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The Iron Age
 The
next stage in development was the Iron Age. Leading up to
this, various natural disasters, such as earthquakes, slowed
down growth and led to a dispersal of the people and a downturn
in trade. The inhabitants who continued to live on Cyprus
carried on their traditions, and with the arrival of the Phoenicians,
trade and industry received a much needed-boast. The island
began to gather economic strength especially links with the
Orient became established. Religion started to change and
the Horned God much favored by the Mycenaean was replaced
by the cult of the Goddess Astarte, the Goddess of Fertility.
She in due course was replaced by the Goddess Aphrodite, who
too is connected with love and fertility and is also considered
a native of Cyprus.
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| During the three hundred years the island came
under the domination of Near Eastern rules and for
a brief period of about twenty years the island
paid dues to the Kingdom of Assyria then for forty
years to the Egyptians. After this the Persian Empire
took control of Cyprus and permitted several of
the city-states that arose at this time the right
to mint their own coinage. These included Lapithos
(Lapta), Soli and Salamis. |
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The pottery of this time, with its depiction of floral motifs
and mythical creatures, strongly reflects the eastern influence
of the Phoenicians.
Worship expanded to include Gods of the Egyptians,
Greeks and Phoenicians. Terracotta figures that obviously
represent deities have been found on the island, most notably
at Akdeniz where some 2000 figures set round an altar were
discovered in a temenos.
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