High-tech water system discovered in Cyprus

A complex water drainage system was brought to light by the archaeologists at the site of Dromolaxia-Vyzakia, Larnaca district. The discovery offers important insights into the organisation of Late Bronze Age urban centres in Cyprus.

The Department of Antiquities of the Deputy Ministry of Culture notes in a statement that excavations were carried out in March and April 2023 by an international team of researchers, under the direction of Prof. Karin Nys of Vrije Universiteit Brussel in collaboration with Dr. Matthias Recke of Goethe-Universität Frankfurt. The excavations focused on the remains of the Dromalaxia-Vyzakia settlement which dates back to the 13th and 12th centuries BC.

"Previous investigations carried out in the port city of the Late Bronze Age provided information on the international character of the city but also on the industrial activities carried out by the inhabitants of the settlement," the statement reads.

It is further added that excavation work in 2023 revealed a complex water drainage system, which connected the city's residences with a central conduit. In particular, complex maintenance mechanisms of the network were revealed, as well as the subsequent interventions to ensure its operation.

The sophisticated nature of the maintenance system of the settlement's drainage network is an important addition to our knowledge of the organisation of Late Bronze Age urban centres in Cyprus. However, further excavation research will add more information, the statement concludes.