MIDDLE CYPRIOT TRADE AND GATEWAY COMMUNITIES: NEW EVIDENCE FROM THE TEL KABRI EXCAVATIONS

This study presents an updated overview of the importation of Cypriot White Painted Ware to the southern Levant during the Middle Bronze Age, with a focus on distribution, chronology, and maritime trade. Drawing on extensive catalogs, including recent excavations at key locations such as Tel Kabri, Ashkelon, and Tell el-‘Ajjul, the significant role of these coastal sites as hubs of Cypriot trade is highlighted. Notably, the research reveals a pronounced concentration of imports in the northern regions, particularly during the early Middle Bronze phases (MB I and II), with Tel Kabri suggested as a central trading nexus. Using an analysis of sailing routes and prevailing winds, the study explores patterns of maritime mobility that facilitated these exchanges. The evidence suggests that direct trade routes from eastern Cyprus, particularly from Kalopsidha and the Karpas Peninsula, significantly influenced the distribution of White Painted Ware and Red-on-Red/Black Ware. Furthermore, the distribution of imports suggests that the socio political dynamics within the region, including the rise and eventual decline of Tel Kabri, were instrumental in shaping trade networks and the circulation of goods. The gradual increase in WP imports throughout the Middle Bronze Age aligns with the development of Levantine urbanization.