In Cyprus, laser scanning has revealed dozens of ancient depictions of ships
Kyiv • UNN
Twenty-three new ship carvings were discovered at the Kition-Kathari temple. They were created over a period of up to 300 years, depicting vessels from various cultures.
Archaeologists have discovered 23 more ancient images of ships carved into the walls of a temple at Kition-Kathari in Cyprus. The find was made possible by high-resolution laser scanning, Phys.org reports, according to UNN.
Details
Back in 1982, researchers recorded 19 images of ships on the southern wall of the temple. The wall faced the bay, where the harbor of the ancient city was probably located.
We did not expect to find them – when we began the project, our intention was to laser-scan the blocks in order to supplement our broader study of ashlar masonry and construction practices during the Late Bronze Age on the island
The images were created over centuries
One of the carvings was found on a stone block added during repairs approximately 150 years after the wall was built. Scientists suggest that the ship images may have appeared here over a period of up to 300 years in total.
Among them, the researchers identified Levantine merchant vessels, Minoan sailing ships, galleys from the Carmel coast, and a local Cypriot vessel. The variety of designs also indicates that the drawings date to different periods.
We can imagine that ships and seafaring were a regular part of everyday life in the community
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