RE‐SURVEY OF THE ANCHORAGE AT MARONITSAROUKKAS, CYPRUS: DEFINING AND VIEWING A LATE BRONZE AGE COASTSCAPE

Abstract

Directly offshore from the Late Cypriot (LC) site of Maroni Tsaroukkas on the south-central coast of Cyprus lie the remains of an anchorage with stone anchors, LC ceramics, and stone blocks. Initially surveyed in 1995-96, the anchorage was re-surveyed from 2017-19 to investigate and document fully the underwater site and to develop accurate underwater survey recording methodologies for defining this coastscape interaction zone. The site was surveyed by measuring finds into an established grid and using a computer-controlled camera system for photogrammetry. The results expand the known extent of the anchorage, include newly documented archaeological remains, and challenge us to re-conceptualize the area. In addition to anchors and pottery representative of maritime use, the presence of unfinished anchors and LC IA ceramic assemblages in the western part of the site indicates a LC coastal region likely once terrestrial that is now submerged, forming part of a newly identified coastscape locale.