The stamp-seals of ancient Cyprus.

The stamp-seals of ancient Cyprus. A.T. REYES. The stamp-seals of ancient Cyprus. xvii+286 pages, 545figures. 2001. Oxford: Oxford University School of Archaeology;0-947816-52-6 hardback 45 [pounds sterling] & US$65. KATHARINA GIESEN. Zyprische Fibeln: Typologie und Chronologie. 467pages, figures, tables. 2001. Jonsered: Paul Astrom; 91-7081-171-7paperback Kr350. For Cyprus, gaps in the evidence for the period of the Sea Peoplesare noted by Dr ASTROM in describing trenches dug between 1977 and 1999.Dr REYES assesses Egyptian, Mesopotamian, Phoenician and Greekaffiliations in the forms and iconography of stamp-seals from the LateBronze Age Bronze Age,period in the development of technology when metals were first used regularly in the manufacture of tools and weapons. Pure copper and bronze, an alloy of copper and tin, were used indiscriminately at first; this early period is sometimes called the to the Classical period. He argues that fluctuatingquantities of seals reflect growth or decline of trade. He distinguishesbetween `hardstone' seals and others of serpentine serpentine(sûr`pəntēn, –tīn), hydrous silicate of magnesium. It occurs in crystalline form only as a pseudomorph having the form of some other mineral and is generally found in the form of chrysotile (silky fibers) and : the former, heremarks, seem better made; and they `are not usually found ... in thesame ... contexts' (p. 197). Dr GIESEN presents a detailed andapparently comprehensive typological gazetteer gazetteer(găz'ĭtēr`), dictionary or encyclopedia listing alphabetically the names of places, political divisions, and physical features of the earth and giving some information about each. of fibulae from Cyprusand provides learned discussions of assemblages by site and dig (1880sto 1990s). Her modestly produced book looks like a valuable and usefulsource. A couple of welcome new editions have arrived too.