Nearly fifty years have passed since the publication of the book Cyprus from the Stone Age to the Romans (Karageorghis 1982), in which I attempted a comprehensive overview of Cypriot archaeology. In the meantime, the need for a new book became increasingly obvious, one that would include all the discoveries made since then and the new theories of various scholars regarding Cyprus's position in the Mediterranean region.

New scholars engaging in the field of Cypriot archaeology often find themselves in a quandary, as they strive to form a comprehensive picture of Cypriot archaeology in order to place their specific research field within it. In recent years, excavations both in Cyprus and throughout the Mediterranean region have resulted in the accumulation of a substantial amount of material from all periods of Cypriot archaeology.

The researcher must be in a constant, careful search, almost on a daily basis, to stay updated on new discoveries from the Near East, Egypt, Anatolia, and the entire Mediterranean up to the Iberian Peninsula. They must also be aware of contemporary theories, as well as the results of applying the positive sciences to archaeology. All of this is not easy.

Thus, writing a concise book covering all periods of Cypriot archaeology is a gigantic undertaking, which could be more effectively accomplished by a team of specialists. For this reason, I rejected the idea of taking it on alone. This book is aimed at the general public, without meaning that it contains inaccurate or superficial information. A large and up-to-date bibliography has been included so that specialists and students can satisfy their scientific curiosity through further reading.

[Excerpt from the preface]