned by its production and export of copper. Evidence of copper-working activities, including slag heaps, ore, furnaces, and crucibles, confirms extensive intraurban metallurgy. Raw materials from the Troodos Mountains were processed locally and shipped through Hala Sultan Tekke's well-protected harbour, making the city popular for traders from across the Mediterranean and beyond, particularly from the mid-15th to the end of the 13th century BC," the press release said.
"The tombs at Hala Sultan Tekke offer remarkable insights into the burial customs and social organization of the region's ancient inhabitants. Stratigraphic evidence shows that these tombs were reused over several generations, with earlier human remains often carefully repositioned to make space for new interments. This intentional reuse reflects a strong sense of familial continuity and kinship ties," the Department of Antiquities pointed out. "The tombs' extended use, often spanning more than a century, has created a helpful stratigraphy. In particular, the stratified distribution of grave goods, especially pottery, is essential in refining the site's chronology. Ongoing analysis of the human remains, including ancient DNA studies, is expected to further illuminate kinship patterns within the tombs, as well as demography, health, and lifestyles of the city's ancient population. Preliminary findings show that the tombs include individuals of all ages, from newborns to adults, rarely over 40, reflecting a low average life expectancy consistent with the period," the Department noted.
"In summary, the discoveries at Hala Sultan Tekke reaffirm the city's significance as a major Late Bronze Age economic and cultural hub. The rich assemblage of imported goods and sophisticated local artefacts found in the tombs suggests they belonged to elite families engaged in copper export and international trade. Preferences for certain foreign goods within specific tombs may even hint at specialised trade roles or the presence of immigrant communities within the city," the press release concluded.