Digital restoration of Tenta Kalavasos

Another archaeological site in the province of Larnaca was virtually restored at the initiative of the Larnaca Tourism Development and Promotion Company and the Youth Makerspace Larnaka of the Cyprus Youth Organization. After the Ancient Port of Kiti came the Neolithic Settlement of Kalavasos-Tenda which, together with Choirokoitia, is an excellent example of an early permanent settlement of populations on the island during the Akeramean Neolithic period (7000-5200 BC).

The settlement is brought back to life through video and 3D VR visualization, taking us back 9,500 years, to the point where some of the first permanent residents of Cyprus established a village on the western plain of the Vasilikos River. The ancient ruins are being restored, and the whole of the buildings stand out, with the main characteristic being the circular plan and the enclosure wall that surrounded the settlement. An example of the interior of a house is also presented, while special mention is made of the rare decoration of a building, where two human figures with raised arms can be seen. The video also refers to the daily activities of the inhabitants and their coexistence with the animals of the time, while archaeological finds found in the area are presented, such as tools, stone vessels, and jewelry.

The settlement of Tenta, like other settlements of the same period, was suddenly abandoned around 5,600 BC, without having yet ascertained the reasons for this sudden abandonment.

For the implementation of the project, studies of the excavation team of the site in question under the guidance of archaeologist Alison South were used, to whom warm thanks are expressed. ETAP and ONEK also thank the Department of Antiquities and the Deputy Ministry of Tourism for their contribution.

The public can experience the experience of 3D visualization at the Youth Makerspace Larnaka through the virtual reality equipment available in the space. Additionally, the video is available on YouTube