A shard of pottery found at Episkopi Phaneromeni, a Bronze Age settlement in Cyprus, provides new insight into how ancient kingdoms in the region managed their economy. Previously deciphered tablets suggest that the surrounding administrative unit (or kingdom), named Alashiya, was closely connected to the Hittite Empire in the early 12th century BCE. The Hittites referred to Alashiya as a major political and economic player in the eastern Mediterranean.

The newly found shard was inscribed in the Cypro-Minoan script, which is typically found in Cyprus and dates to the 15th–11th centuries BCE. According to the researchers' interpretation, the inscription refers to a specific amount of grain and an individual or group of people. Additionally, the inscription uses a previously undeciphered sign, adding further complexity to the understanding of the Cypro-Minoan script.

Decipherment of the shard was possible due to a breakthrough in the understanding of the Cypro-Minoan script published by the project team in June 2021. The project, titled "Scribes and Schools in the Ancient Mediterranean," is based at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) and the Cyprus Institute (CyI) in Nicosia. The team includes Prof. Dr. Martin West from the JGU Institute of Classical Philology and Ancient History and Dr. Silvia Ferrara, project manager from the CyI.

The find is expected to shed more light on the economic administration of Cyprus during the Bronze Age and enhance understanding of the role of Alashiya in the wider eastern Mediterranean.