Aspects of daily life in an early Hellenistic military community in Cyprus came to light during this year’s excavations at the Pyla-Koutsopetria Archaeological Project (PKAP) at Pyla-Vigla, located on a steep plateau overlooking Larnaca Bay.
The Department of Antiquities, Deputy Ministry of Culture, announced on Thursday the completion of the 2025 excavation season, conducted during June and July 2025 under the direction of Dr. Brandon R. Olson of Metropolitan State University of Denver, Dr. Melanie Godsey of Trinity University, and Dr. Tom Landvatter of Reed College.
PKAP’s excavations at the site of Pyla-Vigla over the past several years have revealed the presence of an early-Hellenistic fortified site. The military nature of the site is demonstrated by the discovery of an extensive fortification system, projectile points, lead sling bullets, and evidence of weapons production, it is added.
According to the announcement, the architectural, ceramic, and numismatic evidence discovered so far date the occupation of Vigla to the late fourth and early third centuries B.C.
PKAP’s 2025 fieldwork focused on further understanding of the domestic areas of site in the center of the plateau where rooms from at least four buildings have been uncovered.
‘Cooking, fine, and coarse ware ceramics and metal implements indicate a series of domestic activities like cooking, drinking and dining, and personal adornment in all these spaces’ the Department of Antiquities says.
Storage or industrial activities also occurred in these spaces, while many bronze, lead, and iron weapons reaffirm the military community operating here, it is added. ‘Daily life in an early Hellenistic military community on Cyprus seems to have included tasks that bridged small household and larger communal modes of dwelling and working’ the announcement notes.