Laser scanning reveals 23 previously hidden ship carvings at ancient Kition

Researchers have identified 23 previously unknown ship carvings on the walls of the ancient Kition temple, located beneath modern-day Larnaca in Cyprus. This discovery, made possible through high-resolution 3D laser scanning, has effectively more than doubled the number of previously documented engravings, which were initially recorded in the 1980s by archaeologists Lucien Basch and Michal Artzy.

The study, led by Graham C. Braun, Caroline Barnes, and Tzveta V. Manolova and published in the International Journal of Nautical Archaeology, reveals that the engravings were not created simultaneously. Instead, the evidence suggests they were added incrementally over hundreds of years, spanning from the Late Bronze Age to the Early Iron Age. Researchers analyzed the depth and angles of the marks to distinguish human-made carvings from natural stone erosion, categorizing nine as high-certainty, six as medium, and eight as low-certainty. Currently, a total of 43 ship engravings have been recorded at the site, with 41 located at Temple 1 and two at the altar of Temple 4.

This research highlights the long-standing historical connection between ancient Kition and maritime navigation. The utilization of terrestrial laser scanners, which capture millions of 3D data points, allowed for the identification of details invisible to the naked eye.