Cypriot Mosaics

The first major study in English of the art of mosaics in antiquity.

Stunning new discoveries beneath Egypt?'s second city

Examining every aspect of the culture from antiquity to the founding of Constantinople in the early Byzantine era, this thoroughly cross-referenced and fully indexed work is written by an international group of scholars. This Encyclopedia is derived from the more broadly focused Encyclopedia of Greece and the Hellenic Tradition, the highly praised two-volume work. Newly edited by Nigel Wilson, this single-volume reference provides a comprehensive and authoritative guide to the political, cultural, and social life of the people and to the places, ideas, periods, and events that defined ancient Greece.

In 1988 the GCI and the Department of Antiquities of Cyprus agreed to conserve an important floor mosaic excavated in 1984–1985 in Paphos, Cyprus. The mosaic, which depicts Orpheus and the Beasts together in a single panel, is representative of an iconographic tradition common throughout the Mediterranean Basin. It is unusual, however, in that Orpheus is shown with his arm outstretched, and is further distinguished by an inscription naming the person who commissioned the work, a feature not present in any other Roman mosaic in Cyprus. Although the mosaic was in generally good condition when excavated, root damage had dislodged much of the tessellatum from its setting-bed and also had created several large lacunae. Subsidence caused by partial support of the mosaic on an underlying wall became more pronounced after excavation, and cracking appeared. For this reason, the mosaic was lifted, provided with a new support, and replaced in situ. The decision was made to lift the tesellatum by rolling it onto a drum rather than by cutting it into smaller sections, respecting the single pictorial composition of the work. The project included training in this relatively unusual technique for conservators from the region. The Conservation of the Orpheus Mosaic at Paphos, Cyprus, chronicles each element of the project, including the evaluation, documentation, detachment, reinstallation, and cleaning of the mosaic. It includes a clearly illustrated, step-by-step discussion of the procedures used to roll the mosaic and to install its new support system of fiberglass and aluminum. Environmental monitoring, analysis of tesserae samples, and the development and evaluation of a protective shelter are also covered, along with historical and iconographic material on this remarkable mosaic.

In May 2015 an international conference organised by the University of Cyprus and the Cypriot Department of Antiquities was held in Nicosia - a conference, which could well be called the largest ever symposium on ancient Salamis. During the three-day event some 60 scholars from many countries presented their current research on this important and spectacular archaeological site on the east coast of the island of Cyprus. Two generations of scholars met in Nicosia during the conference: an older one, whose relationship with ancient Salamis can be characterized as very direct, since many representatives of that generation had actively participated in the extremely productive excavations at that spot, until these activities came to an abrupt end in the summer of 1974 due to the Turkish invasion - and a younger generation, which is of course lacking this very direct contact. The conference successfully connected the older with the younger generation, and thus contributed to maintaining and renewing the interest in ancient Salamis. This richly illustrated book compiles most of the lectures presented during the conference. It might be regarded as a tribute to Salamis, an outstanding ancient city, which existed for more than one and a half millennia - eventually under the name of Constantia.

Some hundred early Christian churches are attested on Cyprus, dating from the fourth to seventh centuries.Their architectural remains have shaped the Cypriot landscape.The peculiar evolution of the features of the Cypriot church gave rise to a scientific discussion on how to evaluate these specific local developments. In the last decade, individual research as well as conferences and workshops dedicated to late antiquity and the early Byzantine period have contributed towards a new approach and a new impulse for the study of this period in Cyprus.The volume reinforces and furthers this trend taking into consideration relevant parameters reflected on the architectural planning, such as structural knowledge and innovations, cultic behaviours, liturgical traditions, economic capacities, social and political aspirations. Based on current developments in research, new findings in Cyprus and the focus on intercultural contacts, the volume is organised into four different sections: 1) Building the Christian cityscape and landscape; 2) Christian communities and church building, fourth to seventh centuries; 3) Interior arrangement and theological concepts; 4) 'International Byzantine Style'? Local traditions and adaptations in- and outside Cyprus.