Idalion
Ιδάλιον | |
Map showing the ancient city Kingdoms of Cyprus; Idalion is inland at center right | |
Idalion Shown within Cyprus | |
| Location | Cyprus |
|---|---|
| Region | Nicosia District |
| Coordinates | 35°00′57″N 33°25′23″E / 35.0158°N 33.4230°E |
| Site notes | |
| Archaeologists | Luigi Palma di Cesnola, R. Hamilton Lang, Max Ohnefalsch-Richter, Erik Sjöqvist |
| Management | Cyprus Department of Antiquities |
Idalion or Idalium (Greek: Ιδάλιον, Idalion, Phoenician: 𐤀𐤃𐤉𐤋, ʾDYL, Akkadian: e-di-ʾi-il, Edīl) was an ancient city in Cyprus, in modern Dali, Nicosia District. The city was founded on the copper trade in the 3rd millennium BC. Its name does not appear on the Sargon Stele of 707 BC, but does appear on the later Prism of Esarhaddon (copies of the text dated to 673–672 BC) and in similar spellings in Ashurbanipal's annal (648/647 BC).
Recent excavations have uncovered major buildings on the site which are open to visitors. A new museum is at the entrance of the site.