Archaeologists in Cyprus have wrapped up a new excavation season at a Bronze Age complex near the village of Erimi, uncovering fresh details about a large central building and a cluster of chamber tombs south of the ancient settlement.
Cyprus’ Department of Antiquities, under the Deputy Ministry of Culture, announced the end of the 2026 dig at Erimi-Laonin tou Porakou this week. The excavation ran from July 27 to August 21 and was carried out by a team of archaeologists, researchers and students from Italy and Cyprus.
Professor Luca Bombardieri of the University of Siena directed the scientific work as part of a research program run by the university in cooperation with the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and the Cypriot Department of Antiquities.
Central building’s footprint and courtyard take shape
This year’s work concentrated on the hilltop area, where the large central building stands, along with a section of the southern burial ground. The building’s outer limits have now been fully exposed south of a textile-processing area. It covers roughly 250 square meters (2,691 square feet) and is enclosed by thick perimeter walls, with access provided through a narrow east-west passage.
Inside, researchers mapped a layout centered on a narrow entrance corridor with two unevenly placed stone thresholds, creating an angled path into a central courtyard. Six rooms arranged symmetrically on the courtyard’s east and west sides have now been fully excavated.
Only one room on the eastern side connects directly to the courtyard, through an entrance with a wide threshold. Carved lines on its surface identify it as a “senet” game board. The same room contains a deep underground storage pit estimated to hold about 2.8 cubic meters (98.9 cubic feet).
Older foundations and tombs reveal layers of the Bronze Age complex in Cyprus
An earlier building phase was found beneath the southern wing, featuring thicker walls, an elongated plan and a different orientation.
The later structure appears to have reused these older foundations, adding a staircase that once led to an upper floor and to three adjoining rooms on the west side. To the east, an open area likely held light wooden structures, marked by post holes, along with a separate residential building.
South of the settlement walls, researchers also examined part of a necropolis, fully excavating three chamber tombs reached by vertical shafts. One tomb, notable for its layout, includes a rear bench and a second chamber connected through an internal doorway.
Researchers say the tombs date to the final phase of settlement at the end of the Middle Bronze Age. The find adds further evidence about daily life at the site.
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