Forensic Archaeology in Cyprus An Appraisal of a Nascent Discipline

Abstract

Forensic sciences is the umbrella term used to describe the different disciplines used in resolving forensic medicolegal, criminal, and humanitarian investigations. Physical anthropology played a key role since the inception of the field, and forensic anthropologists are often in charge of the recovery of human remains. The use of archaeological methods, first advocated in the late 1970s, developed into what we call today forensic archaeology; that is, the scientific discipline combining archaeological theories, methods, and field techniques with criminalistics in the context of a forensic investigation. This study follows the birth and development of forensic archaeology in Cyprus, as implemented by foreign experts and Cypriot scientists in the Republic of Cyprus. The author discusses examples from both criminal and humanitarian forensic investigations, their respective contexts, and the stakeholders involved to illustrate the different trajectories in Cypriot forensic archaeology. This shows that in some respects the discipline remains nascent, while in others there is a high level of local expertise that can be developed further.

Funding: This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

Declaration of Competing Interest: The author reports no declarations of interest.