The Art of Cyprus. Image, Meaning, Function

In Russia, interest in the art of ancient Cyprus dates back to the first half of the 19th century, but since then only a few special works have been published. The present book includes eight articles on Cypriot art, ranging from Neolithic to the Late Classical periods. For the first time, they fully present to the reader some outstanding monuments from Russian collections, such as the Hermitage oinochoe with a goddess and a hunter, the Moscow tombstone with a banquet scene, or long-forgotten items like Cypriot seals from the Golenischev collection. They also give new interpretations to famous Cypriot objects (such as the Vounous model or Marion jugs with plastic figurines) and raise new questions about old topics (connections between Early Bronze Age and Trypolye-Cucuteni pottery; the plot of ritual meal). Despite the difference in approaches, all authors are united by the desire to better understand the essence and spirit of Cypriot art and its deep originality in relation to the Oriental and Greek.