Ancient tombs believed to be from the fifth century BC were discovered in the community of Deneia in Nicosia district during roadworks, community leader Christakis Panayiotou said on Friday.
 |
| Credit: Cyprus Mail |
“Indeed, this was the case,” Panayiotou told the Cyprus Mail.
He added that the tombs appear not to have been raided by tomb robbers.
A number of artefacts were discovered, along with skeletal remains.
According to senior archaeologist of the antiquities department, Giorgos Georgiou, what’s interesting is that there is more than one type of burial architecture.
“We have the classical chambers, we have found two such types but the interest is that we also found a tomb of unknown type, for the Deneia area at least, and this is an important addition to scientific knowledge,” Georgiou told Alpha TV.
He added that it is a ‘scientific success’ for the world of archaeology when tombs are discovered that have not been opened by tomb robbers.
The possibility of unearthing antiquities in the area is not a distant one, Panayiotou said, as Deneia, ‘is an immense cemetery of antiquities’.
There has been human activity in the area from the copper age – 2.500 BC – to-date, he said.
He added that the antiquities department have taken over and are carrying out work at the site, which is guarded at night.
Near the village is the prehistoric housing of Deneia, which dates back to the early copper age – 2500-2075 B.C.. A cemetery with around 250 tombs dating back to the bronze age has also been discovered in that area in the past.
Author: Evie Andreou | Source: Cyprus Mail [February 09, 2018]
