The excavation team at Upper Roudias. Credit: Department of Antiquities, Cyprus
Archaeologists working in Cyprus have uncovered new evidence of early human construction and stone structures during the 2025 excavation season at the prehistoric site of Agios Ioannis/Vretsia-Roudias.
The discoveries include a curved stone-built feature, large concentrations of stone tools, and a rare engraved figurine fragment. Researchers say the finds provide fresh insight into how prehistoric communities lived, built, and expressed ideas long before the use of pottery on the island.
Excavation confirms buried stone feature
The most notable discovery was made at Upper Roudias, a site dated to the Aceramic Neolithic period. Archaeologists opened a nine-square-meter (97 square feet) exploratory trench after a 2024 geophysical survey suggested the presence of a buried structure.
Excavation confirmed those earlier signals. Researchers uncovered stones arranged in a curved layout, indicating a deliberately built feature rather than a natural formation. The structure closely resembles the remains of a circular building identified during previous excavation seasons at the site.
Researchers said the find strengthens evidence that early communities at Upper Roudias engaged in planned construction and organized use of space.
Stone tools point to sustained human activity
The trench also produced a dense collection of movable finds. Archaeologists recovered large numbers of chipped stone and ground stone artifacts, including tools and production debris.
The quantity and variety of material suggest repeated and sustained human activity at the site. Researchers said the finds indicate that Upper Roudias was not a short-term occupation area but a place used over extended periods.
Rare engraved figurine fragment discovered
Among the most striking discoveries was a fragment of a large figurine carved from picrolite. The object bears engraved decoration, a feature rarely preserved in prehistoric contexts on Cyprus.
Fragmented picrolite figurine with engraved lines. Credit: Department of Antiquities, Cyprus
Researchers described the figurine fragment as a significant addition to evidence for symbolic and artistic expression during the Aceramic Neolithic period. They said the find offers new clues about belief systems, ritual practices, or social identity among early inhabitants of the region.
The discovery has prompted new research questions about the role of symbolic objects within domestic or communal spaces at Upper Roudias.
Earlier occupation layers revealed at Lower Roudias
Important discoveries were also made at Lower Roudias, located on the western side of the Roudias terrace. Archaeologists completed the excavation of stratigraphic squares I12 and J12 down to the natural substrate.
General ground view of the excavation trench at Lower Roudias. Credit: Department of Antiquities, Cyprus
The deepest layers yielded abundant chipped stone and ground stone artifacts. Researchers said the material reflects intensive activity during the site’s earliest occupation phases, predating the Aceramic Neolithic levels identified at Upper Roudias.
The findings help clarify how prehistoric groups first settled and used the Roudias terrace before later architectural developments.
Discoveries reshape future research plans
The 2025 excavation was conducted by an archaeological mission from the Department of History and Archaeology at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, under the direction of Assistant Professor Maria Dínou. The project was funded by the university’s Research Committee (ELKE).
Researchers said the discoveries made this season have reshaped research priorities at Agios Ioannis/Vretsia–Roudias. The newly uncovered structure, tool assemblages, and symbolic objects are expected to guide future excavation strategies and documentation efforts.
Officials said the site continues to play a key role in understanding Cyprus’ prehistoric past, offering rare evidence of early construction, daily activity, and symbolic behavior on the island.