Royal tombs full of precious artifacts found in Cyprus (photos)
Archaeologists from the University of Gothenburg have found royal tombs near the town of Dromolaxia, located in Hala Sultan Tekke on the southeastern coast of Cyprus. The tombs, which date back to 1500-1300 BC, are considered to be among the richest ever discovered finds in the Mediterranean region.
Professor Peter Fischer from the University of Gothenburg said that there is reason to believe that these tombs belonged to kings, although information about the form of government of the city at that time is still quite limited.
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The place where the tombs were discovered was found using magnetometers that detect magnetic anomalies. Comparison of the magnetometer map with the area where the broken ceramics were located revealed large cavities at a depth of one to two meters. This prompted archaeologists to conduct research that led to the discovery of the tombs.
The tombs consist of underground chambers measuring up to 4 by 5 meters each, accessed by a narrow passageway from the surface. Inside, the team of archaeologists found more than 500 complete artifacts, including precious metals, gemstones, bronze weapons, ivory, high-quality ceramics and a gold-rimmed haematite seal.
About half of the artifacts found were imported from neighboring cultures and civilizations. Gold and ivory came from Egypt, gemstones were imported from Afghanistan, India and Sinai, while amber objects came from the Baltics.
The excavations also uncovered several well-preserved skeletons, including the burial of a woman who was surrounded by dozens of ceramic vessels, jewelry, and a round bronze mirror.
According to Prof. Fisher, several individuals, both men and women, wore tiaras and had necklaces with pendants of the highest quality, probably made in Egypt during the reign of 18th Dynasty pharaohs such as Thutmose III, Amenophis IV (Akhenaton) and his wife Nefertiti.
This exciting archaeological discovery will bring a lot of new knowledge about the history and culture of that period in Cyprus and the Mediterranean region. Scientists are continuing their research and expect that additional findings will expand our understanding of this ancient civilization.
Earlier in Turkey, archaeologists found a three-room Urartian tomb with a place for sacrifices .
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