Ancient ruins discovered on British bases in Cyprus

Researchers from the University of Leicester have discovered 46 ancient ruins located on the territory of the British military base at Dhekelia in Cyprus. Among the ancient ruins, evidence has been found indicating the presence of quarries and tombs.

Archaeologists from the British Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) reported that the discovered relics date back to the Bronze Age and also cover the Byzantine, Hellenistic, and Roman periods.

During the investigation, university scientists planned to discover around 60 potential archaeological sites, documented in the early 1960s, prior to the establishment of the garrison at Dhekelia base and the Kingsfield runway.

Using the "transitional survey" method, in which researchers walk through the space and mark their findings at specific intervals, a group of archaeologists surveyed and recorded visible archaeological remains in the Eastern Sovereign Base Area (ESBA) at Dhekelia on the southern coast of Cyprus, uncovering 51 objects, including five historic buildings.

DIO Archaeology Advisor Alex Soteran highly praised the research's contribution to understanding the archaeology of Dhekelia, contributing to the improvement of cultural heritage management.

The survey identified three coastal quarries with evidence of stone extraction methods and equipment for loading boats.