Editing History of Cyprus (section)

== Bronze Age ==
[[File:1900-1725 v. Chr. C.jpg|thumb|Red-polished ceramics from Enkomi, 1900–1725 BC. St. Barnabas Archaeological Museum, [[Salamis, Cyprus]]]]

In the [[Bronze Age]] the first cities, such as [[Enkomi]], were built in [[Alashiya]] (today Cyprus). Systematic copper mining began, and this resource was widely traded. [[Mycenaean Greece|Mycenaean Greeks]] were undoubtedly inhabiting Cyprus from the late stage of the Bronze Age while culturually destroying remaining Alašija, whereas the island's Greek name is already attested from the 15th century BC in the [[Linear B]] script.<ref>Through the [[Mycenaean Greek]] Linear B {{lang|gmy|𐀓𐀠𐀪𐀍}}, ''ku-pi-ri-jo'', meaning "Cypriot" and corresponding to the later Greek form {{lang|grc|Κύπριος}}, ''Kyprios''.</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Strange|first=John|title=Caphtor : Keftiu : a new investigation|year=1980|publisher=Brill|location=Leiden|isbn=978-90-04-06256-6|page=167|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=c9QUAAAAIAAJ&q=cyprus+mycenaeans&pg=PA154}}</ref>

The yet undeciphered [[Cypro-Minoan syllabary|Cypro-Minoan syllabic script]] was first used in early phases of the late Bronze Age (LCIB) and continued in use for ca. 500 years into the LC IIIB, maybe up to the second half of the eleventh century BC. It is not known if pre-Greek languages survived beyond the Bronze Age as [[Eteocypriot language|Eteocypriot]],<ref name="steele">{{cite web |url= https://oxfordre.com/classics/display/10.1093/acrefore/9780199381135.001.0001/acrefore-9780199381135-e-8218 |title= Eteocypriot |last= Steele |first= Philippa M. |date= 24 January 2018 |website= Oxford Classical Dictionary |publisher= Oxford University Press |access-date= 17 February 2024 |quote= Eteocypriot had survived from the Cypriot Bronze Age (perhaps related to a language written in the undeciphered Cypro-Minoan script).}}</ref> or if this language was introduced by later Eastern immigrants.<ref name="petit">{{Cite journal |last=Petit |first=Thierry |title=Eteocypriot myth and amathusian reality |journal=Journal of Mediterranean Archaeology |date=1999 |volume=12 |number=1 |pages=108–120 |id=HAL [https://shs.hal.science/halshs-00001435 ffhalshs-00001435] |url=https://shs.hal.science/halshs-00001435/file/TPMyth.pdf |quote= [Eteocypriot] is a Hurrian dialect [and] was not the first spoken language in Cyprus.}}</ref>

The LCIIC (1300–1200&nbsp;BC) was a time of local prosperity. Cities such as Enkomi were rebuilt on a rectangular grid plan, where the town gates correspond to the grid axes and numerous grand buildings front the street system or newly founded.
Great official buildings constructed from [[ashlar]] masonry point to increased social hierarchisation and control. Some of these buildings contain facilities for processing and storing [[olive oil]], such as [[Maroni, Cyprus|Maroni]]-Vournes and Building X at [[Kalavassos]]-Ayios Dhimitrios. A sanctuary with a horned altar constructed from [[ashlar]] masonry has been found at Myrtou-Pigadhes, other temples have been located at Enkomi, [[Kition]] and [[Kouklia]] (Palaepaphos). Both the regular layout of the cities and the new masonry techniques find their closest parallels in Syria, especially in [[Ugarit]] (modern Ras Shamra).
Rectangular corbelled tombs point to close contacts with Syria and Canaan (modern-day Israel) as well.

The practice of writing spread and tablets in the [[Cypro-Minoan syllabary|Cypro-Minoan syllabic script]] have been found at [[Ras Shamra]], then the city of Ugarit. Ugaritic texts from Ras Shamra and Enkomi mention Ya, the Assyrian name of Cyprus, that thus seems to have been in use already in the late Bronze Age.

Copper ingots shaped like oxhides have been recovered from shipwrecks such as at [[Uluburun shipwreck|Uluburun]], Iria and [[Cape Gelidonya]], which attest to the widespread metal trade. Weights in the shape of animals found in Enkomi and Kalavassos follow the Syro-Palestinian, Mesopotamian, Hittite and Aegean standards and thus attest to the wide-ranging trade as well.

Late Bronze Age Cyprus was a part of the [[Hittite Empire]], but was a client state and as such was not invaded, but rather merely part of the empire by association and governed by the ruling kings of Ugarit.<ref name="TTW1">Thomas, Carol G. & Conant, C.: ''The Trojan War'', pages 121-122. Greenwood Publishing Group, 2005. {{ISBN|0-313-32526-X}}, 9780313325267.</ref> As such Cyprus was essentially "left alone with little intervention in Cypriot affairs".<ref name="TTW1" />

Although [[Achaeans (tribe)|Achaean]] Greeks were living in Cyprus from the 14th century,<ref name="Andreas G 2017, pp. 7">[[Andreas G. Orphanides]], "Late Bronze Age Socio-Economic and Political Organization, and the Hellenization of Cyprus", Athens Journal of History, volume 3, number 1, 2017, pp.&nbsp;7–20</ref>
most of them inhabited the island after the Trojan war. Achaeans were colonizing Cyprus from 1210 to 1000&nbsp;BC.
[[Dorians|Dorian]] Greeks arrived around 1100&nbsp;BC and, unlike the pattern on the Greek mainland, the evidence suggests that they settled on Cyprus peacefully.<ref name="Andreas G 2017, pp. 7"/>

Another wave of Greek settlement is believed to have taken place in the following century (LCIIIB, 1100–1050), indicated, among other things, by a new type of graves (long dromoi) and Mycenaean influences in pottery decoration.

===Alashiya===
{{Main|Alashiya}}

Alashiya, the Bronze Age Eastern Mediterranean state that was the major source of copper in the region, was likely situated in Cyprus or includes parts of Cyprus.

Correspondences between the King of Alashiya and [[Ancient Egypt|Egyptian administration]] could be found in the [[Amarna letters]], while the [[Ugaritic texts]] contains exchanges between the King of Alashiya and the King of [[Ugarit]].

In the second half of the 13th century BC., the current town of Enkomi - if it can be identified with Alašija - was conquered and destroyed twice. The first destruction may have coincided with the historically documented conquest of Alašija by the Hittite king Tudḫalija IV. The second destruction took place around 1220 BC - archaeological sources indicate this - apparently by members of the Mycenaean Greek culture, who rebuilt the city in a chessboard fashion. Around 1050 BC Enkomi was destroyed again by an earthquake.<ref>Enkomi Alasia in Cyprus. Auf: turkish.co.uk vom 12. Februar 2020.</ref>

===Pottery===
{{See also|Pottery of ancient Cyprus}}
[[File:Base ring vessel.jpg|thumb|Base ring vessel of Late Bronze Age]]

In the later phase of the [[late Bronze Age]] (LCIIIA, 1200–1100&nbsp;BC) great amounts of 'Mycenaean' IIIC:1b pottery were produced locally. New architectural features include [[cyclopean walls]], found on the Greek mainland, as well and a certain type of rectangular stepped capitals, endemic on Cyprus. Chamber tombs are given up in favour of shaft graves. Large amounts of IIIC:1b pottery are found in Palestine during this period as well. While this was formerly interpreted as evidence of an invasion ('[[Sea Peoples]]'), this is seen more and more as an indigenous development, triggered by increasing trade relations with Cyprus and [[Crete]]. Evidence of early trade with Crete is found in archaeological recovery on Cyprus of pottery from [[Kydonia|Cydonia]], a powerful urban center of ancient Crete.<ref>C. Michael Hogan, [http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/site/10881/cydonia.html#fieldnotes C. Michael Hogan, ''Cydonia'', The Modern Antiquarian, Jan. 23, 2008]</ref>

===Cypriot city kingdoms===
Most authors claim that the Cypriot city kingdoms, first described in written sources in the 8th century BC were already founded in the 11th century BC. Other scholars see a slow process of increasing social complexity between the 12th and the 8th centuries, based on a network of chiefdoms. In the 8th century ([[Geometric art|geometric period]]) the number of settlements increases sharply and monumental tombs, like the 'Royal' tombs of [[Salamis, Cyprus|Salamis]] appear for the first time. This could be a better indication for the appearance of the Cypriot kingdoms.