Material culture-textiles, ceramics, furniture, even the games people played-offers us a window into the lived experience of a diverse society. From the magnificence of the Lusignan court, with its gold-threaded tapestries and Venetian clocks, to the humble cooking vessels of the lower classes, these artifacts reveal not only economic and social divides but also cultural exchanges that blurred the lines between Greek, Latin, and near east traditions.

Yet, such information is not always easy to find. Few archaeological excavations of the settlements themselves have been conducted on medieval Cyprus, so most of what we know comes from written sources--the accounts of travelers and chroniclers who were dazzled by the nobles’ riches, or the inventories of men like Guy d’Ibelin, a bishop whose household possessions testified both to his monastic vows and to his feudal rank.

What can the material culture of medieval Cyprus tell us about its people, their identities, and their aspirations? How did objects serve as status symbols, as well as tools of everyday survival? What are some of the challenges historians and archaeologists face when reconstructing the material world of the past-especially for those at the lower levels of society?

In this episode, I am joined by Dr. Maria Parani to help us piece together this fascinating mosaic of history.