There is evidence that life existed on the island as early as 4000B.C. Archeologists believe, through finds of remains, crafts, ways of life, art, etc., that people living on the island were in contact with the Egyptians and were possibly under Egyptian rule. Also there is evidence of Syrian influence. These ancient empires were probably attracted to the island because of the abbundance of copper evident here. Copper was surely "exported" to the kingdoms for use in crafts, agriculture, etc., since the sources on the island were the main sources at the time.
Between 2000 -1000 B.C. the Phoenicians arrived. They established trading posts mostly on the eastern end of the island. Written finds that survive, from the Phoenicians, date back to about 1000 B.C.
Around the same time the Phoenicians began setting their trading posts, Greek colonists began arriving (2000 -1000 B.C.). These were primarily Archardian Greek and they established colonies throughout the coastal regions of the island. Pausanias the ancient traveler reports the founding of one of these ancient 'cities' that of Pafos. He states that Agapenor the Arkas' ships on the voyage of the return home after the Trojan War, ended up in Cyprus because of storms. The place where he landed he founded the city of Pafos and built a temple to the goddess Aphodite. And the Greeks kept coming.
