Human habitation of Cyprus dates back to the Paleolithic era. Cyprus's geographic position has caused the island to be influenced by differing Eastern Mediterranean civilizations over millennia.

Periods of Cyprus's history from 1050 BC have been named according to styles of pottery found, as follows: Cypro-Geometric I: 1050–950 BC Cypro-Geometric II: 950–900 BC Cypro-Geometric III: 900–750 BC Cypro-Archaic I: 750–600 BC Cypro-Archaic II: 600–480 BC Cypro-Classical I: 480–400 BC Cypro-Classical II: 400–310 BC

Prehistoric Cyprus

Prior to the arrival of humans in Cyprus, only four terrestrial mammal species were present on the island, including the Cypriot pygmy hippopotamus and the Cyprus dwarf elephant, which were much smaller than their mainland ancestors as a result of insular dwarfism, with the other species being the Cypriot genet and the extant Cypriot mouse. The earliest humans to inhabit Cyprus were hunter gatherers who arrived on the island around 11,000–10,000 BC. The last records of the now extinct endemic mammals date to shortly after human settlement. The hunter gatherers later introduced wild boar to the island around 12,000 years ago, likely to act as a food source. The earliest presence of Neolithic farming settlements dates to around 8,500 BC.

Dogs, sheep, goats and possibly cattle were introduced, as well as numerous wild animals such as foxes and Persian fallow deer that were previously unknown on the island. The Pre-Pottery Neolithic B settlers built round houses with floors made of terrazzo of burned lime (e.g. Kastros, Shillourokambos) and cultivated einkorn and emmer. Pigs, sheep, goats and cattle were kept but remained, for the most part, behaviourally wild. Evidence of cattle such as was attested at Shillourokambos is rare, and when they apparently died out in the course of the 8th millennium BC they were not re-introduced until the Ceramic Neolithic.

In the 6th millennium BC, the aceramic Khirokitia culture was characterised by roundhouses, stone vessels and an economy based on sheep, goats and pigs. Cattle were unknown, and Persian fallow deer were hunted. This was followed by the ceramic Sotira phase. The Eneolithic era is characterised by stone figurines with spread arms.

Water wells discovered by archaeologists in western Cyprus are believed to be among the oldest in the world, dated at 9,000 to 10,500 years old, putting them in the Stone Age. They are said to show the sophistication of early settlers, and their heightened appreciation for the environment.

In 2004, the remains of an 8-month-old cat were discovered buried with its human owner at a Neolithic archeological site in Cyprus.Wade, Nicholas, "Study Traces Cat's Ancestry to Middle East", The New York Times, June 29, 2007 The grave is estimated to be 9,500 years old, predating Egyptian civilization and significantly pushing back the earliest known feline-human association.

Bronze Age

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 Greeks were undoubtedly inhabiting Cyprus from the late stage of the Bronze Age while culturally destroying Alashiya, whereas the island's Greek name is already attested from the 15th century BC in the Linear B script.Through the Mycenaean Greek Linear B , ku-pi-ri-jo, meaning "Cypriot" and corresponding to the later Greek form , Kyprios.

The undeciphered Cypro-Minoan script was first used in early phases of the late Bronze Age (LCIB) and continued in use for around 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, or if this language was introduced by later eastern immigrants.

The LCIIC (1300–1200 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-Vournes and Building X at Kalavassos-Ayios Dhimitrios. A sanctuary with a horned altar constructed from ashlar 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. Rectangular corbelled tombs point to close contacts with Syria and Canaan.

The practice of writing spread and tablets in the Cypro-Minoan script have been found at Ugarit. Ugaritic texts from Ugarit 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, 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 client state of the Hittite Empire and governed by the ruling kings of Ugarit.Thomas, Carol G. & Conant, C.: The Trojan War, pages 121-122. Greenwood Publishing Group, 2005. , 9780313325267. As such Cyprus was essentially "left alone with little intervention in Cypriot affairs".

Achaean Greeks were living in Cyprus from the 14th century.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. 7–20 Greeks colonized Cyprus from 1210 to 1000 BC. Dorian Greeks arrived around 1100 BC and, unlike the pattern on the Greek mainland, the evidence suggests that they settled on Cyprus peacefully.

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

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 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 Alashiya – was conquered and destroyed twice. The first destruction may have coincided with the historically documented conquest of Alashiya by the Hittite king Tudḫalija IV. The second destruction took place around 1220 BC, 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.Enkomi Alasia in Cyprus. Auf: turkish.co.uk vom 12. Februar 2020.

Pottery

In the later phase of the Late Bronze Age (LCIIIA, 1200–1100 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 to 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, a powerful urban center of ancient Crete.C. Michael Hogan, C. Michael Hogan, Cydonia, The Modern Antiquarian, Jan. 23, 2008

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 period) the number of settlements increases sharply and monumental tombs like those in Salamis appear for the first time. This could be a better indication for the appearance of the Cypriot kingdoms.

Early Iron Age The early Iron Age on Cyprus follows the Submycenaean period (1125–1050 BC) of the Late Bronze Age. It is divided into the Geometric (1050–700 BC) and Archaic (700–525 BC) periods.

Foundations myths documented by classical authors connect the foundation of numerous Cypriot towns with immigrant Greek heroes in the wake of the Trojan War. For example, Teucer, brother of Aias was supposed to have founded Salamis, and the Arcadian Agapenor of Tegea to have replaced the native ruler Kinyras and to have founded Paphos. Some scholars see this a memory of a Greek colonisation already in the 11th century BC. Tomb 49 from the 11th century BC was found in Palaepaphos-Skales, containing three bronze obeloi with inscriptions in Cypriot syllabic script, one of which bears the name of Opheltas. This is the first indication of the use of Greek language on the island.

Cremation as a burial rite is seen as a Greek introduction as well. The first cremation burial in bronze vessels has been found at Kourion-Kaloriziki, tomb 40, dated to the first half of the 11th century BC (LCIIIB). The shaft grave contained two bronze rod tripod stands, the remains of a shield and a golden sceptre as well. Formerly seen as the royal grave of first Argive founders of Kourion, it is now interpreted as the tomb of a native Cypriot or a Phoenician prince. The cloisonné enamelling of the sceptre head with the two falcons surmounting it has no parallels in the Aegean, but shows a strong Egyptian influence.

A population living in Amathus in the early Iron Age left inscriptions in the Eteocypriot language using the Cypriot syllabary. It is not known if this language survived from a Bronze Age language spoken in Cyprus, maybe one written in the Cypro-Minoan script, or if it was related to Hurrian, since later eastern immigrants may have adopted the script, similar to how the Mycenaeans adopted the Minoan script.

Phoenicians Literary evidence suggests an early Phoenician presence at Kition which was under Tyrian rule at the beginning of the 10th century BC. Some Phoenician merchants who were believed to come from Tyre colonized the area and expanded the political influence of Kition. After the sanctuaries [at the Kathari site] were rebuilt and reused by the Phoenicians.Excerpt of text on the only plaque at the Kathari site (as of 2013). The oldest cemetery of Salamis has produced children's burials in Canaanite jars, indication of Phoenician presence already in the 11th century BC (LCIIIB). Similar jar burials have been found in cemeteries in Kourion-Kaloriziki and Palaepaphos-Skales near Kouklia. In Skales, many Levantine imports and Cypriot imitations of Levantine forms have been found and point to a Phoenician expansion even before the end of the 11th century BC.

Ancient Cyprus