In Rome, Castel Sant'Angelo dedicates exhibition to shared cultural identities between Italy and Cyprus

From February 27 to June 30, 2026 Castel Sant’Angelo in Rome hosts the exhibition Cyprus and Italy. Shared Cultural Identities at the Dawn of History, an exhibition project that aims to investigate the historical and cultural connections in the Mediterranean between Cyprus and Italy from a long-term historical perspective, with a focus on Sicily and Sardinia. The opening took place yesterday in the presence of Italian President Sergio Mattarella and President of the Republic of Cyprus Nikos Christodoulidīs. In fact, the exhibition stems from a collaboration agreement between the Italian Ministry of Culture and the Cypriot Vice-Ministry of Culture, fitting into the framework of activities related to the Cypriot Presidency of the Council of the European Union 2026.

Curated by Anastasia Christophilopoulou, it was organized by the General Directorate of Museums of the MiC and the Pantheon and Castel Sant’Angelo Institute - National Museums Directorate of the City of Rome, in collaboration with the Department for Contemporary Culture of Cyprus and with the support of an international scientific committee composed of scholars and representatives of important cultural institutions of the two countries.

The exhibition proposes a long-term reading of the relations between Cyprus and the Italian peninsula, with a special focus on Sicily and Sardinia. Through archaeological finds from Italian and Cypriot museums, it delves into the exchange networks, sea routes and knowledge transmission that, since the earliest times, have helped shape the identity of the Mediterranean.

Cyprus and Italy (particularly Sicily and Sardinia) emerge as strategic junctions in a system of contacts and interactions: territories of landing and passage, where trade, people and the spread of technology and knowledge were intertwined. The exhibition brings together about 120 artifacts, articulated around themes such as everyday life, funerary rituals, artistic expressions, mobility and technological development, highlighting processes of cultural osmosis. Among the most significant objects are the stone pendant with cruciform figurine from the Cypriot site of Souskiou-Laona, the bronze navicella found at Orroli in Sardinia, ivory combs from Frattesina (Veneto), the Bisenzio Cart preserved at the National Etruscan Museum of Villa Giulia, cruciform figurines from the Castelluccio culture and a steatite seal from Sicily.

Special attention is devoted to the circulation of metals and theevolution of technologies, areas that are fundamental to understanding relations among Mediterranean peoples. In this context, the central role of Cypriot and Sardinian metallurgy is emphasized, as well as the action of Phoenicians and Greeks in spreading cultural models.

The route is enriched by multimedia installations that flank the archaeological narrative, allowing visitors to explore routes, coastal landscapes and contact networks, restoring the dynamic and interconnected nature of this shared space. Through the narrative of relationships between territories and communities, the exhibition aims to highlight the ancient Mediterranean as a crossroads of connections and exchanges, a fundamental element in the construction of a common cultural horizon that, over the long term, contributed to the formation of European identity.

In Rome, Castel Sant'Angelo dedicates exhibition to shared cultural identities between Italy and Cyprus

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