Bronze Age tombs with luxury imported goods found in Cyprus

Two Bronze Age chamber tombs containing luxury goods have been discovered in Larnaca on the south coast of Cyprus. The objects were imported from all over the Mediterranean and illustrates the relationships between the elite families and the trade networks of the ancient city.

The ancient city of Dromolaxia-Vyzakia, also known as Hala Sultan Tekke after a nearby mosque, was founded around 1650 B.C. on the shore of Larnaca Salt Lake, which at that time was open to the Mediterranean. The city flourished as producer of copper, reaching its greatest extent in the 12th century B.C. with a population of 11,000. Metalworkers sourced raw materials locally from the Troodos Mountains and then exported the processed copper via shipping in the city’s protected harbor. It was a magnet for traders across the Mediterranean. The city was destroyed by fire and permanently abandoned in around 1150 B.C.

The 2025 fieldwork season focused on a section of the extraurban cemetery of the ancient site. Archaeologists unearthed two chamber tombs dating to the 14th century B.C. The ceilings had collapsed in antiquity damaging some of the grave goods, but much of them survived, and they attest to the vast reach of Dromolaxia-Vyzakia’s trade networks.

The tombs yielded a wealth of artefacts, including finely crafted local pottery, tools, and personal adornments. Of particular importance is the impressive range of imported goods, which attest to Hala Sultan Tekke’s active participation in long-distance trade networks. 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 reddish-brown 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.

Pottery from Sardinia’s Nuragic culture echoes previously documented exchanges in which Cypriot copper ingots, specifically oxhide ingots, reached Sardinia, highlighting Cyprus’ pivotal role in the Bronze Age Mediterranean trade.

The tombs contained human remains from multiple generations over a century of use. Older bones show evidence of having been carefully moved to make room for new burials. They were likely family tombs, and the human remains are currently undergoing DNA analysis to elucidate any kinship ties between the deceased. Preliminary analysis of the osteological remains found individuals ranged in age from newborn to adult, but very few of them were older than 40, indicating a low average life expectancy even in such a prosperous town.

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 migrant communities within the city.

* This article was originally published here