Cipro e Italia. Identità culturali condivise all’alba della storia (Cyprus and Italy. Shared cultural identities at the dawn of history)

The exhibition Cipro e Italia. Identità culturali condivise all’alba della storia (Cyprus and Italy. Shared cultural identities at the dawn of history), curated by Anastasia Christophilopoulou, currently open at Castel Sant'Angelo is one of the official initiatives promoted for the 2026 Cypriot Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

Through approximately 120 objects, which accompany the visitor on a journey to rediscover themes such as daily life, funerary practices, art, mobility, technological progress, and processes of cultural osmosis, the exhibition shows the deep historical and cultural ties between the islands of Cyprus and Italy in the Mediterranean, with particular attention to the insular dimensions of Sicily and Sardinia, adopting a long-term perspective that dates back as far as seven thousand years.

Thanks to archaeological objects and materials from Italian and Cypriot museums, processes of cultural exchange, maritime routes, and the transmission of knowledge are highlighted, shedding light on dynamics of contact and interaction that, from the earliest times to the dawn of history, have helped define a shared Mediterranean horizon. Cyprus, Sicily, Sardinia, and mainland Italy are presented as strategic hubs of the Mediterranean, privileged places of contact, where exchanges, trade, and forms of circulation of people, objects, and knowledge developed over long timescales.

Among the most significant finds are the stone pendant with a cross-shaped figurine from the Souskiou-Laona site in Cyprus, the bronze vessel found in Orroli in Sardinia, the ivory combs from Frattesina in Veneto, the Bisenzio trolley from the National Etruscan Museum of Villa Giulia, the cruciform figurines from the Castelluccio culture and the steatite seal, both from Sicily.

Particular attention is paid to the circulation of metals and technologies, a key area for exploring contacts and relationships between the different peoples of the Mediterranean. Special attention is also given to the role of Cypriot and Sardinian metallurgy and the role of the Phoenicians and Greeks in the exchange and transmission of cultural models. The exhibition is enriched with multimedia installations that complement the archaeological narrative, offering visitors the opportunity to explore the routes, coastal landscapes, and contact networks, conveying the dynamic dimension of this shared space.

The exhibition was created with the contribution of an international scientific committee composed of scholars and representatives of leading Italian and Cypriot cultural institutions. It was co-designed and co-financed under a collaboration agreement between the Italian Ministry of Culture, led by Alessandro Giuli, through the Directorate General of Museums and the Pantheon and Castel Sant'Angelo Institute – Directorate of National Museums of the City of Rome, and the Deputy Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Cyprus, led by Vasiliki Kassianidou, through the Department for Contemporary Culture.

Photo: official poster of the exhibition