Geochemical survey of soil samples from the archaeological site Dromolaxia-Vyzakia (Cyprus), by means of micro-XRF and statistical approaches

During the 13th and 12th centuries BCE, Dromolaxia - Vyzakia (Hala Sultan Tekke) was a flourishing coastal settlement located at the shores of the Larnaca salt lake and for this reason the site has attracted a great deal of scholarly interest. Evidence of ceramic, ivory and metal manufacturing processes supports the belief that this site was not only a location active in trade, but also an important crafts centre. Despite the fact that a significant number of archaeological missions invested considerable time and expertise to study the site, its spatial extent and makeup is still not fully understood. Significant efforts are currently underway to reveal the extent of the whole settlement and to pinpoint possible anthropogenic activities. The detection of intriguing magnetic anomalies during a preliminary geophysical survey over an unexcavated area adjacent to the main excavation, and the presence of nearby surface scattered slag fragments, suggested further investigation. These locations were ideal for an extensive geochemical survey through micro-XRF measurements. Therefore, an extensive geochemical survey, the objective of this study, was carried out to measure concentrations of elements (K, Ca, Ti, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, and Zn) using a micro-XRF. Soil samples were collected at an excavated area of known anthropogenic activity as well as from other unexcavated areas including the one assessed by the geophysical survey. Results were analyzed with the method of principal components analysis (PCA) and Pearson's correlation coefficients focusing on the identification of possible patterns amongst sampling areas. The site's normal background concentration values (NBC) were also determined in order to evaluate elemental enhancement by enrichment factors. The statistical analysis of results indicated the impact of metalworking or other related processes in the soil's chemistry. In addition, it identified elements that can be attributed to anthropogenic activities (K, Ca, Ni, Cu, and Zn) and also corroborated with the geophysical data highlighting specific zones where future archaeological efforts should focus.