Ancient CyprusAncient Cyprus

Collector

Alfred, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha

1844–1900 · United Kingdom, Germany

Collector whose Cypriot antiquities, including finds from Ohnefalsch-Richter's 1885 Idalion excavation, are at Schloss Friedenstein in Gotha.

Biography

The Cypriot antiquities at Schloss Friedenstein in Gotha come from the collection of Duke Alfred of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. Matthias Recke lists the holding as ten skulls, thirteen pottery vessels from the Early Cypriot to the Cypro-Classical periods, three terracottas, gold jewellery and three glass vessels. It was acquired in 1887 from the excavations that Max Ohnefalsch-Richter carried out at Idalion in 1885, with further acquisitions in 1888 on Cyprus1.

The Duke is probably Alfred (1844-1900), son of Queen Victoria, who became Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha in 1893 and so was not yet duke when the purchases were made2.

Life and work

  1. c. 1872
    A 'Duke of Edinburgh (Victoria's second son)' was to visit Cesnola's collection at 61 Great Russell Street, London, a day after Cesnola wrote to Hitchcock; Cesnola declined to attend. Identity with Alfred inferred.

    LondonMarangou 2000, p. 255

  2. 1887
    Acquired finds of Ohnefalsch-Richter's 1885 Idalion excavations.

    Recke 2012, p. 109

  3. 1888
    Further acquisitions made in Cyprus.

    CyprusRecke 2012, p. 109

Connections

1 person

Sales, gifts & bequests

Objects

  • Cypriot group in the Gotha collection: 10 skulls, 13 pottery vessels (EC-CC), 3 terracottas, gold jewellery, 3 glass vessels

    From IdalionSchloss Friedenstein, Gotha1887Recke 2012, p. 109

Sources

  1. 1.Matthias Recke (2012). “Deutschland und das antike Zypern. Beiträge zur Geschichte einer archäologischen Disziplin”. Cahiers du Centre d'Études Chypriotes 42.
  2. 2.Alfred, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (Wikidata Q158143; GND 119212323). Online
  3. 3.A. G. Marangou (ed.) (2000). The Consul Luigi Palma di Cesnola 1832-1904: Life and Deeds.