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Cyprus, Nicolle E. Hirschfeld

Classical Studies Faculty Research

Strabo described Cyprus as “second to none of the islands of the Mediterranean: it is rich in wine and oil, produces grain in abundance and possesses extensive copper mines.…” (14.6.5). Geographical proximity placed Cyprus within the orbit of the Levant; currents and winds situated the island in the flow of peoples and ideas between the Aegean and eastern Mediterranean. But at the same time, Cyprus’ insularity and large size fostered idiosyncratic developments. This tension—between native and imported ideas, and invention in a middle ground—informs studies of ancient Cyprus.

Navigation And Transportation, Nicolle E. Hirschfeld

Classical Studies Faculty Research

Water was the most efficient means of transportation and travel in the ancient Greek world. Evidence of the movement of commodities and people comes from a combination of literary, iconographical, and archaeological sources.

Eastwards Via Cyprus? The Marked Mycenaean Pottery Of Enkomi, Ugarit And Tell Abu Hawam, Nicolle E. Hirschfeld

Classical Studies Faculty Research

Based on her study of distribution patterns, Vronwy Hankey suggested that Cyprus or Cypriots played some role in the trade of Mycenaean pottery eastwards to the Levant. She also noted that some of the Mycenaean pottery which reached both Cyprus and the Near East carried marks incised on handles or painted on bases. This paper examines the possible relationships between the marks, Mycenaean pottery, Cyprus, and the trade in Late Bronze Age ceramics. Special reference is made to the evidence from the sites of Enkomi, Ugarit, and Tell Abu Hawam.

À partir de son étude sur les schémas de répartition, …

Incised Marks (Post-Firing) On Aegean Wares, Nicolle E. Hirschfeld

Classical Studies Faculty Research

The practice of incising potmarks into LH and LM III vessels after firing is not only distinctive but also a peculiar and limited Cypriot phenomenon. A close examination of the types of vessels marked in this way and their distribution should provide some clues to patterns of trade between the Aegean and eastern Mediterranean. The work I present here is still very much in progress, and I welcome suggestions and criticisms.