New Light on Prehistoric Cyprus

Abstract

The object of these notes is to give an account of the recent archaeological discoveries which have thrown considerable light on most ancient Cyprus. A good number of problems concerning the prehistoric culture of this island have been solved, while simultaneously others have emerged opening a good field for future archaeological work and speculation on the origins of Cypriot culture. As Professor Myres states in his most recent general review of the origin of Cypriot civilization, ‘A neolithic chapter has been added at the head of the long island story…’. This naturally does away with the previous theory that the red-ware culture of Bronze Age Cyprus, thought of Anatolian origin, is the earliest in the island. But even with the discovery of earlier cultural stages the problem of the origin has not yet been solved. Whether, however, the red-ware culture of the Bronze Age will continue to be considered as ‘suddenly introduced as a ready-made and a different culture’, as Professor Myres states in the above-mentioned survey, is a matter which should be examined in the light of new discoveries.