Discover the History of Cyprus Part 1: – Prehistoric Cyprus

🏺 Prehistoric Cyprus: The Island’s Earliest Inhabitants

Introduction. Long before castles, empires, and religious monuments, Cyprus was already home to humans. The island’s rich and fascinating prehistory stretches back to the 9th millennium BCE, placing it among the earliest inhabited regions in the Eastern Mediterranean. This article explores how the first settlers arrived, how they lived, and what traces of their world still remain.

🌍 The First Settlers: Cyprus in the Neolithic Age

Archaeological evidence suggests humans first settled in Cyprus around 8800 BCE, during the Aceramic Neolithic period (before the invention of pottery). The most famous site from this time is Khirokitia (Choirokoitia), a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in the Larnaca District.

Highlights of Neolithic Cyprus:

• Circular stone houses with flat roofs

• Domestication of goats, sheep, and pigs

• Cultivation of wheat and barley

• Use of stone tools and woven baskets

The settlers lived in tightly packed villages, reflecting early forms of organised society. Burial customs, often involving interment beneath the floors of homes, reveal complex spiritual beliefs and social structures.

🛠️ The Chalcolithic Era: Copper and Creativity

Around 3900 BCE, the Chalcolithic (Copper-Stone) Age emerged. This period saw the introduction of copper tools, although stone remained dominant. It also marked the first known use of figurines and ritual objects, such as fertility goddesses crafted from stone and clay.

Key site: Lemba (near Paphos) – known for its symbolic female figurines and early metallurgy.

🪙 The Early Bronze Age: Trade and Transformation

By 2500 BCE, Cyprus entered the Bronze Age, thanks to its abundant copper resources (the island’s name may derive from the Latin “Cuprum” for copper). Early settlements became more permanent, and the island began trading with Egypt, the Levant, and Anatolia.

Key developments:

• Advanced metallurgy techniques

• First evidence of writing (in pictographic and syllabic scripts)

• Burial in chamber tombs, often with rich grave goods

🧭 Why Prehistoric Cyprus Matters

Studying prehistoric Cyprus reveals:

• A bridge between Europe and Asia in ancient times

• One of the first societies to use metal tools

• How early humans adapted to island environments

Today, visitors can explore sites like Khirokitia and the Cyprus Museum in Nicosia, which houses many Neolithic and Chalcolithic finds.

🧱 Did You Know?

• The domed, stone homes of Khirokitia were built without mortar.

• Cyprus is one of the oldest continuously inhabited islands in the world.

• The Neolithic Cypriots domesticated cats over 9,000 years ago—before the ancient Egyptians!

Next up in the series:👉 Bronze Age Cyprus: Birth of Urban Civilisation