Through a recent excavation at Kouklia-Martsello in Palaepaphos, Cyprus, scientists have unearthed an ancient inscription in the Cypriot syllabary. The inscription was carved onto a wall that dates back to the Cypro-Archaic period between 750 and 480 B.C.
This discovery was the landmark achievement of the fourth excavation period for 2024 at the site, as The Department of Antiquities of the Deputy Ministry of Culture announced its completion.
The excavation was funded by the Department of History and Archaeology of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA). Additionally, it is worth noting that the excavation was carried out by a team of 12 undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral students.
The site at which the inscription was unearthed in Cyprus has been investigated for almost a century
The Martsello excavation site has been investigated by various missions for almost a century. The site was first investigated by British archaeologists between 1950 and 1955, followed by a German-Swiss archaeological mission that investigated the site on three different occasions.
The first one was between 1966 to 1973, the second was in 1985, and the final excavation for this mission took place between 1992 and 1995. The most recent excavation prior to the 2024 excavation was carried out by the University of Cyprus between 2006 and 2008.
These excavations uncovered a massive wall that spanned 168 meters, but its meticulous excavation had remained stagnant, as it was never completed.
Initially, the 2024 excavation focused on exploring a tunnel that crossed the wall at a depth of 2.3 meters. The excavation will most likely provide researchers with a better understanding of the wall’s geology and could potentially allow them to date some of the wall’s later phases.
New findings would support the theory that the wall underwent repairs during the Cypro-Archaic period
One of the most popular theories that have been brought forward regarding the findings at the Marstello site is that the wall underwent repairs during both the Cypro-Archaic and Cypro-Classical periods.
In contrast, as of right now, dating the tunnels has not been possible, though they are thought to have been built between 499 to 498 BCE during the siege of Palaepaphos. Additionally, based on newly unearthed evidence, experts have also found a monument north of the wall, which is now thought to be a religious site rather than a fortification system.
Evidence suggests the structure was built during the 12th and 11th centuries BCE and was abandoned during the Cypro-Geometric period between 1050-750 BCE. Researchers have theorized the structure was repaired during the Cypro-Archaic period in the 6th century BCE.
This excavation mission is being carried out by the NKUA in cooperation with the University of Cyprus, and the fifth excavation period is scheduled for 2025.