Iron Age Geomagnetic Intensity Variations in the Eastern Mediterranean: New Evidence from Cyprus

The strategic geographical position of Cyprus at the crossroads of civilizations in the eastern Mediterranean provides a unique opportunity to investigate past geomagnetic field variations and to fill the spatial gap between Eastern Europe and the Levant. In this study, we present new archaeointensity data obtained from well-dated ceramic assemblages from the ancient Kingdom of Idalion, one of the most significant archaeological sites on the island. A comprehensive palaeomagnetic and rock magnetic investigation, combined with Thellier-type experiments modified after Coe, was conducted to assess the magnetic mineralogy, thermal stability, and reliability of the remanent magnetization carried by the pottery sherds. A total of 186 specimens from 55 independent ceramic fragments were analyzed, and reliable archaeointensity estimates were obtained after correction for magnetic anisotropy and cooling-rate effects. The resulting field intensity values range between 50 and 80 µT, providing evidence for the occurrence of significant and rapid geomagnetic field variations in the eastern Mediterranean during the early first millennium BCE. These results are consistent with the Levantine Iron Age Anomaly (LIAA), previously documented in the Middle East. Our new data demonstrate the key role of Cypriot ceramics in constraining the spatial and temporal evolution of the LIAA and contribute to a more detailed regional reconstruction of geomagnetic secular variation. Furthermore, the pronounced and rapid intensity fluctuations recorded during the Iron Age highlight the potential of archaeomagnetic intensity as a robust dating tool for ceramic materials, offering a valuable alternative in periods affected by the Hallstatt radiocarbon plateau.