Son of a Son of a Sailor: Island Life and the Colonization of Cyprus

Summary

This is an abstract from the "SAA 2024: Individual Abstracts" session, at the 89th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

For years the Mediterranean islands were considered devoid of much Neolithic or earlier occupation. That no longer is the case, with Cyprus being one island where recent research has rewritten the prehistory of the Mediterranean. We now know that its colonization was not a one-time “Noah’s Ark” event, but rather that the sea was a highway instead of a barrier, resulting in multiple voyages. This means that the first explorers and permanent residents of Cyprus must have had skilled sailors in their midst to make these voyages. I have investigated these early phases at three sites from Late Epipaleolithic pygmy hippo hunters, to deer hunters, domestic herders, and farmers in the Aceramic Neolithic. These studies have been productive, notwithstanding current political issues on this divided island. The studies have contributed to our understanding of how and why people become islanders. The early colonizers likely originated from several Levantine and Anatolian locales, and were skilled seafarers with the ability to transport not only people but domestic animals and other resources. These skills were passed down through the generations, ensuring continuous voyages and resulting in a unique island identity that persists today.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• SAA 2024: Individual Abstracts   •
• Society for American Archaeology 89th Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA (2024)

Keywords

Spatial Coverage

Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 39418.0