Description
Within the vast territory of the Eastern Mediterranean, an area of
such outstanding archaeological richness and importance, Cyprus
is coming to occupy an increasingly prominent place. The signifi-
cance of the island in early times and the distinctive quality of its output
require no further demonstration; and it is no longer possible to regard Cyprus
as a mere offshoot of Aegean civilisation or as no more than a staging point
in the commercial and cultural expansion of the ancient Near East. The
achievements of the Late Bronze Age and the Archaic period in Cyprus Would
be sufficient in themselves to justify a special volume in the “Ancient Civili-
zations” series; and yet these are no more than the most brilliant chapters
in the long history of the island, which-even if we confine our attention to
ancient times-has had its full share of vicissitudes, its alternation of decline
and resurgence.
But there are other reasons too. Since it is the object of this series to introduce
its readers to the diverse aspects of contemporary archaeology in all its range
if the
