Rare bronze age tomb found in Xylotymbou

ARCHAEOLOGISTS have found a rare and unlooted 3,500-year-old Bronze Age tomb at Xylotymbou on the Dhekelia British base, complete with artifacts and human skeletons.

“It’s rather important because it dates from a transitional period,” said senior archaeological officer Pavlos Flourentzos.

According to a British bases statement, the discovery was made two days ago by two workmen constructing a slurry lagoon at Xylotymbou village.

The bases informed the Antiquities Department, and inspectors began excavations immediately. Experts estimated that the untouched tomb, which consisted of two chambers, dated from between 1,400BC and 1,600BC

A total of 156 objects were found, including bronze items, necklace beads and several types of pottery. Fifteen human skeletons were also unearthed from the tomb, which was made from “havara” soil, indicating that after it was dug, the tomb was filled and flattened, the bases statement said.

“Everything has now been removed,” said bases spokesman Rob Need. “Now they are going to bulldoze the site because it is not stable.”

Flourentzos said what made the site rare was both the period it dated from and the fact that it was unlooted.

He said it was usual to find either Middle Bronze Age sites or Late Bronze Age sites. “It is rare to find a tomb from the transitional period,” he said. “And usually the condition of these tombs is not good.”

He said there was nothing unusual in finding several skeletons in the same tomb. “They were family tombs,” he said.

The items are being examined by experts at Larnaca Museum, Flourentzos said.