Abstract

This volume stands as a testimony to the significance of the central north coast of Cyprus during the Early and Middle Bronze Age and the importance of archaeological work undertaken in this area prior to the Turkish invasion of the island in 1974. The 19 tomb chambers published here were uncovered at a locality identified as Sotira during levelling operations for the construction of a new coastal road north of the modern village of Lapithos and excavated under rescue conditions by Mr Antonis Christodoulou for the Department of Antiquities of Cyprus in 1968 and 1969. They lie over 1000m to the east of the easternmost tombs excavated at locality Vrysi tou Barba (see SIMA Volumes 148 and 152) and may belong to a separate burial complex. In total 255 pottery vessels, 47 metal artefacts, five whetstones, a spindle whorl and a necklace of faience beads were inventoried. The majority of tombs contained only Red Polished ware and date to the Early Bronze Age, contemporary with or possibly in some cases predating the earliest tombs at Vrysi tou Barba. The final use of one tomb, however, may be assigned to the Middle Bronze Age. It contained a rare imported Anatolian Plain Ware jug. Other certain or likely extra-island products from the site include an embossed silver ornament imported as metal or as a finished object, a necklace of faience beads and a needle with wrap-over head, the latter either an import or a north coast imitation of an Anatolian type.

The volume begins with a presentation of the site, its setting and the archival record, moves on to a description of the tombs and their contents, the latter illustrated by both line drawings and colour photographs, and concludes with a detailed discussion of tomb form and structure, the ceramic and metal assemblages, chronology and external connections.