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Middle and Late Bronze Age Metal Tools from the Aegean, Eastern ...

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of <strong>Middle</strong> Cypriot tools, however, is staggering <strong>and</strong> unmatched by <strong>the</strong> sum of MBA<br />

examples <strong>from</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r regions. Knives <strong>and</strong> single-bladed, flat axes characterize <strong>the</strong> <strong>Middle</strong><br />

Cypriot tools, which principally occur in burials <strong>from</strong> Lapithos. The early dominance of<br />

metal tools on Cyprus reflects a social <strong>and</strong> mortuary phenomenon, whereby indigenous<br />

elites started exploiting <strong>the</strong> isl<strong>and</strong>’s copper resources <strong>and</strong> subsequently promoted <strong>the</strong>ir<br />

own prestige by collecting <strong>and</strong> depositing metal items. The abundance of MC tools thus<br />

reflects <strong>the</strong> isl<strong>and</strong>’s rich copper resources <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> skilled metallurgical activity that took<br />

place <strong>the</strong>re.<br />

Although implements for metalworking are scarce on early Cyprus, evidence for<br />

MBA metallurgy is found at Ambelikou-Aletri, Alambra-Mouttes, Kalavasos-Laroumena<br />

Pyrgos-Mavroraki, Politiko-Troullia, <strong>and</strong> Katydata. 733 By <strong>the</strong> beginning of <strong>the</strong> LC I<br />

period, metallurgical activities become more sophisticated with two major industrial sites<br />

on <strong>the</strong> isl<strong>and</strong>: <strong>the</strong> “fortress” at Enkomi <strong>and</strong> Politiko-Phorades. 734 These sites employ<br />

tuyères for <strong>the</strong> first time <strong>and</strong> were efficient in smelting copper. 735 Kassianidou purports<br />

that <strong>the</strong> MC metal industry was not as regressive as previously thought. 736<br />

The industry<br />

was developed enough to satisfy <strong>the</strong> high dem<strong>and</strong> for local metal consumption (seen in<br />

<strong>the</strong> tools <strong>and</strong> weapons) as well as for producing a surplus for export. Cypriot copper<br />

seems to have been sent to Crete during <strong>the</strong> MC-LC I period (at MM IIB Mallia <strong>and</strong> LM<br />

733<br />

For Ambelikou: Merrillees 1984, 7, 11; Kassianidou 2008, 251-252. Alambra: Coleman 1985, 135;<br />

Coleman et al. 1996, 129-137. Kalavasos-Laroumena: Todd 1988, 140; Todd 1993, 85, 93. Pyrgos-<br />

Mavroraki: Belgiorno 1999; Belgiorno 2004, 30-31, 52-57; Knapp 2008, 77; Kassianidou 2008, 254-255.<br />

Politiko-Troullia: Falconer et al. 2005; Falconer 2009. Katydata: Kassianidou 2008, 256, figure 2.<br />

734<br />

Enkomi: Dikaios 1969, 56-62; Dikaios 1971, 500, 505; Kassianidou 2008, 258; Knapp 2008, 217 figure<br />

42. Politiko-Phorades: Knapp, Kassianidou, <strong>and</strong> Donnelly 1999, 138-139; Kassianidou 2008, 262-264.<br />

735<br />

Kassianidou 2008, 266.<br />

736<br />

Kassianidou 2008, 256.<br />

314

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