#MAREMonday 42

On 01.12.2025 we present the 42nd session of our online lecture series with a contribution of

Juan del Caño Cobo
(University of Cyprus & Universidad de Sevilla)

From Kition-Kathari to Agios Prodromos: A Preliminary Study of Cypro-Archaic and Cypro-Classical Phoenician Maritime Transport Containers at Kition

Abstract:

Throughout the Iron Age, the Phoenician culture and identity played a major and influential role in Cyprus, coinciding with the development of the Cypriot City-Kingdoms. The case of Kition is particularly noteworthy for its strong connection with the Levant during the Cypro-Archaic and Cypro-Classical periods.

At the same time, the Iron Age represents a moment when the Mediterranean became “globalized” on multiple levels, establishing cultural connections between the Eastern and Western regions. One of the material categories that best illustrates this process of globalization is the development of the Phoenician Maritime Transport Containers, which, although already highly successful during the Late Bronze Age, gained even greater importance at this time through long-distance maritime exchange. Their role as containers specifically designed for ship transport was significantly enhanced, while their forms became increasingly standardized, even following distinct volumetric patterns depending on the market of destination.

The role of these vessels in Cyprus has been largely underestimated and understudied, appearing only tangentially in major reference publications. For this reason, the present study proposes an analysis based on the Phoenician Maritime Transport Containers excavated at Kition, focusing in particular on the review and examination of materials from the Archaic-period contexts of Kition-Kathari, and from the Classical-period contexts of the necropoleis of Agios Georgios, Agios Prodromos, and Pervolia, with the aim of defining the evolution of commercial contacts between Kition and the Levant.