Welcome to Ancient Cyprus

The island of Cyprus is host to an incredible archeological history, spanning over ten thousand years and a myriad of major civilizations. This website is dedicated to documenting its archeology and history.

The Alexis Drakopoulos Collection of Cypriot Antiquities

Recent Articles

Cylinder Seal Impressions in Bronze Age Cyprus

Cylinder Seal Impressions in Bronze Age Cyprus

Explore the rare practice emerged involving the use of cylinder-seals to create relief friezes on...

ArcheologyHistory
September 22, 2024
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The Evolution of Cypriot burials over time

The Evolution of Cypriot burials over time

Unearth the fascinating evolution of Cypriot burial practices from the Neolithic to the Classical...

ArcheologyHistory
September 22, 2024
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The Early Iron Age Cypriot City of Amathus

The Early Iron Age Cypriot City of Amathus

Find out what the Limassol Archeological Museum has to offer, what you can learn, see and experie...

DiscussionCollection
September 17, 2024
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The Limassol Archeological Museum

The Limassol Archeological Museum

Find out what the Limassol Archeological Museum has to offer, what you can learn, see and experie...

DiscussionCollection
September 14, 2024
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Cypro-Archaic Bird Motifs

The pottery of ancient Cyprus, especially throughout the Archaic period, is known for various repeating patterns and motifs, including intricate free-field birds. Let us explore commonly found bird motifs and the pottery on which they live.

3D Model

3D Models of Cypriot Pottery

Through our cutting-edge Photogrammetry program we have published our first set of compressed 3D models featuring an impressive resolution of up to 20 pixels per mm.

Our models have been published with 8k textures downsampled from 16k, you can view them here.

You can also find out more about our Photogrammetry Program and future plans. We will be publishing articles detailing our photogrammetry approach and the use of 3D models in archeology.

Explore the History of Cyprus

Find out more about Cyprus from the first settlers to the late Archaic periods. Note we do not cover the later classical periods. For a short introduction to the history of Cyprus see the History Page.

Neolithic

Neolithic

Discover the earliest inhabitants of Cyprus.

History
10,000-4,500 BC
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Chalcolithic

Chalcolithic

The Copper age and first larger-scale ceramic period.

History
4,000-2,600 BC
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Bronze-Age

Bronze-Age

The birth of complex society and mortuary practices.

History
2,600-1,050 BC
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Cypro-Geometric

Cypro-Geometric

Recovery and Growth following the Bronze Age Collapse.

History
1,050-750 BC
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Cypro-Archaic

Cypro-Archaic

The Late Iron Age and Final Fully Cypriot Period.

History
750-475 BC
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Our Mission

Large Bichrome Cypro-Geometric Jug

Our mission is to democratize access to the fascinating history and cultural heritage of Ancient Cyprus by collecting, preserving, and sharing all known knowledge in a way that is engaging, understandable, and free for everyone.

We are committed to breaking down barriers to learning by translating complex research and literature into accessible, easy-to-understand content, providing the tools and resources necessary for people of all backgrounds to explore and appreciate the rich history of Cyprus. Through our dedication to writing, collecting, and preserving the history of Cyprus, we aim to inspire curiosity, foster a deeper understanding, and ensure that the invaluable knowledge of this ancient civilization is accessible to generations to come.

Find out More About Our Projects

We have several ongoing and planned Projects:

  • The Compendium of Cypriot Pottery
  • End to End Course on Cypriot Archeology
  • Largest Online Catalogue of Cypriot artefacts
  • Research Unveiled: Simplifying & Documenting Research for All
  • What really happened in the 1800s: Artifacts Lost to History
  • An Interactive Historical Map of Ancient Cyprus
  • A Comprehensive list of Cypriot Collections around the World
  • A Complete Catalogue of Resources on Ancient Cyprus
  • Red on black ware Oinochoe