The Department of Antiquities of the Deputy Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Cyprus announces the completion of the 2025 field campaign of the Hala Sultan Tekke Hinterland Project. Τhe campaign consisted of a three-week field season carried out in October and November and conducted in the wider landscape surrounding the Late Bronze Age urban centre of Hala Sultan Tekke in Larnaka District. The project, which commenced in 2021, is directed by Prof. Dr Ralf Vandam, Dr Jan Coenaerts, and Prof. Karin Nys (Vrije Universiteit Brussel) in collaboration with international partners.

The Autumn 2025 campaign combined systematic archaeological surface survey with an extensive programme of geophysical prospection, aiming to refine understanding of settlement organisation, land use and activity zones in the Larnaka area. Archaeological survey documented surface material across the Larnaka Salt Lake landscape and in the Pyrga region, improving the chronological and functional interpretation of known sites and identifying new areas for further investigation.

Previous fieldwork in Pyrga documented numerous copper-slag heaps. Particularly dense concentrations of Late Roman material were recorded at several locations near the copper slag heaps, suggesting the presence of a Late Roman production landscape. In 2024, a ground-penetrating radar survey was conducted in collaboration with The University of Cyprus under the direction of Prof. A. Sarris.

In 2025, a large-scale magnetometric survey covering approximately 8,000 m² was undertaken by Dr I. Medarić (University of Ljubljana / University of Zurich). High-resolution magnetometry revealed a complex pattern of subsurface anomalies, including linear features, clusters of strongly magnetised zones and spatially organised concentrations indicative of anthropogenic activity. Several anomalies are consistent with features potentially related to metallurgical installations, slag deposits and associated infrastructure, while others may reflect geological formations characteristic of the wider region.

The results of the 2025 campaign significantly refine the spatial understanding of activity areas in the hinterland of Hala Sultan Tekke and provide a strong foundation for future targeted excavation and interdisciplinary research.