Tomb 1 (1956) at Galinoporni and the Middle-Late Cypriot transition in the Karpas Peninsula

Lindy Crewe Report of the Department of Antiquities, Cyprus, 2009 [2010]: 89-115.

From the Introduction

The Karpas Peninsula during the Bronze Age has long been renowned for a distinctive material culture, particularly the characteristic Red-on-Red and Red-on-Black and related pottery styles (hereafter Red-on-Red/Black) of the latter Middle Cypriot and early Late Cypriot periods (MC ΠΙ-LC I, ca 1750-1450 B.C.). Despite an early archaeological focus on the area, our knowledge of the extent and types of occupation, patterns of interaction between the communities of the Karpas, and relationships with other areas of Cyprus, remains minimal. Archaeological information on the region comes primarily from sites excavated by the Swedish Cyprus Expedition, particularly the tumuli at Korovia-Paleoskoutella, the fortress at Korovia-Nitovikla and tombs at Ayios Iakovos-Melia. Additional information comes from settlement strata at Phlamoudhi-Melissa and -Vounari and through ceramic evidence indicating a strong relationship with the eastern Mesaoria site of Enkomi-Ayios Iakovos.
In addition to illuminating intra-island relationships, the importance of the Karpas during the Middle-Late Cypriot transition lies in its proximity to the mainland Levant during the period when Cyprus first became integrated into eastern Mediterranean interaction spheres. This paper provides a glimpse into the relationships between the communities of the Karpas, with other regions of Cyprus and beyond the island, through publication of a tomb group from the vicinity of the village of Galinoporni, which was retrieved through rescue excavation in 1956 and is currently held in the Cyprus Museum, Lefkosia. The tomb was in use for up to two hundred years, over the MC ΠΙ-LC IA transition. In addition to pottery of local Karpas styles and eight copper-base items, the contents of the tomb include two imported Levantine jars. A number of additional tombs are known from Galinoporni village but all were either rescued by the Department of Antiquities after being at least partially looted/disturbed or material attributed to the area had already found its way into private collections. No systematic excavations of the cemeteries have been undertaken. One tomb, again a rescue excavation after partial looting, was excavated by the Swedish Cyprus Expedition and subsequently published by Astrom (1960).