The Ashmolean Museum has a large collection of archaeological material from Cyprus. The collection is representative of human history on the island, and is of international importance. The Ashmolean has been associated with the study of Cypriot archaeology since the late 19th century, and it has sponsored several excavations carried out there. Material from these excavations is represented in the collections and displays. The collection provides an excellent resource for the study of the archaeology of the island. Far from being a scientific resource alone, the collections provide surprising and often amusing insights into the lives of the ancient inhabitants of this Mediterranean island. By considering the objects made, used and treasured by people in the past, we can gain vivid impressions of their lifestyles, outlook and basic humanity.

These pages have been created as part of a documentation project funded by the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA) with the aims of improving access to the collection and displaying the material to a far wider audience than is possible in the museum building alone.

• The Myres Gallery of Ancient Cyprus
• Chronology
• Further Information
• Cypriot Copper: Mysteries of the Bronze Age Presentation

• Sites and Places
• Donors and Collectors
• The Documentation Project
• Out-of-Print Ashmolean Handbook: Brown, A.C. and Catling, H.W. Ancient Cyprus (Oxford 1986)