Press Releases

The Department of Antiquities of the Deputy Ministry of Culture announces that Dr David Soren (University of Arizona) donated to the Department of Antiquities his archive from the excavations in Kourion, which were conducted in the late 1970s and in the 1980s. The archive consists of personal notes, articles and correspondence, field books and note books, more than 9,000 negatives and slides, over 400 drawings of objects and plans, as well as audiovisual material. These were formed during Dr Soren’s excavations at the Sanctuary of Apollo Hylates (1978-1981; University of Missouri-Columbia) and the acropolis of Kourion, at the so-called Earthquake House (1984-1987; University of Arizona).

The material was recently shipped from Arizona and it was received at the Cyprus Museum by the Director of the Department of Antiquities, Dr Giorgos Georgiou, and the Curator of Antiquities, Ms Eftychia Zachariou, during a symbolic hybrid ceremony, which was held on the 11th of February 2025 and was attended by Dr Soren. The Director of the Department of Antiquities expressed the department’s warm thanks to Dr Soren for the donation of his archive from the excavations at Kourion. This donation is a significant addition to the preservation of Cyprus’ cultural heritage, while material from the archive itself will enhance the exhibition galleries of the forthcoming Cyprus Archaeological Museum. The donation of the archive to the Department of Antiquities is part of the latter’s efforts to collect files and records related to the history of Cypriot archaeology.

David Soren is the Regents Professor of Anthropology and Classics at the University of Arizona. His BA is from Dartmouth College in Greek and Roman Studies. His MA from Harvard is in Fine Arts and his PhD also from Harvard is in Classical Archaeology. He is the former Curator of Coins at the Fogg Art Museum and was a professor and department head at the University of Missouri-Columbia from 1972 to 1982 after which he became a professor and department head at the University of Arizona with a courtesy appointment also in the Art History Department. He has directed archaeological excavations in Cyprus, Portugal, and Italy, and has published nine books and more than 80 scholarly articles on Roman archaeology.

(EK/NZ/GS)