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In the summer of 2024, an excavation led by New York University at Maniki Harbour, near Agios Georgios Pegeias in Paphos, uncovered significant evidence of maritime trade connections between Cyprus and South Palestine in the 6th century AD. The NYU team, directed by Professor Joan Breton Connelly, discovered a large number of amphorae—ancient storage vessels—during their dig, shedding light on the area's historical role in maritime commerce.
The team focused on excavations at both Maniki Harbour and Yeronisos Island, while continuing research at the nearby Meletis Necropolis. The findings are part of a broader, multi-disciplinary project that involved international scholars, including Dr. Theotokis Theodoulou from Greece and Dr. Alexandros Tourtas from the University of the Aegean. Their work combined land, underwater, and aerial surveys of the area, covering a 3.5-kilometer stretch of coastline, from the Sea Caves in the south to the Aspros River in the north.
One of the key discoveries at Maniki Harbour was a large deposit of late Roman amphorae, which included both local Paphian amphorae and imports from South Palestine, such as the distinctive ‘Palestinian bag-shaped amphorae’ and ‘Gaza Jars.’ These finds indicate strong maritime links between Cape Drepanum (located in Paphos) and South Palestine during the 6th century, supporting the idea of active trade in the region during this period.
At Yeronisos Island, the excavation team uncovered significant walls dating back to the late Ptolemaic period. This is part of ongoing research into the island’s Hellenistic and early Byzantine history. Notable studies by scholars like Prof. Jolanta Mlynarczyk from the University of Warsaw focused on pottery found in these trenches, while Philip Ebeling from the University of Münster examined Hellenistic roof tiles recovered in past excavations, revealing new insights into the construction techniques of the time.
Other research at the site included an in-depth study of glass artifacts from a tomb at Meletis, which were analyzed by Dr. Mariusz Burdajewicz of the University of Warsaw. Meanwhile, Prof. Mlynarczyk continued examining pottery and oil lamps from the tomb, and Dr. Marianna Dági from the Museum of Fine Arts, Budapest, studied metal finds in collaboration with experts from the Cyprus Institute.
Overall, the 2024 excavation season at Paphos has provided valuable new insights into the region's ancient maritime trade, its connections to other parts of the Eastern Mediterranean, and the daily life of its inhabitants during the Hellenistic and Roman periods.
Source: CNA
