Collection·Medelhavsmuseet, Stockholm
Swedish Cyprus Expedition, 1927–1931
14,033 items: 3,223 field photographs, 10,684 object photographs, 108 drawings, 17 plans, 1 document.
Held by Medelhavsmuseet, Stockholm. Rights, sources and how to cite
The Swedish Cyprus Expedition worked in Cyprus from the autumn of 1927 to March 1931. It was led by Einar Gjerstad, with the archaeologists Erik Sjöqvist and Alfred Westholm and the architect John Lindros. Sjöqvist and Westholm each ran a site with their own Cypriot workmen, so two excavations could go on at once in different parts of the island, while Lindros travelled between them to draw and photograph. In four years the expedition excavated some 21 sites with the stated aim of building a chronology for the island's prehistory and early history: Bronze Age and Iron Age tombs at Lapithos, Enkomi, Amathus and Marion, the sanctuaries of Ayia Irini, Kition and Mersinaki, the hilltop building at Vouni, the theatre and temples of Soli, and the Neolithic islet of Petra tou Limniti. The results appeared as The Swedish Cyprus Expedition in three volumes of text and plates (1934–1937), followed by the synthesis volumes of part IV, completed in 1972.
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The finds were divided in the autumn of 1930. Tomb groups and deposits were not split, all objects judged unique stayed in Cyprus, and Sweden received about two-thirds of nearly 18,000 finds; most of the gold remained in the Cyprus Museum, with casts sent to Stockholm. In March 1931 the share went by train from Nicosia to Famagusta and by ship to Sweden in 771 cases. The Cyprus collections later became part of the Medelhavsmuseet, founded in 1954.
This collection is the museum's photographic and drawing archive of the expedition: 14,033 records. About 3,200 are field photographs, most of them taken by Lindros: trenches, tombs opened and emptied, rooms with finds in place, workmen, the camps, villages and the roads between sites. More than 10,600 are object photographs of the finds, many marked with the excavation number (M.9.3 is Marion, Tomb 9, object 3; V. is Vouni). A smaller group holds field drawings and plans, mostly of Vouni. The series follow the museum's own archive folders, by site and then by tomb or room, with collection-wide series for objects filed by class.
Each record keeps the museum's Swedish text, with our English title and caption beside it, the folder it was filed in, a date where one can be given (the field season, labelled as an estimate when it is inferred), and links to the site, excavation, tomb and people it names. The museum's records are CC0; images are shown where the museum released them under CC0 or the Public Domain Mark, and images under other licences are not shown. Alongside the photographs the Archive holds the expedition's field diaries in transcription with our translation, among them Westholm's three Vouni notebooks, and volumes of the published series such as SCE IV:3 and SCE IV:1D. An account of the expedition and its sites since is in The Swedish Cyprus Expedition and What It Left Behind.
Sources
- Göransson, K. 2012. "The Swedish Cyprus Expedition: The Cyprus collections in Stockholm and the Swedish excavations after the SCE". Cahiers du Centre d'Études Chypriotes 42, pp. 399–421 (esp. 399–400, 410–413).
- Gjerstad, E., Lindros, J., Sjöqvist, E. and Westholm, A. 1934–1937. The Swedish Cyprus Expedition: Finds and Results of the Excavations in Cyprus 1927–1931, vols I–III. Stockholm.
Explore
14,033 items
86Bone
07348Soli
07349Soli
13495DFragment of a coat of mail
15895DField drawing: Section IV, profile between D and E, scale 1:20
15896DField drawing: Section V, profile between E and Z
15897DField drawing: Section VI, profile between Z and H, scale 1:20
15898DField drawing: Section XIII, profile between 7 and 8, scale 1:20
15899DField drawing, Ayia Irini
15900DField drawing: Ayia Irini
15901DField drawing: Ayia Irini
15902DField drawing: Ayia Irini
15903DField drawing: Ayia Irini
15904DField drawing: Ayia Irini
15905DField drawing: Ayia Irini
15906DField drawing: Ayia Irini
15908DField drawing: Ayia Irini
15909DField drawing: Ayia Irini
15910DField drawing: Ayia Irini
15911DField drawing: Ayia Irini
15912DField drawing: Ayia Irini
15916DExcavation permit for the Swedish Cyprus Expedition covering areas at Pera, Khorio and Dali
Terracotta Proto-Cypriote I, statue (A.I. 1728+1740)
AJ1431Idols
AJ2295Stone, Vol.IV:2
Bronze Sculpture
B02412Marble Sculpture (E.489)
B03256Marble Sculpture
B03257Marble Sculpture
B03258Marble Sculpture
B03259Marble Sculpture (E.464)
B03409Marble Sculpture (A.410)
B03418Hellenistic and Roman sculpture
B03425Roman sculpture
B03425ARoman sculpture
B03426Roman sculpture
Photographs: Swedish Cyprus Expedition, Medelhavsmuseet, Stockholm (CC0)
Field diaries
18 volumes, every page with its scan, a transcription and an English translation
- NotebookNotes on pottery from Troy, the Cyclades and Crete · Einar Gjerstad1927–1931 · 176 pages
- DII:1aLapithos, Vrysi tou Barba · Erik Sjöqvist1927 · 178 pages
- DII:1bLapithos, Kastros · Erik Sjöqvist1927–1928 · 153 pages
- DII:1cOura, Trachonas and Idalion1928 · 135 pages
- DII:1dIdalion and Lapithos, Plakes · Erik Sjöqvist1928 · 133 pages
- DII:1eNitovikla, Ayia Irini, Enkomi and other find lists · Erik Sjöqvist1929 · 179 pages
- DII:1fEnkomi, the tombsJune to July 1930 · 63 pages
- DII:2aSoli, the theatre · Alfred Westholm1927–1928 · 147 pages
- DII:2bMilia, Soli and Kythrea · Alfred Westholm1928 · 95 pages
- DII:2cAyios Iakovos1927–1931 · 59 pages
- DII:2dSoli, Cholades, and Mersinaki · Alfred Westholm1930 · 66 pages
- DII:2eAyios Phokas, Ayios Iakovos, Kition and Amathus · Alfred Westholm1929–1930 · 147 pages
- DII:2fAmathus, tombs 13–20 · Alfred Westholm1930 · 46 pages
- DII:2gAmathus, tomb inventory and levels · Alfred Westholm1930 · 71 pages
- DII:3aVouni I · Alfred Westholm1928 · 180 pages
- DII:3bVouni, Korakas and the palace · Alfred Westholm1928–1929 · 165 pages
- DII:3cPetra tou Limniti and Vouni · Alfred Westholm1928–1930 · 164 pages
- DII:4aSurvey figures1927–1931 · 144 pages
Published volumes
Printed under the Swedish Cyprus Expedition’s name, every page with its scan and its text
1936The Temples of SoliStudies on Cypriote Art during Hellenistic and Roman PeriodsAlfred Westholm
1956The Swedish Cyprus Expedition, Vol. IV, Part 3The Hellenistic and Roman Periods in CyprusOlof Vessberg; Alfred Westholm
1972The Swedish Cyprus Expedition, Vol. IV, Part 1DThe Late Cypriote Bronze Age. Other Arts and CraftsLena Åström, Paul Åström et al.
1994The Swedish Cyprus ExpeditionThe Living PastEva Rystedt (ed.)
2009Medelhavsmuseet: Focus on the Mediterranean 5 (Finds and Results from the Swedish Cyprus Expedition 1927–1931: A Gender Perspective)
Series
66 series
Vouni palace, rooms 1–65124 field photographs · 1928–31
Vouni palace, rooms 66–135100 field photographs · 1928–31
Vouni, the Korakas tombs (1–16)32 field photographs, 171 object photographs · 1928
Vouni: field drawings and plans86 drawings, 15 plans · 1928–29
Vouni: the Temple of Athena, Paradisotissa and Loures62 field photographs · 1928–31
Vouni: the palace and finds in situ72 field photographs · 1928–31
Vouni: the hill, views and work in progress182 field photographs · 1928–31
Vouni: sculpture and terracottas253 object photographs · 1927–31
Vouni: metalwork and jewellery199 object photographs
Vouni: pottery and other finds75 object photographs · 1927–31
Marion, finds from tombs 1–30321 object photographs
Marion, finds from tombs 31–45225 object photographs
Marion, finds from tombs 46–60254 object photographs
Marion, finds from tombs 31–60 (tomb not recorded)108 object photographs
Marion, finds from tombs 61–98312 object photographs
Marion: the tombs in the field, drawings and other finds234 field photographs, 14 object photographs · 1929
Lapithos, finds from the Vrysi tou Barba tombs (301–323)418 object photographs
Lapithos, finds from the Kastros tombs 401–415276 object photographs
Lapithos, finds from the Kastros tombs 416–429183 object photographs · 1927–31
Lapithos: fieldwork, Plakes and other finds253 field photographs, 69 object photographs · 1927–28
Amathus, finds from tombs 1–9305 object photographs
Amathus, finds from tombs 10–26363 object photographs
Amathus, finds from tombs 2–26 (tomb not recorded)179 object photographs
Amathus: the tombs in the field and other finds68 field photographs, 23 object photographs · 1930
Ayia Irini: terracotta figures333 object photographs
Ayia Irini: seals and gems334 object photographs
Ayia Irini: the sanctuary in the field, drawings and other finds127 field photographs, 83 object photographs, 21 drawings, 1 plan · 1929–30
Idalion: bronze, iron and other metalwork247 object photographs
Idalion: pottery, terracottas and small finds368 object photographs
Idalion: the acropolis and tombs in the field119 field photographs, 1 document · 1928
Soli: the theatre123 field photographs · 1927
Soli: the Cholades temples126 field photographs · 1930–31
Soli: finds264 object photographs · 1927–31
Soli: the city and its surroundings48 field photographs · 1927–31
Enkomi59 field photographs, 337 object photographs · 1927–31
Kition99 field photographs, 295 object photographs · 1929–30
Mersinaki55 field photographs, 325 object photographs · 1930
Ayios Iakovos86 field photographs, 172 object photographs · 1929
Milia27 field photographs, 101 object photographs, 1 plan · 1928
Stylli33 field photographs, 73 object photographs · 1930
Kythrea52 field photographs, 36 object photographs · 1930
Kountoura Trachonia22 field photographs, 54 object photographs · 1928–29
Petra tou Limniti29 field photographs, 42 object photographs · 1929
The Karpas: Nitovikla, Palaeoskoutella, Galinoporni and Oura130 field photographs, 47 object photographs, 1 drawing · 1927–31
Finds from other excavations (Vounous, Markides at Lapithos and Arpera)3 field photographs, 130 object photographs · 1927–31
Copper mining: Skouriotissa and Mavrovouni32 field photographs, 47 object photographs · 1927–31
The expedition: people, houses and daily life205 field photographs · 1927–31
Kyrenia, the northern range and Bellapais90 field photographs · 1927–31
Nicosia and the Cyprus Museum98 field photographs · 1927–31
Paphos, Kourion and the south coast62 field photographs · 1927–31
Famagusta, Salamis and the east56 field photographs · 1927–31
Troodos, Machairas and village life104 field photographs · 1927–31
Cyprus 1927–1931: other places and views311 field photographs · 1927–31
Objects: Bichrome, Black-on-Red and other painted pottery406 object photographs
Objects: Levanto-Helladic, black-glazed and figured pottery108 object photographs
Objects: Red Polished, Base Ring, White Slip and related pottery169 object photographs
Objects: White Painted and other pottery407 object photographs
Objects: terracottas340 object photographs
Objects: limestone and marble sculpture413 object photographs
Objects: bronze, iron and other metalwork373 object photographs
Objects: Bronze Age small finds and stone271 object photographs
Objects: jewellery, gold and silver369 object photographs
Objects: seals and gems187 object photographs
Objects: glass and lamps119 object photographs
Objects: Hellenistic and Roman finds314 object photographs
Objects: other finds, place not recorded172 object photographs · 1927–31
Photographs: Swedish Cyprus Expedition, Medelhavsmuseet, Stockholm (CC0)