Situated between the worlds of the Near East, Europe and Africa, the archaeology and culture of Cyprus are central to an understanding of the ancient Mediterranean world. This book treats the archaeology of Cyprus from the first-known human presence during the Late Epipalaeolithic (c.11,000 BC) through the end of the Bronze Age (c.1000 BC). A. Bernard Knapp examines the archaeological and documentary records of prehistoric Cyprus within their regional context, paying special attention to the Levant and the Aegean. The appendix (compiled by Sturt W. Manning) analyses all published radiocarbon dates from the island, providing for the first time a comprehensive chronological framework for all of Cypriot prehistory. Focusing on key themes such as identity, insularity and connectivity, and society, community and polity throughout, this book provides a remarkably up-to-date and integrated synthesis of human activity on the Mediterranean's third-largest island.
• Only up-to-date, integrated, archaeological synthesis of human activity on the Mediterranean's third largest island over its entire history • Guided by certain themes (identity, insularity and connectivity; society, community and polity) that help bring to life the material and historical records of prehistoric Cyprus • Presents an island archaeology of Cyprus, but always relates events on Cyprus to those of contemporary cultures in the Aegean and the Levant (modern-day Syria, Lebanon, Israel and Turkey)
Contents
Preface and acknowledgements; 1. Introduction; 2. Chronology, current research and interpretative context; 3. Early prehistoric Cyprus i: Palaeolithic - Early Aceramic Neolithic; 4. Early prehistoric Cyprus ii: Late Aceramic Neolithic (LAN) and Ceramic Neolithic; 5. Later prehistoric Cyprus: Chalcolithic - Late Chalcolithic; 6. Prehistoric Bronze Age Cyprus (PreBA); 7. Protohistoric Bronze Age Cyprus (ProBA); 8. Conclusions: insularity, connectivity and identity on prehistoric and protohistoric Cyprus.
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