Selçuk Yalovalı, a lecturer at Near East University's Faculty of Fine Arts and Design, studied Cypriot archaic human figurines in a research article published in the "Euroasia Journal of Social Sciences-Humanities." His investigation, stemming from a master’s thesis supervised by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Yücel Yazgın, Head of Plastic Arts Department, analyzed these artifacts from the Cesnola Collection at the New York Metropolitan Museum. This examination unraveled significant insights into the island's cultural formation, its influence on art, and the profound importance of artistic expressions.
Yalovalı's study meticulously categorized the figurines into seven distinct groups for visual and cultural analysis. These categories encompassed worshiping figures, instrument-playing representations, warrior depictions, god and goddess forms, fertility-related depictions, daily life scenarios, and uncategorized figurines. This comprehensive classification offered nuanced perspectives into the society they belonged to, uncovering lifestyle nuances and belief systems prevalent during the Cypriot archaic period.
The research heavily relied on the archaeological wealth housed within the Metropolitan Museum, serving as a pivotal source for understanding the intricacies of this ancient civilization. Beyond mere visual analysis, Yalovalı's work extended to unearth information about the societal nuances and belief structures that these figurines reflected.
Notably, the study emphasized the connections between historical cultures and contemporary artistic expressions, highlighting the enduring impact of past civilizations on modern artistry. By scrutinizing these ancient artifacts, the research aimed to bridge the gap between historical legacies and present-day cultural expressions, offering a comprehensive understanding of Cyprus' archaic period and its implications on today's artistic landscape.
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