Cyprus

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For thousands of years, Cyprus –the easternmost island in the Mediterranean– has been a magnet for peoples and cultures. Phoenicians and Egyptians, Greeks and Romans, Crusaders and Islamic armies have all left their mark on Cyprus, drawn by the island’s copper mines and vineyards, and its strategic location at the heart of Mediterranean trade routes. From these elements, Cyprus has woven its own distinctive history and culture. The exhibition “Cyprus: Crossroads of Civilizations”, which starts its North American journey at the National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, is presented 22 AN EXHIBITION OF CYPRIOT ANTIQUITIES IN THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY, SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, WASHINGTON DC SEPTEMBER 2010-APRIL 2011 on the occasion of the 50th Anniversary of the Republic of Cyprus. Lenders to the exhibition are: the Cyprus Department of Antiquities, the Cultural Foundation of the Bank of Cyprus, the Byzantine Museum of the “Archbishop Makarios III” Foundation, the Holy Bishopric of Morfou, the Pierides Marfin Laiki Bank Museum, and the Thalassa Museum of the Municipality of Agia Napa. The exhibits are made up of one hundred and ninety-nine antiquities, forty-nine coins, nine icons, two maps and two engravings. Four replicas of very important objects complement the show. The exhibition is curated by Dr. Sophocles Hadjisavvas, former Director of the Cyprus
Department of Antiquities, who is also the editor of the accompanying catalogue. In sharing these archaeological and ecclesiastical treasures with the American public, Cyprus manifests its commitment to the interchange of cultural property among nations for scientific, cultural, and educational purposes. This is not the first time in recent years that an exhibition of archaeological material from Cyprus has crossed the ocean to offer American scholars and non-specialists alike the chance to admire aspects of the island’s rich history and culture. It is, however, the first time that so rich and diverse an archaeological collection has come to the United States in an exhibition that illustrates human presence across some eleven millennia on the easternmost island of the Mediterranean. The exhibition is divided into eight sections, each covering a wide but distinct cultural period, in addition to an introduction to the geology of the island. The Troodos mountain range in central Cyprus, source of copper, asbestos, chromite and other minerals The Birth of an Island Cyprus is a unique case where geology played a decisive role to the development of its natural environment. Geology was also a determinant for the historic, cultural and socioeconomic development of the island from antiquity to modern times. Cyprus rose from the sea, around 20 million years ago, a product of the collision of the African and Eurasian tectonic plates. Perhaps Greek mythology had good reason to de- By Dr. Sophocles Hadjisavvas pict Aphrodite –Cyprus’ patron deity– emerging from the waves on those very shores. The rugged topography, created by the uplift, directly affected both the environment and every aspect of life on the island. It had a general effect on climatic conditions and specifically on rainfall, which in turn governed the distribution of the growth of forests, agriculture, flora and fauna, as well as the social and economic development of Cyprus. It also had an impact 23
Page 1 and 2: Cyprus T O D A Y Vo l u m e X L V I
Page 3: Editorial After centuries of existe
Page 6 and 7: The year 2010 the Republic of Cypru
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Page 12 and 13: ed in an historical sequence relati
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Page 16 and 17: in cooperation with the Kapsomenio
Page 18 and 19: 18 Exhibition: “Cyprus and Italy
Page 20 and 21: “50 Years of the Republic of Cypr
Page 24 and 25: on the distribution of important mi
Page 26 and 27: An Island of Prospectors and Farmer
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Page 40 and 41: Archbishop Chrysostomos II offers t
Page 42 and 43: Pope Benedict XVI Pope Benedict XVI
Page 45 and 46: Italian Cultural Month 2010 Every y
Page 47 and 48: On May 28th, Professor Louis Godart
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Page 53 and 54: chitecture plays an irreplaceable r
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Page 57 and 58: personal paths that allow him emoti
Page 59 and 60: Young Man in White Linen, 1937 pron
Page 61 and 62: Film Festivals and “Summer Movie
Page 63 and 64: discuss with the filmmakers who att
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Page 67: On the 31st of May at the Hall of P

Cyprus

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