3 September 2025 The Future is the Product of the Past

Archaeologists Discovered a Fragmentary Inscription in Cypriot Syllabary Found Dating to the Cypro-Archaic Period

During excavations at Palaepaphos, located within the municipal boundaries of the modern village of Kouklia-Martsello on the southwest coast of Cyprus, archaeologists have discovered an ancient inscription in the Cypriot syllabary.

After the kingdom’s capital was moved to Nea Paphos, about 15 kilometers to the west, in the fourth century BC, the city came to be known as Palaepaphos. The location served as the seat of the city-kingdom of Paphos during the Iron Age and as the urban and administrative hub of the regional polity during the Late Bronze Age.

The inscription was carved onto a wall that dates back to the Cypro-Archaic period between 750 and 480 B.C. The discovery has generated a lot of interest and anticipation for more information from the inscription’s analysis.

The Cypriot syllabary is believed to have evolved from Linear A and was used in Cyprus between 1500 and 300 BC. The earliest inscriptions, which date from between 1500 and 1200 BC, are written in a script known as Cypro-Minoan and are in an unidentified language known as “Eteo-Cypriot” or “True Cypriot.” As a result of Alexander the Great’s programme of Hellinization the Cypriot script was eventually replaced by the Greek alphabet during the 4th century BC.

The site has been previously investigated by British archaeologists (1950-55) and a German-Swiss archaeological mission (1966-73, 1985, 1992-95), as well as more recently by the University of Cyprus (2006-08).

Palaepaphos. Image Credit: Department of Antiquities of Cyprus

Earlier research uncovered part of a monumental wall spanning 168 meters, though its excavation remained incomplete. However, the dating and purpose of the wall remain unresolved.

The 2024 excavation concentrated on a monument located north of an impressive P-shaped wall at the site, oriented towards the sea. Initially believed to be part of a fortification serving as a defensive tower, recent excavations suggest the structure is likely separate and of a devotional nature.

New findings suggest the structure was built during the 12th and 11th centuries BCE and was abandoned during the Cypro-Geometric period between 1050 and 750 BCE. Researchers think the structure was repaired during the Cypro-Archaic period in the 6th century BCE.

In 2023, two ship engravings were discovered on the exterior of this structure, similar to vessel depictions found at Kition. In 2024, an additional, incomplete ship engraving was discovered.

During the 2024 excavation season, the focus was on exploring a tunnel cutting through the wall at a depth of 2.3 meters. The function of these tunnels remains enigmatic, though one hypothesis posits they were constructed around 499/498 BC during the Persian siege of Palaepaphos. The careful excavation provided a better understanding of the stratigraphy and dating of the wall’s later phases.

The NKUA research is being conducted in close cooperation with the University of Cyprus’ Palaipaphos Urban Landscape Project, directed by Professor Maria Lakovou. The fifth annual NKUA mission is scheduled for 2025.

Cover Image Credit: Department of Antiquities of Cyprus / Archaeological Research Unit UCY.

Related Articles

3,000-year-old Drill Bit Workshop Unearthed in Vietnam’s

13 May 2021

13 May 2021

According to the provincial museum, an ancient drill bit workshop dating back more than 3,000 years has been discovered at...

A 2000-year-old Rare Artifact was Found Near Poltava

25 May 2021

25 May 2021

Scarab beetle pendant found near the Ukrainian city of Poltava. During the building of the H-31 motorway in the Poltava...

Are the skeletons found in the restoration of the Bukoleon Palace the victims of the Crusader army massacre in Constantinople?

29 November 2021

29 November 2021

It is thought that the 7 skeletons messy found in the Bukoleon Palace excavations may be the victims of the...

Ancient Egyptian silos and administrative buildings uncovered at Kom Ombo in Egypt’s Aswan

6 March 2022

6 March 2022

The Egyptian-Austrian archaeological mission working in the Temple of Kom Ombo in Egypt’s southern province of Aswan unearthed an administrative...

Underwater Archaeologists Discover a 7,000-Year-Old Road in Croatia

8 May 2023

8 May 2023

A team of underwater archaeologists from the University of Zadar has discovered the sunken ruins of a 7,000-year-old road that...

Serbian Archaeologists Unearth Roman Triumphal Arch Dedicated to Emperor Caracalla

24 January 2024

24 January 2024

Archaeologists in Serbia have unearthed an ancient Roman triumphal arch dating back to the third century at Viminacium, a Roman...

6000-Year-Old Salt Production House Rewrites Europe’s History

31 March 2021

31 March 2021

Archaeologists in the UK have found an ancient stone age-era salt-production house in North Yorkshire, estimated to be older even...

An 800-meter-long colonnaded street from the Roman period discovered in Türkiye’s famous holiday resort Antalya

18 April 2024

18 April 2024

During the archaeological excavations in Hıdırlık Tower, one of the historical symbols of Antalya, the famous holiday resort in the...

The Oldest Known Carvel-Built Shipwreck in the Nordic Region Found

6 March 2025

6 March 2025

Maritime archaeologists from the Museum of Wrecks (Vrak) in Stockholm have made a groundbreaking discovery off the coast of Sweden:...

7.5 Million Annual Elephant Skulls Fossil Were Found in Turkey “Choerolophodon Pentelic”

17 March 2021

17 March 2021

A complete skull fossil from 7.5 million years ago was discovered on the bank of the Yamula Dam in the...

Archaeologists reconstructing how the Assyrian army conquered the ancient Judean city of Lachish 2700 years ago

9 November 2021

9 November 2021

Archaeologists discovered how King Sennacherib’s soldiers constructed the huge siege ramp that enabled them to defeat the Lachish city 2,700...

In Poland, a 45-meter-long mysterious tunnel found under the ruins of the Saxon Palace

9 September 2023

9 September 2023

A mysterious underground tunnel was found under the ruins of the Saski Palace in Pilsudski Square in Warsaw, the capital...

Archaeologists uncovered largest Bronze Age burial site of Nitra culture in Czech Republic

19 October 2024

19 October 2024

Archaeologists have uncovered the Nitra culture’s largest Bronze Age burial site near Olomouc in Central Moravia, during their rescue research...

Rare Viking Armlet and 2,000-Year-Old Golden Neck Ring Discovered in Sweden

20 March 2025

20 March 2025

Recently, two extraordinary archaeological finds have captivated the attention of historians and enthusiasts alike in Sweden. The first discovery, an...

Archaeologists in Egypt unearth Roman-era cabin and royal sphinx statue

6 March 2023

6 March 2023

An Egyptian archaeological mission discovered a sphinx statue inside a Roman-era limestone cabin excavated in Egypt’s south. The artifacts were...