Salamis of Cyprus – Sunken Harbour at Ammochostos (Famagusta Bay)
Salamis Cyprus · Ammochostos Salamis · Enkomi successor
Bronze Age to Late Roman (1180 BCE Enkomi-Salamis – 648 CE Arab sack)·Teucrid Greek / Cypriot / Persian / Hellenistic / Roman·🇨🇾 Famagusta District, 6 km N of Famagusta (Ammochostos), Salamis necropolis plain, Cyprus
About
About Salamis of Cyprus – Sunken Harbour at Ammochostos (Famagusta Bay)
Great Teucrid kingdom (1180 BCE refuge Enkomi) – Assyrian, Persian, Hellenistic capital under Evagoras. Harbour at mouth of Pediaeus (now silted Kanli Dere) with moles 500 m now –1 to –2 m under Famagusta Bay due to plain subsidence 1.5 m and siltation. Karageorghis, Calvet excavated city walls 10 ha, royal tombs, gymnasium, Zeus. Two harbours: western silted lagoon + eastern open mole. Diving survey 1979 confirms submerged mole arc 500 m.
Why it mattersLargest Cypriot kingdom capital with 500 m mole showing Famagusta Bay 1.5 m subsidence; royal tombs 8th c. BCE Phoenician interplay.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Western lagoon harbour vs eastern mole relative chronology?
- 02Pediaeus divert date
Theories
- 01Eastern mole Hellenistic over Classical base, not Teucrid original; 1.5 m rise post-Classical
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- Teucer son of Telamon tradition, Evagoras, Persians
- Period
- Bronze Age to Late Roman (1180 BCE Enkomi-Salamis – 648 CE Arab sack)
- Culture
- Teucrid Greek / Cypriot / Persian / Hellenistic / Roman
- Builders
- Teucrid Greek
- Purpose
- Kingdom port commanding Cyprus–Levant grain, copper; royal necropolis
- Abandoned
- Silt + subsidence silting Pediaeus 4th c.; Arab sack 648
- Rediscovered
- Cesnola 1882 tombs; Karageorghis 1952; Calvet French 1964
- Excavation
- Excavation ongoing
1180 BCE
Enkomi->Salamis shift Teucrid legend
411–374 BCE
Evagoras Hellenizes, revolts Persia
306 BCE
Demetrios Poliorcetes decisive Salamis sea battle
1979
Harbour mole 500 m mapped –1 to –2 m
On the ground
Structures & features
35.1850° N · 33.9030° E · -1 m · 3 mapped features
Submerged Salamis harbour mole
harbour500 m arc at –1 to –2 m off Pediaeus mouth
35.1860° N · 33.9040° ESalamis Royal Tombs (necropolis)
necropolis8th c. BCE tumuli with horse sacrifices west
35.1830° N · 33.9010° ECity wall and gymnasium (inland)
city10 ha wall and Roman gymnasium
35.1850° N · 33.9030° E