Cyprus: Crossroads of Civilizations
Summary | Specifications | Tour Schedule | Images | Installations | Press | Checklist (PDF)
Marking the 50th anniversary of independence for the Republic of Cyprus, this celebratory and historic exhibition of Cypriot antiquities opens at the National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution in Washington D.C. The country’s 10,000-year history is one of the oldest recorded in the world and has bequeathed the small island with an enormously rich cultural heritage. Ranging from 10,000 B.C.-1803 A.D., the approximately 220 objects presented in this exhibition are but a fraction of the artifacts discovered by Cypriot and foreign excavators, including many American archaeologists. Ranging from objects of the earliest villages to masterpieces of medieval religious art, this exhibition presents an overview of the unique culture of Cyprus to the North American public for the first time.
Cyprus, Europe’s easternmost Mediterranean island, is at the crossroads of three continents—Europe, Asia and Africa—and at the meeting point of great civilizations has been a major factor influencing the course of the island’s history throughout the centuries. In time, this island became known as Alashiya and, later, as Κύπρος—Cyprus. Lying between the European lands of the Aegean and the countries of the Near East, Cyprus has long been a place where influences from East and West meet.
The loans are only available from May 2011 through May 2012 because the exhibition is due to travel to Brussels in July 2012, when Cyprus takes over the presidency of the European Union. This allows for a limited number of North American presentations and a rare opportunity for these antiquities to leave the country.
Specifications:
| Number of Works: | Approximately 220 objects including artifacts, sculptural figures, jewelry, metalwork, ceramics, and paintings |
| Organized by: | The Government of Cyprus |
| Approximate size: | 4500 square feet |
| Security: | High security |
| Fee: | $65,000 |
| Reduced Fee: | $45,000 plus outgoing shipping For 12 weeks June to December 2011 |
| Shipping: | IA&A makes all arrangements; exhibitors pay outgoing shipping costs within the contiguous US |
| Booking Time: | 12 weeks |
| Tour: | June 2011 - May 2012 |
| Availability: | June 2011 - May 2012 |
| Contact: | Marlene Rothacker |
Tour Schedule:
National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC
September 29, 2010 – May 1, 2011
Summary | Specifications | Tour Schedule | Images | Installations | Press
