LIMASSOL, CYPRUS—According to an IFL Science report, Luca Bombardieri of the Erimi Archaeological Project said that the remains of a murdered young woman and a monolith were uncovered in southern Cyprus at the Bronze Age site of Erimi. The monolith was discovered inside a small room thought to have been used for rituals, in an area largely made up of workshops, warehouses, and vats for dyeing fabric. The smooth stone had a circular motif at its center, and stood more than seven feet tall. An amphora was placed at its base, in front of a small circular hearth. Bombardieri suggests that the room where the monolith was found could be the oldest sacred building in Cyprus. He thinks its presence in a commercial district indicates that the inhabitants of Erimi connected their religious and commercial activities. Meanwhile, the young woman’s remains were discovered inside a sealed dwelling. Her head had been smashed, and a heavy stone had been placed on her body, as if to keep her in place, Bombardieri explained. The remains of at least 15 other young women dated to the same period have been found in similar circumstances at other sites on the island, he concluded. For more on Bronze Age Cyprus, go to “In the Time of the Copper Kings.”
