"At the dawn of European history, in the third millennium BC, the small Greek islands in the southern Aegean known as the Cyclades were home to a remarkable and distinctive culture. Among its most characteristic products were vessels and sculpted figures fashioned from the local marble, and today these Cycladic figurines are admired around the world. This concise introduction to Cycladic art puts the figurines and other objects into the context provided by current knowledge of early life in the islands."--Jacket.