Bronze Age Settlement and Richly Furnished Tombs Unearthed in Cyprus

Archaeologists in Cyprus have uncovered significant remains of a Bronze Age settlement and cemetery at Erimi-Laonin tou Porakou during the 2025 excavation season. The discoveries include a large central building, a northern gate, and richly furnished tombs dating to the end of the Middle Bronze Age.

Erimi as a key Bronze Age center

Erimi is considered one of the most important Middle Bronze Age sites in Cyprus. The settlement controlled access routes between the island’s interior and the southern coast, making it a strategic hub for trade, craft production, and cultural exchange.

Previous seasons at the site uncovered workshop complexes, domestic quarters, and pottery that illustrate the community’s role in regional networks.

An international team leads the work

The Italian Archaeological Mission, directed by Professor Luca Bombardieri, conducted the fieldwork with archaeologists, researchers, and students from Italy and Cyprus. Excavations ran from July 28 to August 22 with support from the University of Siena, the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Department of Antiquities.

The central building is uncovered on the hilltop

The team focused on three areas of the hilltop settlement and part of the southern necropolis. In Area A, south of a workshop complex, they revealed the ground plan of a central building with massive outer walls, covering about 220 square meters; a narrow east–west passage provided access.

Interior layout shows storage and a courtyard

Inside, a rectangular corridor, known as Sector 1, opened into a large courtyard, Sector 4. Both entrances featured monolithic thresholds that were misaligned, forming a diagonal route.

Six roofed rooms were identified along the east and west sides of the courtyard, but remain unexamined. To the south, Sector 8 served as a storage room containing pithoi and ceramic vessels, with more pottery scattered across the courtyard.

Northern gate and perimeter wall identified

At the northern edge of the hill, excavations completed the residential sector known as XIX, building on work from the 2023–2024 seasons. In nearby Area T7, archaeologists uncovered part of the settlement’s perimeter wall.

A stepped monolithic threshold and platform linked to the wall likely marked a northern gate, once connected to a path leading toward the Kouris River.

Cemetery reveals complex burial practices

Excavations also targeted Area E, a section of the southern necropolis outside the walls. Chamber Tomb T.901 and Chamber A of complex Tomb T.682 were investigated following signs of looting. These tombs revealed a complex funerary program, with grave goods dating to the settlement’s final phase in the late Middle Bronze Age.

The latest findings shed light on the architecture, defenses, and burial customs of Erimi-Laonin tou Porakou, strengthening its role as a key Bronze Age site on the island.