Agia Paraskevi Necropolis
The Agia Paraskevi necropolis is an extensive Bronze Age burial ground located approximately half a mile north of the Church of Agia Paraskevi in the Nicosia district. The site occupies the edge of a plateau southwest of Cyprus's modern capital. It takes its name from the nearby Byzantine church. This cemetery was used continuously throughout the Early and Middle Bronze Age periods, roughly from 2400 BCE to 1100 BCE. The site contains hundreds of rock-cut chamber tombs where ancient communities buried their dead along with pottery, tools, jewelry, and other grave goods. These artifacts provide detailed information about how Cypriots lived, traded, and organized their societies during prehistoric times. The necropolis is particularly important because it represents the burial ground for ancient Ledra, one of the early kingdoms mentioned in Assyrian records. While the settlement itself lies buried beneath modern Nicosia, the cemetery on the plateau has survived and offers the most complete picture of life in central Cyprus during the Bronze Age. Historical Background The Agia Paraskevi necropolis came to archaeological attention in the late 19th century. In 1883 and 1884, German archaeologist Dr. Max Ohnefalsch-Richter conducted extensive excavations at the site. His work uncovered numerous tombs and established the cemetery's importance for understanding Cypriot prehistory. Ohnefalsch-Richter arrived in Cyprus in 1878 as a journalist but quickly shifted his…
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