Intensive site survey. Implications for estimating settlement size, population and duration in prehistoric Bronze Age Cyprus.

Combined excavation, surface and sub-surface survey at Marki in Cyprus presents an opportunity to examine issues relevant to regional survey. These relate, in particular, to estimates of site size and the recognition of sites with multiple components. Models of site formation and history are developed to illustrate relationships between surface material and the extent of ancient settlements at different points in time. These suggest that population-per-hectare estimates based on surface debris significantly exaggerate ancient habitation. Initial phases of long-term settlement are, further, unlikely to appear in the survey record. This may explain the paucity of identified earliest Bronze Age sites in some parts of the island and allow a better understanding of the development of broadly-based Early Cypriot sys-