The Examination of Changing Landscapes through Archaeological Survey in Central Cyprus

Summary

Since 1991, the Malloura Valley Survey, part of the Athienou Archaeological Project, has studied the shifting patterns of land use in central Cyprus. The survey work identified 30 loci of human activity in a rural setting midway between Nikosia and Larnaka, major population centers from antiquity to the modern period. The sporadic scatter of artifacts on the surface indicated a low-level but persistent pattern of land use through most periods. As a project that incorporates material from all periods, including the late 20th century, the research has identified certain consistent land use practices over time. In the past 150 years, the valley has become an agricultural extraction zone that has witnessed two phases of use: (1) In the 19th century up to ca. 1970, vineyards and orchards (primarily almond and carob trees) were interspersed among fields of barley and wheat. (2) Over the last 45 years, barley has become the dominant crop, and pastoral stations for sheep, goats, and cattle have become more common. To accommodate these changes, farmers have more land under cultivation, creating fields and terraces with modern equipment. These actions have dramatically transformed the landscape, and in the process had a major impact on archaeological sites.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 81st Annual Meeting, Orlando, FL (2016)

Keywords

Spatial Coverage