Establishing Context

Approaching with Caution 

Before diving into the examination of what the Bridges Collection has to offer, it is imperative that we familiarize ourselves with the context in which they are derived. One of the most significant failings of this collection - and indeed, of countless collections of archaeological artifacts in both museums and personal assemblages - is that each artefact is taken completely out of context. Any guess as to the purpose of the objects, who used them, and their significance to the culture is made infinitely more difficult because of that gap of information. Archaeologists can make countless inferences based upon the context in which an artefact is found, including dating and purpose. However, when removed from that initial position, the object sheds a great many clues of its history. 

However, while unfortunate, all of this does not mean that there is nothing to learn from the Bridges Collection and collections akin to it. On the contrary, by reading widely and drawing comparisons to other sites and finds, as well as examining closely the details of each object, there are a number of conclusions to reach about themes ranging from manufacturing to burial practices. That is what this site will work to accomplish. 

Setting the Stage: Ancient Cyprus

And so while we cannot place our artefacts into their original sites, we can familiarize ourselves with their general context: Ancient Cyprus. Cyprus is the Mediterranean's third largest island located in the North-East corner of its basin. 

 Karageorghis, V. 2000. Ancient Art from Cyprus. The Cesnola Collection in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, NY, pg xiv