From the 27th of July to the 26th of August 2022, geophysical survey and excavations were conducted at the site of Erimi Pitharka in Limassol District, directed by Prof. Laerke Recht (University of Graz, Austria), Dr. Lorenzo Mazzotta (University of Salento, Italy) and Dr. Katarzyna Zeman-Wisniewska (Kardynał Stefan Wyszynski University, Warsaw, Poland) with a team of students and specialists from Austria, Poland, Greece, Cyprus and USA. A GPR survey was carried out by Prof. Fabian Welc.

The excavations were focused on further understanding the extent of the buildings uncovered in Area I during the Department of Antiquities’ previous rescue excavations. These revealed the continuation of a large building or complex of buildings both in eastern and northern direction, some directly linking with the earlier plans. The structures include several additional rooms, what appears to be a courtyard with the lower part of a pithos still in situ in the natural sediment, and a wall with an associated terracotta drain. In many places, the natural sediment is cut into in order to build walls, rooms and installations, while other uneven areas are deliberately filled in to create an even surface.

So far, the finds include especially pottery and worked stones, and suggest a main date of LC IIC for the structures. Connections with the Aegean, both mainland and Crete, and the Levant are also indicated by the pottery.

For this press release, see the Department of Antiquities website.