Two Bronze Age Shipwrecks That Shed Light on Cyprus Maritime Activities

Cyprus had an important place in the ancient Mediterranean trade thanks to its geostrategic location. The island, drew attention with its copper resources and ceramic products in the Bronze Age. Archaeological remains unearthed in Uluburun and Cape Gelidonya shipwrecks support this situation. The cargo of shipwrecks and the route they followed show both the extent of maritime trade during this period and Cyprus’ position in these commercial activities. The high ratio of Cypriot copper and ceramics to the total amount of goods in the shipwrecks is instructive in terms of understanding the role of Cyprus in the maritime activities. The hypothesis of their potential Cypriot origin is supported by the higher quantity of Cypriot-origin products found on these wrecks compared to others. The fact that Cyprus is an important port on the route followed by merchantships and even the view that it could be the initial departure point of them, makes it worth to consider. Accordingly, in this study, the Cape Gelidonya and Uluburun shipwrecks, and the Cypriot goods they contain are examined, and the active role of Cyprus in the maritime trade of the period is investigated.