A CYPRO-CLASSICAL APHRODITE AND EROS FIGURINE FROM SOLOI (CYPRUS)

The subject of this article is an Aphrodite and Eros figurine found in Chamber 4A of a family grave complex which was found in 2005-2006, during a rescue excavation that was conducted at the Necropolis of Soloi in Cyprus. The figurine from the chamber, which likely was the burial place of a high status aristocratic family from the Cypro-Classical Period of the city, bears a significant importance for the world of archaeology like many other finds from the chamber. The figurine sheds light to the art of sculpturing of the era, artistic influences on the local productions as well as the character of the Cypro- Classical Solian sculpture. Stylistic examination of the figurine also reveals the presence of important local connections and a possible common cult shared by many Cypriot city kingdoms. But the most important of them all is that Chamber 4A figurine enables us to solidly realise the socio-cultural connections that the city of Soloi had with Attica Region and especially with Athens during the Cypro-Classical Period. Strong Attic influence shown by the figurine mixed with local character proves the presence of the Attic sculptors in the city thus placing Soloi amongst the other Atticly influenced phil-Hellenic city kingdoms like Marion and Salamis.