The Cesnola Collection of Cypriot Art

An exploration of Cypriot artifacts in ivory, faience, and other materials that reveals the complex artistic, economic, and cultural exchanges across the ancient Mediterranean world

This analysis of more than two hundred ancient Cypriot objects in bone, ivory, faience, lead, and other materials is the fifth volume in a series cataloguing the globally renowned Cesnola Collection of Ancient Cypriot Art. Through works ranging from amulets and jewelry to vessels and spindle whorls, this book provides an intimate new perspective on daily life in the Mediterranean during the late Bronze Age. The publication reveals the complex relationships between ancient Cyprus and Anatolia, Assyria, Egypt, Phoenicia, Greece, and Rome. Annie Caubet explores Cypriot use of imported materials and motifs borrowed from other cultures, adding significant nuance to our understanding of the work. Her scientific study orients the works in the context of recent archaeological excavations and reveals the complex cultural milieu in which they were created. Uncovering the rich and distinctive artistic legacy of a region with a long history as a cultural crossroads, this volume is a fundamental resource for identifying the origins, materials, and techniques of Cypriot objects.

Published by The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Distributed by Yale University Press