ANCIENT CYPRUS
Cultures in Dialogue
THE STRUCTURE OF THE EXHIBITION in detail
The history of archaeology in Cyprus
The first archaeological discoveries in Cyprus were made by European amateur collectors and
“treasure hunters” who visited the island in the course of the 19th century. These early explorers,
whose interest was mainly on fine “art objects” that would embellish their own collections or be sold
for profit to major European museums, have to be credited for the identification of many
archaeological sites and the publication of the first archaeological accounts. Such practices,
however, led to a wave of illegal excavation and tomb looting, both by locals and foreigners, which
was meant to satisfy an increasing market of antiquities in Europe and the USA.
The rise of scientific archaeology in Cyprus should be placed in the 1890s, when the British Museum
conducted the first systematic excavations in various sites of the island. Soon afterword Cypriot
archaeologists started researching the ancient past of the island and by 1905 a new Antiquities Law
was enacted which regulated the distribution of finds and set the basis for the protection of cultural
heritage on the island.
It was not until the 1920s and early 1930s, however, that the Swedish Cyprus Expedition established
a complete chronological framework for Cypriot archaeology and led the foundations for future
scientific research.
The island
Most people link Cyprus with the sea. However, the history of the island has always depended on a
mountain range, Troodos. Having emerged from the sea through a unique geological process,
Troodos covers an area of ca. 3200 m2 at the centre of the island, with its highest peak (Mt Olympus)
elevating at 1951 m.
Apart from life-giving water sources, and dense forests which provided fuel and building material for
houses and ships, Troodos has also abundant mineral resources, copper in particular. Copper was
the basic material for making tools, weapons and luxury items in antiquity, and was extensively
traded in the Mediterranean and the Near East from the 2nd millennium BC onwards. Copper trade
was arguably the most important factor for the economic and cultural growth of ancient Cyprus.
The sea
The sea is both a threat and a blessing to islanders; while it separates people and causes the loss of
life, it also opens paths to new worlds and offers opportunities for prosperity. It functions at the
same time as a barrier and a communication route.
Cyprus was initially settled by people who came from the surrounding mainlands (Levant and/or
Anatolia). During the Neolithic period, marine resources were exploited to some extent but sea
contacts were limited. When sailing and navigation technologies advanced in the late 3nd and 2nd
millennium BC, Cyprus evolved into a major centre of maritime communication and trade.
Ship models, remains of ancient shipwrecks, and vast amounts of imports and exports testify to the
crucial role of the sea for the economy and culture of ancient Cyprus.
Not only traders and commodities moved through the sea, though. High-quality artefacts were also
exchanged, and often itinerant craftsmen and artists followed the routes of merchants. Artistic
interaction was intense in the ancient Mediterranean, and gave rise to fascinating mixtures and
amalgamations. Cypriot art, in particular, was in constant dialogue with the art of the Egyptians, the
Levantines and Phoenicians, and the Greeks.
Society and people
The impact of cultural interaction is evident on all levels of ancient Cypriot society. At least three
languages were used in the island (Greek, Phoenician and the incomprehensible “Eteocypriot”,
which was probably the most ancient speech of Cypriote people) suggesting the long co-existence of
different population groups. Administrative documents include royal correspondence between the
king(s) of Cyprus and the Pharaoh of Egypt, as well as inscriptions in various languages and scripts,
and coins with Greek and Phoenician marks.
Artistic iconography and personal ornaments incorporate many foreign elements, suggesting
purposeful emulation of “international” styles by members of local elites.
At the same time, more humble objects, such as clay figurines and vases indicate more earthly
concerns (e.g. the cultivation of land, the raising of kids) and a close adherence to age-long
traditions.
The world of the dead
Death was especially important for the people of ancient Cyprus. It was considered as part of the
life-cycle and as a transition from the world of the living to the realm of venerated ancestors. Death
rituals also offered an occasion for social display and affirmation of group identity.
In the earliest stages of prehistory, the dead were buried within houses, sometimes provided with
personal items and ornaments made of rare imported materials. From the 3rd millennium BC
onwards, large collective (family?) tombs were built in extramural cemeteries and the dead were
provided with numerous offerings, including exotica from Egypt, the Near East and the Aegean
(made of gold, ivory, faience, glass, perfumes), at least in the wealthier tombs. The presence of
imported artefacts suggests that foreign affiliations were considered important for the social status
of the deceased.
The most impressive Cypriot burials were made in the so-called ‘royal tombs’ of the Archaic period
(8th-6th c. BC). These were large stone-built graves with wide passageways, where horse-drawn carts
carried the dead to their last abode. The horses were sacrificed and buried together with the carts
and other spectacular offerings made of precious materials. Such lavish burials are described in
Homeric epics and Neo-Assyrian texts and are also attested in the Near East, the Aegean and Etruria.
Cypriot examples are among the most well-preserved ones.
The world of the sacred
Religion was the field where interaction with other civilizations had the most complex and long
lasting impact on Cypriot culture. This is clearly reflected on the transformations of the Great Cypriot
Goddess. A major female deity of fertility and regeneration was venerated in the island from
prehistoric times. The goddess changed appearances and styles many times, as she was variously
assimilated with Near Eastern Astarte, Egyptian Hathor and other deities, often borrowing
iconographic elements from their own traditions. By the end of the 4th c. BC, the Cypriot goddess
was fully assimilated with Greek Aphrodite, gradually adopting nude representations which
emphasized her erotic aspects.
Other examples of religious syncretism include the fusion of the Greek hero Herakles with the
Phoenician god Melqart, Zeus with Baal, Apollo with Reshef, Athena with Anat, etc.
Rather than direct transfers from foreign religious systems, however, these fusions reflect selective
adaptations of elements from other Mediterranean traditions into local ritual practices. As people
from different cultural backgrounds came into contact, their beliefs were gradually fused into shared
ideas, which expressed common concerns through a diverse and fascinating artistic vocabulary.