On my virtual field trip, I took a one-way ticket to the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. I took particular interest in the past exhibits on this field trip and the location because of my tremendous interest in the past and our biological roots. I am a huge proponent of evolution through natural selection. It never fails to amaze me how much we can learn about ourselves and the world around us through the rich history of life on this planet.
On my tour, I took a dive into the past of one of the first human civilizations. Cyprus in the Neolithic era began the settling of humans in one place by growing crops and domesticating animals. It was the beginning of settling down in one place instead of hunting and gathering. The ancient civilizations in Cyprus show a refined sophistication such as the Choirokoitia and Kalavassos.
Cyprus has been known for its incredible preservation and legacy as one of the crossroads in the flourishing trade among Asia, Africa, and Europe in prehistoric times. This was a natural result of the development of copper. Cyprus was a leading commercial center of commerce for these civilizations. A Greek geographer by the name of Strabo indicates the flourishing of Cyprus and its production of both oil and wine as one of its key signatures.
As a result of its position in the geographical sphere it has been conquered by several civilizations among them are the Egyptians, the Persians, and Greeks, and finally the Romans. The intermixing of these cultures has made Cyprus a ground root for mythology and culture. It is thought that the Greek goddess Aphrodite the Goddess of Love and beauty was born on the island of Cyprus. Nowadays, since this mythology has ingrained itself into Cyprus it has become a destination for lovers as the “island of love” to travel to and enjoy their honeymoon. Currently, there are three protected UNESCO Heritage sites in Cyprus. One of them is Choirokoitia as named above, the Painted Churches in the Troodos Region, and Paphos. Paphos is known for its location of Aphrodite’s temple made and worshipped by the Mycenaeans. The Mycenaeans are known for their occupation and integration of their culture into Cyprus.
Cyprus has a rich history and has offered the world much from its grandeur. If it wasn’t for Cyprus and its strategic location, mineral, and resources it is up for debate whether Cyprus would have been such a historical landmark as it is now. However, I think what we can learn from all this is the power by which human ingenuity and culture have transformed the world for the good and sometimes for the worse. Our footprint on this planet can be an uneasy step to take and we must work to make sure our mark left on this planet is a good one.
If I have piqued any of your interests and would like to check out more about Cyprus here is a link to The Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History.
I appreciate you for reading my blog post and thank you for stopping by!
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