Upcoming lecture: Dendroarchaeology and Monastic Heritage: Unearthing the Past at Sourp Magar of the Kyrenia Range, Cyprus

The Council for British Research in the Levant (CBRL) will present the online lecture " Dendroarchaeology and Monastic Heritage: Unearthing the Past at Sourp Magar of the Kyrenia Range, Cyprus" by APAC PhD candidate and research assistant  Mehmetcan Soyluoglu and APAC Labs director Nikolas Bakirtzis. 

This lecture focuses on the integration of dendroarchaeology—the study of wooden remains coming from the historical context—in understanding the monastic heritage of Sourp Magar Monastery in the Kyrenia Range. Positioned at the crossroads of Coptic and Armenian traditions in Cyprus, Sourp Magar serves as a unique lens to explore the cultural landscape and monastic traditions that evolved from the Byzantine period onward, particularly in the Kyrenia Range.

The lecture highlights the dendroarchaeological techniques employed to analyse wooden roof beams and other structural elements, offering fresh perspectives on how we study and interpret the long and complex history of monasteries located at the foothills of the Kyrenia Range. Beyond these dendroarchaeological insights, the study of Sourp Magar Monastery also allows us to revisit the interconnectedness of the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East, following the presence of Copts and Armenians in Cyprus’s rural landscape.

This exploration of Sourp Magar underscores the role of archaeology in unraveling Cyprus’s multilayered history, emphasising the importance of scientific methods and interdisciplinary approaches to better understand one of the island’s less studied yet fascinating cultural landscapes.

Read more and book your spot here.