The Prastio-Mesorotsos Archaeological Expedition

The University of Edinburgh has been involved in investigations of Cypriot prehistory for several decades. 

Piece by piece, a picture of the lifestyle, economy and interactions between the ancient inhabitants of Cyprus has been emerging. In particular, our understanding of the Neolithic, Chalcolithic and Bronze Age periods has expanded greatly after evidence from excavations and surveys at Lemba-Lakkous, Kissonerga-Mosfilia, Souskiou-Laona, and the Western Cyprus Survey Project all of which were directed by Prof. E. Peltenburg. These excavated sites are all situated in close proximity to the sea, providing a picture of a society that would have had at least some dependence on marine economy. We know less about the inhabitants of inland sites from western Cyprus in prehistory, and the picture of what happened to the inhabitants of these villages in transitional periods is patchy. The archaeological remains are sometimes ambiguous or inadequately understood.

By the middle of the 2nd millennium BC (the Middle to Late Bronze Age, circa 1700-1400BC), Cyprus was on a trajectory towards state-formation and a sophisticated international trade-based economy. The build up to this phenomenon moving from small-scale village economies to the developed complexity of the Late Bronze Age is still poorly understood. We know even less about the Early and Middle Cypriot Bronze Age periods from western Cyprus (circa 2500-1700 BC) than we do from the rest of the island, creating a roughly 800 year gap in our knowledge of nearly a third of the island. Until 2007 there were no extensive excavations from these periods in the west at all.

The Prastio-Mesorotsos Project seeks to fill this gap in our knowledge by conducting several seasons of archaeological investigation. The site of Prastio-Mesorotsos is a previously unexcavated settlement that has now produced artefactual evidence suggesting that the site was occupied from the Neolithic through the Middle Cypriot Bronze Age, spanning an elusive time-span that has yet to be excavated in western Cyprus. Because a site of this kind, with the unique western-Cypriot material culture, has never been excavated, there is the potential to define a previously unstudied chronological sequence and material culture. Mesorotsos, along with ongoing excavations at other sites (see bibliography below), could be a missing piece to the puzzle of western Cypriot prehistory.

The site appears to have been abandoned in the Late Cypriot Bronze Age, a time of burgeoning urbanisation on the island, and it is likely that the inhabitants of Prastio-Mesorotsos moved to the nearby centre of Palaipaphos (Old Paphos), modern Kouklia. The timing Prastio’s abandonment may give us an unprecedented glimpse as to when and why the urban centre of Paphos with its important cultic sanctuary was established.

Prastio-Mesorotsos was then re-occupied in the Iron Age and was probably continuously inhabited through the Hellenistic/Roman, Byzantine, Medieval and Ottoman periods until the modern village was established immediately opposite the river. In the late 19th century, this location was the stronghold of an infamous band of bandits called the Hassan Poulia, who since being captured and executed by the British have taken on a mythological ‘Robin Hood-like’ status. The area around the site continued to be used by the inhabitants of Prastio village until 1953, when an earthquake made the houses in Prastio unsafe. The site and village were abandoned and never reoccupied after fighting broke out in the area. The long lifespan of this settlement provides a never-before-seen opportunity to investigate much of Cyprus’ past in one place, and this project seeks to understand as much about the history of this location as possible.

This project would not be possible without the benefit of quality scholarship and fieldwork conducted in years past.

The site was identified by the Canadian Palaepaphos Survey Project (under the general directorship of Prof. David Rupp, Brock University), attributed as a Middle Cypriot Bronze Age site and given the name Prastion-Lakries. The CPSP conducted an extensive survey of the entire Dhiarizos River valley, and identified many archaeological sites in the area. At the time the CPSP reported on the site, however, there was still much more that needed to be understood about the Chalcolithic period.

The Lemba Archaeological Project Western Cyprus Survey, (under the directorship of Prof. E. Peltenburg, University of Edinburgh) expanded the survey area of the CPSP to encompass most of western Cyprus. With the benefit of more detailed ceramic knowledge of the Chalcolithic period, the LAP survey identified a site adjacent to Lakries that had Chalcolithic pottery, to which LAP identified the toponym Mesorotsos. At this point, the two sites were considered separate and dating to different time periods.

In 2006, the Dhiarizos Viewshed Analysis Project (under the directorship of Dr. Andrew McCarthy, University of Edinburgh), conducted a reassessment of these previously surveyed sites and collected GPS data from each location in order to understand the landscape context for prehistoric settlement in this region. In order to find each settlement, it was necessary to locate the surface scatters of pottery at each site. In finding the sites, therefore, it was also possible to reassess the identification of ceramic periods at each of the sites. It became apparent through DVAP that not only were the sites of Lakries and Mesorotos so close that they were probably a single settlement, but also that both sites had evidence for Chalcolithic and Bronze Age pottery, as well as other periods. What had been identified as two separate sites from different periods, has now been shown to be a single large site (possibly up to 8-10 hectares) that spans the Neolithic, Chalcolithic and Bronze Age periods, as well as the Iron Age, Hellenistic, Late Roman, Byzantine, Medieval, Ottoman and British. As the main and earliest settlement concentration seems to be situated in the Mesorotsos part of the site, this is the toponym that was decided for the entire settlement.

Our assessment confirms that the site is a single settlement, perhaps separated into two parts by a gully or stream running in between the two halves, with expansion/contraction and settlement drift taking place from period to period. The site is located near the river floodplain, but situated on a hillslope surrounding a prominent rocky outcrop, making its placement stand out in the landscape. It is certainly a domestic settlement, but our investigations have also revealed that it was an important focus in the region such that it had special importance as a place of congregation by multiple communities.

Our investigations have shown that other periods not initially identified by previous surveys are also present at the site. The first inhabitants in the Neolithic period occupied the Mesorotsos portion of the site, expanding in the Middle Chalcolithic period to reach its greatest size. This nearly ten hectare expanse continued to be used until the end of the Middle Bronze Age, when the entire site was abandoned. The inhabitants were likely enticed to move to the coast to be part of the growing Late Bronze Age economy and society on the coast at Palaipaphos (Kouklia).

When the site was reoccupied in the Iron Age (probably late in Cypro-Geometric period), activities seem to be concentrated on the Lakries portion of the site, possibly to avoid the need for terracing. The Hellenistic saw a great increase of use of the entire landscape and there is good evidence of Late Roman/Byzantine activity on both the Lakries plots as well as on the top of the rock at Mesorotsos. This intensification seems to have persisted into the Medieval period, and finally stabilised in the Ottoman period by which time the modern site of Prastio on the opposite bank of the river was already in existence. The two brothers who ran the infamous bandit group, the ‘Hassan Poulia’, established a base camp in this remote and defensible spot, using the Mesorotsos Rock as a sniper position for extracting tolls from travellers. This was their last hideout before their eventual capture and execution by the British. The local inhabitants of Prastio village continued to live here until the 1950’s when an earthquake made the buildings unsafe. Now a lovely cafe/restaurant sits and modern houses have been built on the edge of the site and the only current residents on the ancient site are sheep and goats.

The main activities this season will be excavation of archaeological remains (artefacts and architecture), and post-excavation processing of the finds, although some systematic surface collection and GIS work will also be undertaken.

Prospective applicants are advised that days will be long and hot, and the work physically arduous. Working days will start early, since the site is a half an hour drive away from Kouklia, where we will be based. Participants will be expected to undertake not only on-site work, but also finds processing as required. Each work-week will usually consist of five and a half working days, with an occasional field trip day or half-day involving some combination of trips to sites, museums and other places of interest, as well as free time to explore Paphos or greater Cyprus.

All team members will be expected to excavate in the trenches, but conditions will vary. Participants will take part in all aspects of excavation, and there will be opportunities for students to partake in the recording of excavated features. Furthermore, as excavated materials accumulate, there will be various post-excavation tasks required, and opportunities will be available to become more familiar with particular aspects of post-excavation logging and analysis of finds. Participants must be reasonably fit and very enthusiastic. Please ensure you have a current Anti-tetanus vaccination. Further information will be supplied upon acceptance to the project.

The naturally and artificially terraced terrain is grassy, scrubby and thorny with some olive and carob trees. By July, most of the surface vegetation will be dried up and dormant or eaten by the grazing sheep and goats that are common in the countryside, allowing better visibility and making walking easier. While the Dhiarizos River is controlled by a dam well upstream from our site, there is still a trickle of water allowed to flow into the valley throughout the year. The rocky outcrop around which the site is situated is steep and treacherous, but there may be an opportunity for some students to safely investigate the Byzantine/Medieval remains located on this outcrop.

The setting is idyllic, and while the rural charms of the Dhiarizos valley make the site a nice place to work, we will never be far away from built-up areas. A fairly major A-road leading from the coast to the Troodos mountains runs just adjacent to the site, and a nice café called ‘Xtreme View’ is situated just on the edge of the archaeological remains.

The nearby abandoned village of Prastio (from which the first part of the site’s name comes) is a sad reminder of the recent troubles that Cyprus has experienced, and participants are reminded that cultural sensitivity and awareness of modern political issues is very important.

Details of the Field School's programme including training, field trips and days off!

While this project takes the training aspect seriously, participants must remember that this is a working professional archaeological expedition, and you will be expected to be work hard and take responsibility for completing tasks. This will give you the opportunity to put the training you will receive into action. At the same time, participants will be of varying levels of experience, and there will be sufficient training to carry out the tasks assigned.

There will be a programme of lectures, field trips and outings, and hands-on activities, in addition to the archaeological excavation and survey itself. These will include lectures on identification and interpretation of chipped stone, pottery, ground stone, bones and special types of artefacts. Additionally, there will be lectures on Cypriot prehistory, geology and ecology, the surrounding landscape and the ancient cultural relations between Cyprus and the Mediterranean world. Trips to museums, archaeological sites, and places of historical interest will also be arranged. There will, of course, also be free time to visit beaches and to explore historic Kouklia and Paphos on your own.

The day off will typically be Saturday, with a half-day of work (no afternoon processing) on Friday. This provides an evening free on Friday, all day Saturday and Saturday night to explore Paphos, relax in our headquarters, or travel elsewhere Cyprus. This schedule was chosen as there are many shops, supermarkets, and other services that do not operate on Sundays, so Saturday makes a more sensible day off than Sunday. The start of our work-week is therefore Sunday, so Saturday nights should be used to rest, relax and recuperate. The work will sometimes be broken-up mid-week by an excursion to sites, museums or other places of historical interest.

Find out about where you'll be staying.

In the 2023 season, we will be staying in the lovely village of Kouklia in the Paphos district. The villages is located on the UNESCO World Heritage site of Palaipaphos (Old Paphos). This is where the famous Sanctuary of Aphrodite is situated, and near the legendary birthplace of the goddess of love. You will be staying in villas with multiple-occupancy rooms with beds, a kitchen and showers. There is wifi.

Meals will be provided on all workdays as part of the team.

We can accommodate a variety of dietary preferences or needs, but please let the Director know in advance.

There will be more information on accommodation and catering to come.

Find out what you need to bring with you to the Field School.

Participants should bring their own sleeping sheets or sleeping bag and pillow (beds with mattresses will be provided), bath towel, toiletries and suntan lotion as required. Insects can be a problem, so people may want to bring their favourite repellent and mosquito nets if desired. Supermarkets and pharmacies in Cyprus stock much the same range of goods as their British counterparts. Electrical supply is 240V and 3 square pin sockets are standard.

Participants are REQUIRED to bring a suitable trowel, as it is the primary tool for many of our excavation activities. You are recommended to bring a good quality pointing trowel, forged, not riveted or even welded, and no more than 6 inches in length (4 inch is usually considered best). WHS brand is probably the best available in the UK, Marshalltown in North America. Other tools and equipment will be provided by the project.

Many flights to Cyprus arrive at Larnaca, which is a long way (and sometimes an expensive taxi ride, around 120 Euros) from Paphos, so a flight to Paphos is definitely worth considering when making travel arrangements, even if the cost is a little higher. A new Airport Bus service has begun that takes passengers from Larnaca Airport to Paphos City Centre for around 15 Euros, but the schedule changes, so check in advance. Participants are responsible for their own travel and medical insurance. While all Health and Safety issues are taken very seriously, neither the Director nor Lemba Archaeological Research Centre/University of Edinburgh accept responsibility for participants' accidents or illness. Due to of the nature of the work, participants are strongly advised to ensure that they are currently protected by an anti-tetanus vaccination.

We shall be making up the team promptly to give members good time to arrange their travel. Preference will be given to early applicants. Please note that, as Cyprus is a popular tourist destination, flights become booked very quickly and it is best to book early to get the best deals. The accommodation must be booked in advance through official channels, so we do not have the capacity to keep students on for longer than the dates indicated. Participants are asked to arrive and vacate the accommodation on the days indicated and to book travel (and if desired, further accommodation) accordingly.

For those hoping to brush up on their modern Greek language skills, we will be staying in a traditional Cypriot village where there will be opportunities. Although you are enthusiastically encouraged to learn the local language, English is widely spoken, even in small traditional villages like Kouklia. In Paphos it is common to be served at a pub by an English ex-patriate or other non-Greek-speaking workers. The Cypriot Greek that you will hear spoken can also be quite different from that of Greece itself, and is sometimes difficult for even native Greeks to understand. That being said, Cypriots respond very well to attempts to learn their language and heritage, and there will be opportunities to interact with people at the museum, around town and in the field. The project will provide a basic tutorial of the Greek language, the Greek alphabet and a brief overview of the modern Republic of Cyprus.

How to apply, pay and contact the programme director.

Prices vary according to locality. For Edinburgh students, a total charge of £1200 covers the course fee, meals on workdays, excluding Friday evenings, accommodation and excursions that form part of the course, for 5 weeks. Returning students will be charged £1000.

Non-Edinburgh students are charged a separate rate; please contact the project Director for more information.

Travel to and from Cyprus and food on the days off are not included.

For food and personal expenses participants are advised to allow not less than £30 per week.

Intending participants are asked to complete the online application form. Upon acceptance to the project, participants are required to make a non-refundable deposit of £200. Team members will be informed of when and how to make deposits and final payments.

Application form

The Prastio-Mesorotsos Archaeological Excavation is an ASOR-Affiliated Project. As such, accepted students are eligible to apply for ASOR funding to participate in this project. You will need a letter from the Director of the project to apply.

• The American Schools of Oriental Research - excavation fellowships and grants

If you have any questions or comments, or would like more information on anything, please contact the Director:

Andrew McCarthy Email:A.P.McCarthy@ed.ac.uk