Alambra

History of Alambra

The archaeological site of Alambra, encompassing localities such as Alambra Koundourka, Alambra Spileos, Alambra Foradomantres, and most notably Alambra Mouttes, stands as a pivotal Middle Bronze Age settlement in central Cyprus. Its investigation has yielded fundamental insights into Cypriot prehistory, particularly concerning settlement patterns, ceramic production, metallurgical practices, and socio-economic organisation during a critical transitional phase from the Chalcolithic to the Bronze Age. For those seeking to understand the foundational periods of Cypriot culture, Alambra serves as a key case study due to its extensively documented excavations and the rigorous analytical approaches applied to its material culture.

Location and Geographical Context

Alambra is strategically situated in central Cyprus, approximately 8 km east of Marki, another significant Early and Middle Bronze Age site. The site lies at the northeast intersection where the pillow-lava foothills of the Troodos Massif meet the calcareous limestone of the central Mesaoria plain. Specifically, the Alambra Mouttes settlement is located on the northeast-facing flank of a ridge between the hills of Mouttes and Spileos. This geographical position, on the edge of a sedimentary formation, may have been influenced by the proximity of copper ores, which are formed when water draining oxidised sulfides runs over chalks and limestone. The Alykos River, near Marki Alonia, is also part of this broader geographical zone. This setting positioned Alambra to potentially exploit diverse ecological zones and resources.

Early Discoveries and Investigations

Archaeological interest in Alambra dates back to the 19th century. Luigi Palma di Cesnola, a prominent antiquarian, claimed to have opened 82 tombs at Alambra between 1868 and 1874. Subsequent interventions by R.H. Lang and M. Ohnefalsch Richter in 1883 and 1885 further revealed tombs. These early efforts, while often lacking in scientific rigour, indicated the presence of extensive ancient remains.

The first systematic archaeological investigation at Alambra was conducted by Einar Gjerstad in 1924. Gjerstad excavated a prehistoric Bronze Age house, which he named Mavroyi ("red earth"), and identified it as Alambra. This house was significant because it was, for a considerable time, the only precisely known building in Cyprus dating to the long period between the Chalcolithic and the end of the Middle Cypriot Bronze Age. Gjerstad also undertook a trench sondage through ancient deposits, reaching a depth of 3.5 m. Following this, Hector Catling re-explored the site in 1952, including it in his catalogue of Bronze Age sites. These foundational efforts established Alambra as a site of considerable antiquity and importance.

Beyond the Bronze Age, later periods are also attested in the broader Alambra region. In 1974, fragments of Archaic limestone statues were recovered from a field northwest of Alambra, at the locality Pervolia tou Sauva. Subsequent small-scale excavations in 1976 suggested this site warranted further investigation due to the presence of material from the late Archaic period. An Archaic cemetery was also located at Pano Ambelia, northeast of the village. The name Alambria is mentioned around 470 BCE in the Idalion Tablet, generally considered an ancestral reference to modern Alambra, highlighting a continued presence or memory of the locality into the Iron Age.

Cornell University Excavations (1974-1985)

The most comprehensive investigations at Alambra were conducted by Cornell University, under the direction of J.E. Coleman, from 1974 to 1985. The project initiated with a preliminary surface exploration in 1974 to assess the extent and preservation of the ancient settlement, yielding encouraging results. The primary focus of these excavations was the Middle Bronze Age settlement, primarily at the Alambra Mouttes locality.

The Cornell team initially identified a single occupation phase at Mouttes, which they tentatively placed in the early to middle Middle Cypriot period, with an approximate absolute date of 1900-1800 BCE. Due to the homogeneity of the deposits and lack of clear stratigraphic changes, they concluded that the excavated remains represented a relatively short period of occupation, possibly a few hundred years at most. This led them to propose the term "Alambra Phase" of the Middle Cypriot period, pending more precise dating through radiocarbon analysis, which was not available for the site during the early stages of excavation. The site's chronological situation was somewhat uncertain due to the absence of C14 samples from excavated contexts at the time.

The estimated size of the settled portion of Alambra Mouttes, based on the extent of surface artifact scatter, was conservatively put at 6 hectares, supporting a population between 500 and 2000 individuals. This suggests a substantial community for the period.

Settlement Structure and Architecture

Excavations at Alambra Mouttes brought to light eight probable houses and adjacent areas, providing significant information on domestic architecture of the early Middle Cypriot period. While explicit details on the architectural style from the provided sources are limited for Alambra, comparison to contemporary sites like Marki Alonia, which shares a similar geological setting, suggests a complex system of construction and renovation. Houses were likely built adjacent to one another. The complexity and scale of the structures unearthed at Alambra were considered impressive given the site's early date. A notable feature includes a stone staircase found in the northeast sector of the site. Micromorphological analyses of the excavated buildings have provided insights into site formation processes and various activities that took place within the structures.

Material Culture and Economy

The material culture recovered from Alambra provides crucial insights into the daily life, technological capabilities, and economic activities of its inhabitants.

Pottery

The study of pottery from Alambra, particularly Red Polished Ware (RPW), has been a significant contribution of the Cornell excavations. The excavators, Coleman and Barlow, moved beyond conventional typological classifications and adopted a technological approach, focusing on the deliberate selection and preparation of raw materials for different pottery types. They defined two primary wares:

RPA (Red Polished Ware A): Characterised as a finer, softer ware, often decorated with incision. It was typically made with calcareous clays and lacked igneous inclusions.
RPB (Red Polished Ware B): A coarser, harder fabric, generally used for larger vessels. This category could be further subdivided based on varied inclusions.

The research highlighted the combined use of both calcareous (sedimentary soils) and non-calcareous (volcanic or igneous soils) clays, depending on the specific pottery forms manufactured, suggesting a sophisticated understanding of raw materials by the ceramists for functional and stylistic purposes. This indicated that multiple production centres or specialized workshops might have been in operation, challenging earlier theories of single centres. The pottery assemblage was largely homogeneous, supporting the notion of a short, intense period of occupation for the excavated areas. The presence of White Painted fabrics, particularly bowls with raised handles, suggested a date after the Early Cypriot period, but their rarity implied the Middle Cypriot period was not yet far advanced, leading to the "Alambra Phase" designation. The earliest pottery from Marki Alonia, another Early Bronze Age site, fits into the RPA category, indicating shared ceramic traditions or influences. Alambra's pottery studies contributed significantly to establishing Cypriot chronology for a period previously understood primarily through tomb material.

Metallurgy

Alambra Mouttes provides important evidence for small-scale copper smelting and casting activities during the early Middle Cypriot period. Finds included 3 fragmentary moulds, 16 crucible fragments (9 with adhering slag), 16 copper-rich mineral samples, and 17 pieces of slag. Analyses revealed that secondarily enriched copper carbonate ores, containing azurite and malachite, were being smelted in the crucibles. The high copper content (10-50%) of these carbonate ores, compared to the lower content (0.5-4.5%) typically found in the massive copper sulfide deposits of the Troodos ophiolite complex, would have facilitated copper production with relatively small amounts of slag. While the specific types of objects cast in the moulds were not identified, the activity was likely on a modest scale, serving to supply the immediate needs of the Alambra residents. The site's location, as mentioned, likely facilitated access to these specific ore types. The findings at Alambra contribute to the broader understanding of pyrotechnology in Cyprus during this period, particularly as it relates to local production versus imported artefacts.

Other Artefacts and Environmental Data

Beyond ceramics and metals, the site yielded other cultural materials. While specific details from the sources are limited for Alambra, chipped stone artefacts, terracotta figurines, and stone axes were recovered. The identification of red ochre on ground stones and within vessels suggests its use, possibly for pigments or other purposes. Human remains from Alambra have also been subjected to study. Analyses of faunal and floral remains were conducted at sites like Souskiou Laona, revealing dominance of Pistacia lentiscus, Olea (olive), and Quercus (oak), with olive being dominant in some sealed deposits. While these specific botanical findings are from Souskiou, similar paleoenvironmental studies would have informed the context of Alambra.

The community inhabiting Alambra Mouttes has been argued to be an "egalitarian" one by its excavators. However, the presence of metallurgical activity, even if small-scale, and the size of the settlement suggest a certain level of social complexity and economic specialisation beyond simple subsistence. The importance of Alambra lies in its ability to shed light on settlement patterns and social dynamics during the Middle Bronze Age, a period that still presents challenges in Cypriot archaeology, particularly in reconciling interpretations from settlement evidence with increasingly wealthy cemetery data from other regions.

Alambra's significance extends to broader discussions in Cypriot archaeology:

Chronological Anchor: For a long time, Cypriot chronology for the Early and Middle Bronze Age was heavily reliant on material from tombs. Alambra's settlement data provided a crucial "anchor" to this ceramic sequence, helping to refine understandings of contemporaneity between different pottery wares, such as White Painted II and IV.
Regional Centre: The scale and complexity of the unearthed structures, along with the diversity of activities, suggest that Alambra functioned as a significant local centre during its occupation. Its influence may have shifted towards Idalion later in the Bronze Age.
"Royal District" Interpretation: More recently, Alambra has been re-interpreted as potentially a "royal district," suggesting a higher level of political organisation than previously assumed for Middle Bronze Age sites.
Alashiya Debate: Alambra's location in the foothills of the Troodos Mountains, relatively close to regions identified as potential sources for the Alashiya letters (e.g., Kalavasos-Ayios Dhimitrios or Alassa Paliotaverna/Pano Manadilaris), ties it into the long-standing debate concerning the location of the Bronze Age kingdom of Alashiya, which was a major copper exporter. While Alassa is more explicitly named as a possible centre for official Alashiyan letters, Alambra's position within the same geological and resource-rich vicinity makes it part of the broader regional network under consideration.

Conclusion

Alambra, particularly Alambra Mouttes, represents a cornerstone in our understanding of the Cypriot Middle Bronze Age. Its systematic excavation by Cornell University, building upon earlier discoveries, has provided invaluable stratified data from a period largely known through funerary contexts. The meticulous analysis of its pottery, revealing intricate production techniques and resource utilisation, alongside the evidence for early copper smelting, showcases the complex interplay of environment, technology, and society in prehistoric Cyprus. The site's scale suggests a substantial, organised community, prompting contemporary discussions about its social structure and its potential role as a regional or even "royal" centre.

For scholars and students of Cypriot archaeology, Alambra remains a critical reference point. It elucidates the transition from the Chalcolithic, provides concrete settlement data for refining Bronze Age chronologies, and offers tangible evidence for early metallurgical activities that underpin Cyprus's later prominence as a copper producer. While its period of occupation was relatively short, the depth and quality of the archaeological investigation at Alambra ensure its continued relevance in comprehending the developmental trajectories of Cypriot societies within the broader Eastern Mediterranean landscape. The questions that Alambra continues to pose, from the specifics of its internal organisation to its connections within regional and interregional networks, drive ongoing research and highlight its enduring significance.