Cyprus can be seen from the Levantine and Anatolian coasts but would need great personal effort and hardship to be 'colonised'. The cultures that did develop on Cyprus through time quickly formed the unique cultural identities that so often occur on islands when there is a barrier to communication. They found their own path as they were shaped by the geology, geography, flora, fauna and simply 'Cyprusness' of their surroundings. During prehistory the island was influenced by the Pharaohs of Egypt to the south, the Mesopotamian kingdoms to the east, the Hittite empire to the north and the Minoan and Mycenaean cultures of the west. It is this unique fusion of cultures and influences that is one of the great joys of Cypriot archaeology.

The archaeological history of Cyprus is constantly evolving as new discoveries are made, new sites found and new theories presented.