Souskiou Laona Settlement Excavations

Introduction

The University of Edinburgh under Professor Eddie Peltenburg has been excavating at the Souskiou Laona settlement (click on fieldwork photos) since 2005. This important Chalcolithic period site is situated in Western Cyprus on a prominent ridge overlooking the Dhiarizos river valley and in the foothills behind the modern village of Kouklia. The settlement is unusual, and highly significant since it is associated with a number of cemeteries that ring the site. Although heavily looted these cemeteries are culturally rich and have generated much interest. The current project aims to place excavated settlement data alongside the already known burial data to produce a better understanding of Laona's place within the wider regional context of the Middle Chalcolithic culture area.

Excavations in Operation A overlooking the Vathykarkas stream have revealed Chalcolithic roundhouses and external working spaces.	On top of the east ridge at Operation B two well built roundhouses of tabular limestone were found.
At Operation C Souskiou Laona Cemetery 1 has been excavated.	On the West Ridge two joined roundhouses have been exposed. They vividly indicate the effects of erosion on the settlement site.

Portraits

Souskiou Laona 2008 excavation team

Portraits of the 2008 excavation team taken by D.A. Sewell