A unique and valuable find was discovered by a team of archaeologists in two tombs in Cyprus. It is a gold pendant in the shape of a lotus flower (Lotus Flower) with precious stones, similar to the one worn by Queen Nefertiti of ancient Egypt. The pendant is one of hundreds of rich treasures discovered throughout the Mediterranean, including gemstones, ceramics and jewelry.
According to Live Science, the Swedish archaeologists who made the discovery, brought to light for the first time the two tombs of the Bronze Age, which were both underground chambers, in the ancient city of Hala Sultan Tekke, in 2018. In the tombs were found 150 human remains and 500 offerings, placed in layers on top of each other, which suggests that the burial chambers were used for many generations.
“The findings show that these are family tombs of the city’s ruling class,” said Peter Fischer, an emeritus professor of historical studies at the University of Gothenburg in Sweden, in a statement. “For example, we found the skeleton of a 5-year-old child with a gold necklace, gold earrings and a gold tiara. He is probably a child of a strong and rich family “.
The finds include jewelry and other items made of gold, silver, copper and ivory, as well as vases from various cultures.
“We also found a ceramic bull,” Fischer said. “The body of this hollow bull has two openings: one in the back to be filled with liquid, probably wine, and one in the nose as a mouthpiece. “Obviously, they celebrated in the chamber to honor their dead.”
Other offerings included a red carneol gemstone from India, a blue lapis lazuli gemstone from Afghanistan and amber from the Baltic Sea, jewels indicating that Bronze Age people in Cyprus had developed extensive commercial network.
Archaeologists have also found evidence of trade with ancient Egypt, including gold jewelry, scarabs (beetle-shaped amulets) and fish remains imported from the Nile Valley, according to Live Science.
The archeological team dated the gold jewelry comparing it with similar finds from Egypt. “Comparisons show that most of the objects are from the time of Nefertiti and her husband Akenaton, the father of King Tutankhamun,” around 1350 BC, Fischer said. “For example the gold pendant we found: a lotus flower with precious stones. “Nefertiti wore similar jewelry.”
The team also discovered a cylindrical seal made of hematite, a mineral with a metallic tinge. The seal bears a wedge-shaped inscription from Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq) deciphered by archaeologists.
“The text consists of three lines and mentions three names. One is Amurru, a god worshiped in Mesopotamia. The other two names belong to two kings – father and son – whom we have recently been able to locate in other texts on clay tablets of the same period, ie in the 18th century BC, “said Fischer. “At the moment we are trying to determine why the seal ended up in Cyprus, at a distance of more than 1,000 kilometers from its place of construction.”
An analysis of the ceramic objects in the tombs showed that the styles in which they were made changed over time, which helped to date the findings.
Archaeologists plan to analyze the DNA of the skeletons buried in the tombs. “This will reveal how they relate to each other and whether there are immigrants from other cultures, which is not unlikely given the vast commercial networks,” Fischer explained.
Livescience
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