The excavation team has learned that the village's excellent location and its abundant copper reserves were significant contributors to its fame as a significant commercial hub.
The late bronze age was an important time for the Cypriot settlement of Hala Sultan Tekke, according to research from the University of Gothenburg. During excavations, the team has discovered that the village's advantageous situation and its rich copper reserves were major factors in its prominence as a major trading centre throughout the early stages of Mediterranean trade. The Journal of Archaeological Science has published the findings.
According to Peter Fischer, honorary professor at the University of Gothenburg and director of the excavations, large quantities of foreign - made pottery, luxury goods made of silver, gold, semi-precious gemstones, and ivory have all been discovered in Hala Sultan Tekke, indicating that the town's copper production was in fact a valuable trading resource.
The Swedish Cyprus Expedition is an investigation that started in 1927 to chart the island's prehistoric past. The most current expedition to Hala Sultan Tekke, on Cyprus' southern coast, under Peter Fischer's direction began in 2010 and has lasted for 13 seasons. It is located close to the present-day city of Larnaca. The city had a minimum area of 25 hectares, of which 14 made up its central area, which was encircled by a city wall. Additionally, the Expedition has discovered items from this era dispersed over an even broader area.
According to our research and excavations, Hala Sultan Tekke actually covered an area of 25 to 50 hectares, which is a sizable metropolis by that time period's standards. According to Peter Fischer, villages at this time and in this region were typically only a few hectares in size.
Cyprus was the Mediterranean region's top copper producer throughout the Bronze Age. When iron was used, this metal was alloyed with tin to create bronze, which was used for weapons, casting tools, and jewellery.
Investigations also point to a worsening of the climate as a major cause. All of this may have had a domino effect, causing people to migrate from the central Mediterranean to the south-east in quest of better living circumstances, bringing them into conflict with the cultures of modern-day Egypt, Cyprus, and Greece.