The Getty Foundation has awarded a major grant, as part of its Connecting Art Histories initiative, to The Cyprus Institute in support of a new research project: “Mediterranean Palimpsests: Connecting the Art and Architectural Histories of Medieval and Early Modern Cities.” Directed by Nikolas Bakirtzis (The Cyprus Institute) and D. Fairchild Ruggles (University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign), Mediterranean Palimpsests investigates the layered art histories of medieval Mediterranean cities as the ground for initiating scholarly connections that challenge and move beyond the boundaries of modern historiographies, national narratives and contemporary socioeconomic realities. Set in a region where issues of cultural heritage and identity are currently highly contested, the project looks at the material past to understand its relevance for the present and future.