Cutting Out the Middleman: Cypriot Itinerant Sculptors in the Early 6th Century BC

This dissertation deals with a group of limestone sculptures, of small to miniature size, which have been found in sanctuaries in the Greek East, the Levant and Egypt, and have so far been dated to c. 625 - 550 BC. There is an ongoing debate regarding the origin of the makers, as well as the place of manufacture of these works. While they display a marked affinity to Cypriot sculpture, and the material they are made of is the sculptural material par excellence on the island, at the same time they display a remarkably mixed character in terms of iconography, which combines Cypriot with Greek, Levantine and Egyptian elements. The first goal of this dissertation is to further clarify the character of these statuettes. Unlike previous studies, this is done by treating as many of the statuettes as possible as a unified corpus, and not according to iconographic type, or by site. The degree of Cypriot involvement and the extent of other influences are assessed. This is done through an iconographic analysis. Also, a stylistic analysis further illuminates the character of the group, while new evidence is introduced regarding specific statuettes. The iconographic and stylistic traits are used to achieve a closer dating of the group to 600-575 BC. After establishing the Cypriot authorship of the statuettes, the processes and reasons that led to their dedication in the specific sanctuaries are examined. The previously proposed solutions of workshops in Cyprus, workshops established near the sanctuaries where the statuettes were found, and the theory of the itinerant craftsman creating and selling these works at each site are tested against the iconographic and stylistic findings, the geographical distribution of the sculptures, correspondences between the statuettes and other votive objects in the host sanctuaries, and quantitative information regarding the size and numbers of the statuettes. Through this analysis, it arises that the theory that best explains the mixed character of the statuettes, as well as their mere presence, is that of the itinerant sculptors, thus challenging existing notions regarding the circulation of goods, and Cypriot mercantile and artistic activity outside Cyprus in this period.