Project Manager
Peter FischerProject manager
Association of Friends of the Swedish Cyprus ExpeditionAmount granted
250 000 SEKYear
2022
The project intends to continue in the coming years the study of interregional contacts during the Bronze Age of Europe and neighboring cultures (ca. 1630-1150 BC). This will be done through the Söderberg expedition's excavations in the Cypriot trading metropolis of Hala Sultan Tekke.
In recent years, work has concentrated on the burial site which is exposed to destruction by agriculture and looting. Exploration with georadar and magnetometer shows that many tombs are only a few centimeters below the surface and are thus highly exposed. Based on the geophysical survey results, the most vulnerable graves will be located and carefully documented during the excavation.
One example is Tomb UU from the 15th century BC, which was discovered in spring 2022 when it was partially exposed by the plow. So far, 20 individuals and 141 complete objects, many of which were imported, have been found. The imports indicate extensive interregional contacts, which is in line with the main objective of the project. Currently, the expedition can report imported objects from the cemetery that confirm contacts with areas from Sardinia to Afghanistan and from the Baltic Sea to Nubia. The results have been reported in the international media.
As only a very limited part of the tomb could be uncovered in 2022, the excavation will continue in the coming seasons. In addition to advanced excavation techniques, sophisticated scientific analysis methods are also used.