Female terracotta figurine with baby (NM 47.347) Late Cypriot II (c. 1450-1200 BC)
Sydney.edu.au/museums/pdfs/newsletters/2782_Muse_November.pdf
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On the occasion of the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the European Union, the Nicholson Museum at the University of Sydney and the High Commission of the Republic of Cyprus cordially invite you to the opening of the exhibition of Cypriot Antiquities “APHRODITE’S ISLAND: AUSTRALIAN ARCHAEOLOGISTS IN CYPRUS” and to the launching of the accompanying Catalogue, which will take place on Thursday, 29 November, 6–8pm, at the Nicholson Museum.
The history of Cyprus is one of the oldest recorded in the world and its civilization goes back 11,000 years, to the 9 Millennium B.C. during the early Neolithic Period or Stone Age.
This exhibition showcases the importance of Cypriot archaeology and its unique contribution to the European and world historical and cultural heritage. Furthermore, it celebrates the important Cypriot archaeological collections of the Nicholson Museum and the extraordinary work of Australian researchers who have investigated the island’s history.
The exhibition “APHRODITE’S ISLAND: AUSTRALIAN ARCHAEOLOGISTS IN CYPRUS” will be officially opened by Her Excellency Professor Marie Bashir AC CVO, Governor of NSW and Chancellor of the University of Sydney.
It would be an enormous pleasure to see you there to enjoy this wonderful exhibition of Cypriot antiquities that will travel us back to the very ancient times of the island! Please feel free to also forward this email to friends and other contacts who may be interested in attending the opening of the exhibition “APHRODITE’S ISLAND: AUSTRALIAN ARCHAEOLOGISTS IN CYPRUS”.
“Yet whatever changes economics or politics made, whatever artistic influence gained favour, Cyprus remained essentially herself and the products of her art retained a distinctive Cypriot character. There is perhaps more continuity of tradition in the island than anywhere else in the Middle East, and yet greater ability to borrow and adapt.”
James Stewart, in A.D. Trendall-J.R. Stewart, Handbook to the Nicholson Museum, (2nd edition) 1948, p. 119.
Cyprus, the third largest island in the Mediterranean, has a rich archaeological and cultural tradition dating back more than ten thousand year. Legend has it that Aphrodite, the mythical goddess of love and beauty, was born in the waters off the coast of Cyprus. 2012 marks the 50th anniversary of the passing of Professor James Stewart, who excavated on the island before and after the Second World War and developed the Nicholson Museum’s collection of over 1500 Cypriot items, but the legacy of Australian archaeological investigations on the island continues today. Fieldwork projects by Australian universities continue, including the Nicholson Museum sponsored excavations at Nea Paphos; the Hellenistic-Roman capital of the island.
This exhibition will celebrate the Cypriot archaeological collections of the Nicholson Museum, and explore the stories of the Australian researchers who have investigated the island’s history.
Opening 29 November 2012
Exhibition Sponsor: Beirut Hellenic Bank
Exhibition Supporters: The Cyprus Community of NSW and the Cyprus Hellenic Club Ltd
Event details
- When: 6.00pm – 8.00pm
- Where: Nicholson Museum
The Quadrangle - Cost: Free
- Contact: Bookings Essential; Contact Museum Reception
T + 61 2 9351 2812
E nicholson.museum@sydney.edu.au - More info: EXHIBITION OPENING TIMES:
Monday to Friday 10.00am – 4.30pm
The First Saturday of Every Month 12.00pm – 4.00pm
Closed on Public Holidays. - Sponsored by:Exhibition principal sponsor: Beirut Hellenic Bank.Exhibition supporters: High Commission of the Republic of Cyprus, Cyprus Community of New South Wales and Cyprus Hellene Club Ltd.The exhibition is part of the celebrations of the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the European Union in 2012.
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