Discovering Ancient Cyprus: A Month of Archaeology, Mythology and Cultural Heritage

The Archive of Grigoris Antoniou & SKAMMATA

A Day of Film, Archaeology and Cultural Heritage Sunday 22 November 2026 | 11:00–14:45 Cyprus House, 13 St James's Square, London SW1Y 4LB

The Cultural Section of the Cyprus High Commission in London is delighted to invite audiences to a unique day celebrating the archaeology, cultural heritage and visual history of Cyprus through film, archives, museum collections and contemporary research.

Presented as part of Discovering Ancient Cyprus: A Month of Archaeology, Mythology and Cultural Heritage, this special event brings together two remarkable film projects, accompanied by expert presentations and discussion, offering a fascinating journey into the ways Cyprus's past continues to inspire new scholarship, artistic practice and public engagement.

The morning begins with The Archive of Grigoris Antoniou: A Speculative Archive, an illustrated presentation by Professor Theopisty Stylianou-Lambert, introducing the acclaimed artistic and research project she created with Alexia Achilleos.

Inspired by the life of Grigoris Antoniou, a Cypriot archaeological foreman whose contribution to archaeological excavations remained largely unrecognised, the project explores the relationship between photography, archives, museums and artificial intelligence. Drawing upon archival research, museum collections and AI-generated imagery, it invites audiences to reflect on how archives are created, interpreted and reimagined, while questioning the boundaries between historical documentation and speculation.

The presentation will be followed by the London screening of:

The Archive of Grigoris Antoniou: Notes of an Archivist

2025 | 13 minutes

Commissioned by the Hasselblad Foundation (Sweden), the film follows Martha, a fictional museum archivist who discovers a forgotten collection of early twentieth-century lantern slides from Cyprus. Assisted by an AI-powered Museum Bot, she catalogues, preserves and interprets the collection, encountering conflicting information, unexpected glitches and new questions surrounding authenticity, memory and the construction of historical knowledge.

Following the screening, Dr Thomas Kiely, Curator of the Cyprus Collection at the British Museum, will deliver a keynote lecture exploring the life and legacy of Grigoris Antoniou and the wider archaeological context that inspired the project.

The morning concludes with an audience discussion before a short coffee break.

The afternoon continues with a special screening of:

SKAMMATA

Directed by Danae StylianouProduced by the Department of Antiquities of Cyprus2024 | 87 minutes

SKAMMATA offers an insightful journey into the world of Cypriot archaeology, highlighting the people, discoveries and stories behind archaeological excavations across the island. Through remarkable footage and personal testimonies, the documentary celebrates the work of archaeologists, conservators and researchers dedicated to preserving Cyprus's rich archaeological heritage. The screening will be followed by a Q&A.

Programme

11:00 – Welcome

11:05 – Presentation The Archive of Grigoris Antoniou: A Speculative Archive Professor Theopisty Stylianou-Lambert

11:20 – Screening The Archive of Grigoris Antoniou: Notes of an Archivist (13 minutes)

11:35 – Keynote LectureDr Thomas KielyCurator of the Cyprus Collection, British Museum

12:05 – Audience discussion

12:30 – Coffee break

12:50 – Screening SKAMMATA Directed by Danae StylianouProduced by the Department of Antiquities of Cyprus (87 minutes)

14:15 – Q&A

14:45 – Close

Designed for a general audience, this event offers an accessible introduction to archaeology, museum collections, archives, photography and documentary film while celebrating Cyprus's rich cultural heritage through the perspectives of leading researchers, curators and artists.

Admission is free, but advance booking is essential.