Significant maritime links between Cape Drepanum of Paphos and South Palestine in the 6th century AD are attested by amphorae finds unearthed by the New York University team in the Maniki harbour, near Agios Georgios Pegeias, during the 2024 excavation period.
In a press release on Monday, the Department of Antiquities refers to the completion of the New York University’s Geronisos Island Expedition, excavations, survey and study at Agios Georgios Pegeias under the direction of Joan Breton Connelly, Professor of Classics at New York University.
It is noted that archaeological excavation was conducted at Maniki Harbour and on Yeronisos Island while archaeological survey was continued at the Meletis Necropolis.
It is pointed out that an international team of scholars and NYU students took part in the multi-disciplinary program of excavation, research, and publication. Dr. Theotokis Theodoulou, Head of the Cretan section of the Ephorate for Underwater Antiquities, Hellenic Ministry of Culture, and Dr. Alexandros Tourtas of University of the Aegean worked on the publication of their coastal, underwater, and aerial surveys of Maniki Harbor and Yeronisos Island.
This, the press release reads, includes exploration and documentation of some 3.5 kilometers of the Cape Drepanum coast from the Sea Caves at the south to the Aspros River at the north.
Dr. Theodoulou studied 8 stone anchors lifted from the sea floor in 2019 and 2022 together with the amphorae that have undergone desalination treatment at the Larnaca Museum. Dr. Tourtas began his comprehensive digitization project of all site and trench plans, integrating the terrestrial and underwater investigations undertaken by New York University.
It is further noted that the NYU team excavated two trenches at Maniki Harbour unearthing vast deposits of late Roman amphorae dumped at the water’s edge. Quantities of Late Roman 1 type amphorae of local Paphian manufacture were recovered, together with so-called ‘Palestinian bag-shaped amphorae’ and ‘Gaza Jars,’ attesting to significant maritime connections between Cape Drepanum and South Palestine in the 6th century AD.
Excavation in two small trenches atop Yeronisos, the press release adds, revealed significant walls from the late Ptolemaic period. Prof. Jolanta Mlynarczyk of the University of Warsaw processed and studied the Hellenistic and early Byzantine pottery found within these trenches.
Philip Ebeling of Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster continued his study of the abundant Hellenistic roof tiles recovered from Yeronisos in past seasons.
“Through careful mending of thousands of fragments, he has established the original dimensions of Laconian and Corinthian pan-tiles, as well as Corinthian cover-tiles,” the press release continues, noting that “importantly, these show widths of 53cm, the length of an Egyptian ell and the preferred unit of measurement during the Ptolemaic period.”
Architect Pieter Brouke, Professor of the History of Art and Architecture at Middlebury College, continued his study of the Geronisos architectural blocks and mouldings.
It is also noted that Dr. Mariusz Burdajewicz of the University of Warsaw completed his documentation of glass finds excavated by the NYU team in a late Hellenistic-Roman period tomb at Meletis in 2022 and 2023. Prof. Mlynarczyk continued her study of tomb’s pottery and oil lamps.
Dr. Marianna Dági, Head of Collections and Chief Curator of Antiquities, Museum of Fine Arts, Budapest, continued her study of metals from the tomb. At the Paphos Museum, she joined Dr. Thilo Rehren and Dr. Meghna Desai as they undertook hhXRF analysis of these metals in a new collaboration between the Cyprus Institute and New York University.
Also read: 5th century BC female figurine among archaeological discoveries
Source: CNA/ZSO/EPH
