Zoomorphic clay vases
Hellenistic period
plain ware rhyta
animal-shaped pottery
Bank of Cyprus Cultural Foundation
Mnemosyne
The plain ware rhyta in the form of a he-goat dating to the Hellenistic period (310-30 B.C) belong to the Bank of Cyprus Cultural Foundation. The three zoomorphic rhyta are displayed in Figure below. They are characterized by a moulded solid head with twisted horns and ‘beard’. They have well-modelled ears, eyes and muzzle; punctures on forehead. The wheel-made cylindrical body is supported on four short legs; short tail. Basket handle at the back of the neck. On the breast there is a short narrow spout; filling-hole at the back of the base of handle. Linear incisions, made before firing, are present over the entire surface of the body. The three plain ware rhyta resemble one another strikingly, which suggests that were made in the same workshop. Their fabric and style of decoration recall the animal shaped Cypriote rattles of the same period. In this work, non-invasive analytical techniques for the study of three ceramic zoomorphic rhyta were employed, belonging to the museum of George and Nefeli Giabra Pierides located at the Bank of Cyprus Cultural Foundation in Nicosia, Cyprus. The Hellenistic pottery that has been found proves that Cyprus has an important tradition in ceramics, along with the large quantities of imported pottery that it receives from all over the Mediterranean. The three animal-shaped rhyta of simple goat form, which are prominently exhibited in the museum of the George and Nefeli Tziapra Pierides collection, are also part of this context. The animals are rendered with pragmatic features, especially their heads. Archaeologists suggested that the three plain ware rhyta have been used as ‘feeding bottles. The heads of goats are compact, have twisted horns and two of them have beards. They have elegantly constructed ears, eyes, and muzzle. They have spots on the forehead. The body is cylindrical and wheeled and rests on four short legs. The animals have a short tail and a reed-shaped handle at the back of the neck. The sternum has a short and narrow forechest. There is a filling hole at the back of the handle. These three rhyta come from the same pottery workshop and probably from the same craftsman. The preservation of tangible cultural heritage and its intangible information requires a holistic documentation approach. The development of such approaches requires a collaborative and multidisciplinary research, including the three-dimensional documentation of cultural heritage assets (data acquisition, data processing and modelling), the materials analysis of the artefacts, the knowledge management, and the use and re-use of the acquired information Cultural assets of historical value need to be holistically documented to ensure long-term preservation, to define authenticity, to prevent or identify illicit trafficking and to assist cultural heritage storytelling via new technologies, e.g., augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) applications.
UNESCO Chair on Digital Cultural Heritage - Digital Heritage Research Lab Cyprus University of Technology
EU ERA Chair on Digital Cultural Heritage - MNEMOSYNE
EU Study VIGIE 2020/654
UNESCO and ERA Chairs on Digital Cultural Heritage Digital Heritage Research Lab Cyprus University of Technology
Hellenistic period (310-30 B.C)
Images
Three limestone statuettes
Temple-boys
The three limestone statuettes date from the 5th century B.C. to the middle of the 4th century B.C. and belong to the type known as temple-boys. The statuettes are part of the George and Nefeli Giabra Pieridis Collection of Cypriot antiquities , donated donated at the Bank of Cyprus Cultural Foundation (BOCCF) in Nicosia (CY), where they are currently on display. This type of temple-boy statuette was offered to both male and female divinities as votive offerings and they are rarely found in tombs. The most plausible theory and interpretation about temple-boys statuettes is that they were somehow connected with circumcision. Temple-boys limestone statuettes must have been very popular in Cyprus as three hundred of them have been assembled by Cecilia Beer and fifty-one of them are in the Censola Collection. Samples were found also in the Levant, where they may have been exported or made locally by Cypriots. The statuettes under study, wear a chiton and a himation, the folds of which are rather crudely rendered with shallow grooves. The sandaled feet rest on a plinth. There is a scroll spread on the knees, one edge of which the boy holds with the left hand; in the right hand he holds a stylus, resting on the papyrus. Curly hair; he wears a wreath of leaves round his head. Traces of red paint on the garments, on lips and on hair. On May 31, 2022, members of the MNEMOSYNE project team visited the Museum of George and Nefeli Giabra Pierides Collection, at the BOCCF, in Nicosia, in order to study and digitize artefacts belonging to the collection. The collection numbers more than 600 objects and covers a wide range of Cypriot Archaeology from the Early Bronze Age to the Medieval period. It includes unique examples of Mycenaean pottery and examples of pottery from the Geometric, Archaic, Classical, Roman and Medieval periods, clay figurines, stone sculptures and seals, jewellery, coins and bronze objects. In consultation with the Head Curator of the Museum, Dr Christodoulos Hatzichristodoulou, the three limestone statuettes of a clothed youth sitting of the Cypriot-classical period were chosen to be studied. In collaboration with the University of West Attica, the study of the chemical composition of the objects was carried out through the non-invasive technologies of X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy and X-ray Raman spectroscopy, which allow the identification of traces of colours in the objects under study. For the holistic documentation of the Scribe Statuettes, a conceptual model of data was created which divides the different types of data needed for the record of a cultural heritage object into classification categories. The general taxonomic system was developed under the MNEMOSYNE project (H2020 ERA Chair) and categorizes the Scribe Statuettes within classes such as “Tangible” and “Movable”. This type of data offers important information regarding the history of the objects. Furthermore, the MNEMOSYNE research group focused on the digital reconstruction of the statuettes. Shedding light on the polychromy components of the limestone statues from Cyprus allowed the digital reconstruction of the colours, visualizing the statuettes in their original forms. After receiving the processed and structured data of the Statuettes the team will be able to create a virtual exhibition of the statues in their original form, through the implementation of XR technologies that can provide to users of different background the unique opportunity to examine them closely, employing at the same time, innovative, user-centered storytelling methodologies. The case study of the three limestone statuettes of temple boys allowed the ERA Chair team members to focus on the characterization of polychromy on limestone sculptures from Cyprus. Limestone sculpture is an important expression of the Cypriot artistic production in Antiquity. Polychromy components have been identified by means of physico-chemical analytical techniques (e.g., x-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy). The analytical techniques contributed to the identification of the original pigments present on the statuettes. In this research work the analysis focused on the characterization of artists’ use of color in ancient Cyprus and the identification of the pigments used. Results revealed inscriptions on limestone reliefs and traces of red ochre and hematite visible to the naked eye, yellow ochre and green earth pigments, non-visible to the naked eye. Traces of red paint are visible to the naked eye on the garments, lips and hair of the statuettes. The identification of original pigments provides information for art-historical and archaeological studies on aspects such as material and symbolic status of statues, manufacturing techniques or workshops secrets, diachronic developments of style and technologies.
5th century B.C. to the middle of the 4th century B.C.
Image
Late geometric Euboean Skyphos
Cypriot Archaeology
The skyphos, dating back to the end of the 8th century BC, is of characteristic Late Geometric Euboean type. Such skyphoi have been found in fairly large numbers, especially in tombs in the Amathus region. The Cypriots were very fond of the Euboean drinking cups, especially during the Cypro-Archaic I period, and they also produced them locally. The skyphos belongs to the pottery collection of the George and Nefeli Giabra Pierides museum at the Bank of Cyprus Cultural Foundation. The artefact under study (height: 7cm; diameter: 11.8 cm) has convex sides, a vertical lip, two opposite horizontal loop handles on body, flat base. Decoration in orange to dark red paint. The exterior surface is decorated on both sides between handles with two confronted birds in rectangular panels separated by a group of vertical parallel lines. Above each bird there is a rectangle or lozenge probably recalling the wings of Euboean birds. The interior is painted solid. MNEMOSYNE research group has focused on the digital reconstruction of the late geometric Euboean Skyphos using photogrammetry. Additive manufacturing (3D printing) has been employed for the replication of the 3D model. ERA Chair team members have done the research and documentation of the related literature to record the conceptual model of data, aiming on the holistic documentation of the Skyphos. The taxonomy diagrams have been gathered and divided the types of data needed for the record of the cultural heritage objects into classification categories. Noninvasive chemical analytical techniques (eg. X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, FTIR spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy) could be employed for the identification of the dark orange- red colour used for the decoration of the Skyphos. Other traces of colour not visible to the naked eye could also be detected. Such identification of original pigments and comparison with related, published, scientific data may provide information for art-historical and archaeological studies on aspects such as material and symbolic status of such artefacts manufacturing techniques and workshops secrets, diachronic development of style and technology. Director of the Bank of Cyprus Culture Foundation, and Curator of the Museum, contributed to the collection of all relevant information and historical and other data. Additionally, in association with the University of West Attica, the non-invasive technologies of X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy and X-ray Raman spectroscopy, which enable the identification of traces of colors in the objects under study, were used to study the chemical composition of the objects. The object was digitized using photogrammetry, and various measurements were made to determine the object’s material and colors.
8th century BC
Hercules Melqart Coin Collections
Numismatic Museum Athens
The Numismatic Museum in Athens owns one of the most important collections of coins in a worldwide scale, covering a chronological continuum from ancient to modern times, providing a unique history of monetary practice. Material, inscriptions, typologies and iconography are the main mediums through which coins narrate cultural identities, influences and exchanges, commerce and economy, religion, mythology, aesthetics and governing systems. The present case study which will deal with a small number of coins connected with Cyprus, will undoubtedly shed light on the island’s wealth and foreign connections and exchanges with its Near Eastern neighbours, during the sixth century BC. The coins in question depict Hercules-Melqart and belong to the Numismatic Museum of Athens, as well as to the Bank of Cyprus Cultural Foundation in Nicosia. The latter possesses also an important Numismatic Collection, covering the entire range of the Cypriot coinage, from the sixth century BC, the period of the city-kingdoms to the more recent period, following the establishment of the Republic of Cyprus. The iconography of Hercules Hercules represents one of the most archetypical personalities of Greek Mythology. His distinctive characteristics as a hero and as a god find parallels as early as in the adventures of the Mesopotamian hero Gilgamesh, the earliest poem of human history. Long after his establishment in the Greek pantheon, versions of Hercules are met in the Egyptian god Chonsu, Babylonian Nergal or the Phoenician god Melqart. On a small number of Cypriot coins from the collection of the Numismatic Museum of Athens, the local version of Hercules also takes the shape of Melqart. Cypriot Hercules, or Melqart, is an excellent example of cultural exchanges and affinities, while it also provides a unique testimony for the societal processes taking place in an island, the position of which made of it an important cultural and historical crossroad in the Near East and the civilizations that flourished around the Mediterranean basin, already from early antiquity. Epigraphic testimonies verify the division of Cyprus in distinct kingdoms already from the eighth century BC. Until the conquest of the kingdoms by Ptolemy I in 309 BC, the kings of the ten separate independent kingdoms minted coins in gold, silver and copper, using different iconographic motifs and inscriptions in Cypriot-syllabic scripture -the local syllabic scripture that was used for transcribing the Greek language in the Phoenician alphabet; in Greek alphabet from the fifth century BC onwards; and finally, in the Eteocypriot language, a pre-Indo-European language spoken in Iron Age Cyprus, which hasn’t yet been deciphered. An important number of silver and gold coins was minted by the kings of Kition -located in the area of the modern city of Larnaca-, founded at the end of the fourteenth century BC by groups of people arriving from the coast of Syria and Palestine. The strong Phoenician influence in Kition is evident due to the worship of Phoenician gods such as Melqart and Astarte, evidenced by the presence of altars, religious inscriptions, coins, as well as of other movable objects. Several of them have representations of Melqart, bearing the physical characteristics of Hercules. However, in the Cypriot depictions in sculpture and coins, Hercules is clearly differentiated since he often appears without a beard.
6th Century B.C.
IMAGE
Σφραγίδα Ευλογίας
Early Medieval Byzantine period
The artefact chosen for this case study is speculated to had been used for sealing bread or lead objects which were given as a blessing and/or memorial gift to the faithful during their visit to a particular pilgrimage. The artefact belongs to the George and Nefeli Giabra Pierides Museum of the Bank of Cyprus Cultural Foundation. The inscription of the seal/stamp of blessing shows a cross on its centre. The stamp probably dates from the c.6th century AD, thus placing it chronologically in the Early Medieval Byzantine period (or Early Christian period which dates from 395 to mid 7th century A.D., as defined by the Republic of Cyprus’s Department of Antiquities). The circular seal’s diameter is about 10 cm. The seal’s three antennae have a scissor tip, while the fourth one is straight. In the four corners there is an equal number of crosses. The central cross is decorated with geometric, cruciform and cruciform motifs. The seal is made of limestone, and it resembles works of stone or metal replicating them in design. The handle of the seal is also decorated with a cross. Currently there is no information on the seal’s provenance. The above information was given to the Mnemosyne project team by the head Curator of the Bank of Cyprus Cultural Foundation, Dr Christodoulos Hadjichristodoulou. Currently the use of the specific stamp as a blessed object for marking bread is disputed by the Foundation’s Curator, Dr Hadjichristodoulou on the grounds that its inscription does not seem appropriate enough to stamp bread loaves. Based on relevant archeological evidence on other similar stamps, and in particular the metal blessing of Saint Mamas (Mammes, Mammas, Mammet) of Caesarea, the Curator speculates that seals of this type could had also been used for the manufacturing of blessing stamps, however without ruling out the sealing of bread as well. Dr Hadjichristodoulou notes that other objects were also given to the faithful as blessings, such as prayer beads or even the gesture of the priest who blessed the faithful during liturgy or in depictions in art, e.g. the Christ blessing with the right hand, etc. On the other hand, Dr. Ioanna Koltsida-Makri, an archaeologist whose research focuses on byzantine sigillography, supports that the stamp is most probably a bread stamp. Dr. Koltsida-Makri deciphered the stamp’s circular inscription as follows: ‘Blessings of Konstantinos, Paulus, Dommitius’, the inscription is written in mixed Greek and Latin letters. Koltsida-Makri hypothesizes that the bread seal probably belonged to a charity ‘organization’ and used to seal bread and other products for distribution. As our research for this case-study is still under development, both theories are given here, with the intention to arrive to more concrete findings as the research progresses. Thus, both theories are still under development and further evidence is expected to be revealed. The specific artefact was chosen exactly because it has great significance as an object in the Bank of Cyprus Cultural Foundation’s collection. It is one of only three similar stamps found in Cyprus – the rest are kept at the Castle of Limassol-, and is the only one on display and in good condition. Its intangible value for the cultural heritage of Cyprus, and specifically as an artefact used for Christian worship, is unquestionable, because of the symbolism of stamped/blessed bread bear in eastern Christianity. Thus, the story of this bread is being told through these stamps, contributing in this way to our knowledge of the Early Christian eucharistic rites in general and of the Byzantine liturgy in particular. In Galavaris own words, ‘what I saw were no longer stamps but an image, however incomplete, of the bread used in the rites of the Orthodox Church’. Thus, this case-study also contributes in enriching our knowledge in the field of the symbolic sealing of an object or material (whether this is bread or a lead object or something else) for the ritual of the Christian worship. On May 31, 2022, members of the Mnemosyne project team visited the Museum of George and Nefeli Giabra Pierides Collection, at the Bank of Cyprus Cultural Foundation, in Nicosia, in order to study and digitize artefacts belonging to the collection. The collection numbers more than 600 objects and covers a wide range of Cypriot Archaeology from the Early Bronze Age to the Medieval period. It includes unique examples of Mycenaean pottery and examples of pottery from the Geometric, Archaic, Classical, Roman and Medieval periods, clay figurines, stone sculptures and seals, jewellery, coins and bronze objects. In consultation with the Head Curator of the Museum, Dr Christodoulos Hatzichristodoulou, 8 objects were selected for study and digitization: 3 goat-shaped rytas of the Hellenistic period made of clay, 3 limestone statuettes of a clothed youth sitting of the Cypriot-classical period, a late-geometric Euboean skyphos and a seal with a cross in the centre dating from the c.6th AD. In collaboration with the University of West Attica, the study of the chemical composition of the objects was carried out through the non-invasive technologies of X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy and X-ray Raman spectroscopy, which allow the identification of traces of colours in the objects under study. Furthermore, literature review is currently underway and, up until this point, there seems to exist a relative scarcity of secondary sources. Scholars explain that the literature is ‘mute’ about bread stamps, ‘these humble, unglamorous objects which are mostly forgotten in museum cases or catalogues’, and in fact raise more questions than they answer. Bread stamps, wooden molds for eucharistic wafer, and other objects of similar use, are placed within the framework of Christian worship. Investigation on these objects is by default multi-disciplinary, allowing the researcher to cross from one discipline to many others, including archaeology, theology, church history, folklore, literature and baking methods. Bread, as a basic daily food, had a symbolic role in civilization since antiquity, especially as a symbol of peace and health, and as such was offered as a gift to the gods. Before the advent of Christianity, stamping the loaves of uncooked bread before baking, was an ancient practice based on religious and social grounds, such as offering bread printed with animal images to Asclepius thus wishing for good health. When the bread began to be printed with the use of Christian symbols, such as the Cross, the stamps which sometimes functioned as objects for protection, also acquired a Christian character, hence the word eulogia which in the Greek language means ‘blessing’, hence ‘blessing seals/stamps’. Eulogiai (plural for eulogia), in this case blessed objects, we mean objects or materials that, when in contact with something sacred they acquire a spiritual power, whose beneficial effect is passed on to the owners of these objects, in this case the stamped bread loaf. Furthermore, Galavari mentions Leontius of Cyprus (d. ca. 650 AD) who spoke of eulogia sent from one person to another as a sign of affection, a use that recalls the ancient custom of sending blessed bread to others as a sign of communion. Eulogia bread was used effectively against evil, and in fact, this meaning of eulogia bread has persisted until today. Similar stamps to the one used for this case-study, many of which can be found for example at the Benaki Museum in Athens and at the Loulis Museum in Keratsini, Pireaus (Greece), seem to have been intended for the eucharistic bread, suggesting that they were used for a loaf of bread which was to carry a blessing. The loaf could have been distributed at the end of the liturgy, or taken home, or sent from one person to another as a sign of affection. For instance, an example of a seven-century Byzantine text writes: ‘As soon as [the monks] ate and had their fill, they gave their friend three warm loaves of eulogia, they too were blessed, and one of the monks said: “give them to the holy man and tell him that they come from me. For the sake of God, pray for your brother John”’. Hence, here we see another use of the stamp, as an object which bears the identifiable mark of its owner, namely, the unique inscription which ‘reveals’ its owner. These stamps, scholars argue, must had been in demand – given the information we so far have on their use -. Issues of wide circulation and what this meant in terms of ideas and liturgical practices in particular localities of eastern Christianity still exist and are open to interpretation. Our research has shown so far that medieval Christian pilgrims often travelled months or years to religious sites in the Holy Land and returned home with blessed mementos of their journey, such as vials of holy water, relics from saints, and even special loaves of bread or stamped objects. Molds were used to mark bread, for example with an image of the Church of Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem and then the bread was distributed to pilgrims. It seems to had been common in early Christian practice to stamp images and inscriptions into loaves of bread and other objects, using special molds. Molds were probably used to stamp objects given to pilgrims visiting Jerusalem in commemoration of their journey (Mold for a Eulogia ‘Blessing’ Bread, Clevelandart.org). Even though the secondary literature available so far on bread stamps, does not prove that the pilgrims carried a blessed stamp back to their distant countries to remind them of their pilgrimage, however, there is no doubt that such bread existed and was given to pilgrims, and that stamps were available. For a more precise definition of any stamp’s use, and in this case of our stamp, and as far as this is possible, we must rely more on their inscription. An early reading of the circular inscription of our seal has been given by Dr Koltsida-Makri, as mentioned above and, further research is ongoing. Even though information on the stamp’s former use, provenance, and general ‘genealogy’ is missing, its uniqueness as an artefact in the Bank of Cyprus Cultural Foundation’s is certain. At the request of the stakeholder, the Bank of Cyprus Cultural Foundation, which collaborates with the ERA Chair Mnemosyne on a regular basis, also on other Mnemosyne project case-studies , a high-quality digital twin of the blessing seal was reproduced. The purpose of this commission was to use the 3D replicas of the object as gifts to the Bank of Cyprus Cultural Foundation’s selected clientele. It was the first time in Cyprus, that within a short amount of time (i.e. 6 months), the digital documentation of an artefact was used to reproduce its identical 3D replica, in order to reuse it, in this case as a gift. Thus, with the assistance of a high-resolution photographic camera the object was photographed from several angles. The pre-processing of the photographs followed. With the assistance of specialised software the processed photographs were used to create the digital 3D geometry (digital twin) of the object (LOD5). The digital 3D geometry was then used to collect the necessary data for the 3D reconstruction of the object, using additive manufacturing processes (3D printing). For the 2022 Christmas period, the Blessing Seal has been reproduced as a copy to be given away to the Bank of Cyprus’s selected clientele. Within the research agenda of our project, further work in collaboration with our multidisciplinary experts and organisations, on the identity of the blessing seal is underway and findings are expected to shed more light on the so far unknown history of the artefact.
Bank of Cyprus Cultural Foundation - Museum
UNESCO and ERA Chairs on Digital Cultural Heritage - Digital Heritage Research Lab Cyprus University of Technology
6th century
7th century
Frescoes of the Saint Euphemianos (Lysi)
Frescoes
Saint Euphemianos Church
The Church of Saint Euphemianos or Themonianos is a small, single-room, medieval chapel, surrounded by eucalyptus about 3klm southwest of the village of Lysi in the district of Ammochostos/Famagusta district of Cyprus. It is a very small, single-dome stone building with dimensions 7.5 x 3.5m (without the arch). According to the inscription on the bottom of the arch, which was destroyed by looters, is indicated that the church was dedicated by Monk Lavrentios and Abbot of St. Andronikos Monastery, to St. Euphemianos (Themonianos), a local saint. The interior is decorated with frescoes, which have suffered great damage because of the moisture. Thus, in 1972 maintenance was undertaken by the Department of Antiquities of Cyprus, completed a year before the Turkish invasion of 1974. The dome of the church is decorated with a fresco depicting the Christ Pantocrator. Surrounding the figure of Christ is a double row of angels moving towards the Hetoimasia (the preparation of the throne of the Second Coming of Christ). The Virgin Mary leads one line of the angels to the throne, while John the Baptist leads to the other. In the other fresco of the apse, the Virgin is depicted flanked by two archangels, Gabriel and Michael, with a medallion on her breast of the infant Christ, symbolizing the Incarnation of Christ. A big part of the figure of the archangel Michael has been destroyed due to humidity, whereas the face and figure of the archangel Gabriel remain in very good condition. The frescoes date back to the 13th century and they are typical examples of the Maniera Cypria, the Cypriot painting of the 13th century reflecting the artistic symbiosis between two worlds, East and West in the artworks of the period. During the 1980s, apart from icons, mosaics and frescoes which had been traumatically detached from their “natural habitat” began to appear in the international art market. The first case of organized looting that occurred after the cases of the frescoes of the church of Antiphonitis and the mosaics of Panagia Kanakaria, was that of the frescoes of Saint Euphemianos church. The frescoes of Saint Euphemianos church were forcibly removed by professional looters and were cut into 38 pieces. This case serves as evidence of the brutal destruction of the cultural heritage in the occupied part of Cyprus by the Turkish state officials who participated in and supported the looting. The 38 fragments were bought in 1983 by the Houston-based Menil Foundation in agreement with the Greek Orthodox Church of Cyprus. With the consent of Archbishop Chrysostomos I, a small chapel museum was built in Houston, where the frescoes were presented after their conservation (1984-1988). In 1992 the agreement signed by the Church of Cyprus and the Menil Foundation specified that the Foundation would take care of the frescoes and cover the ongoing costs of conservation in exchange for the right to present the frescoes for 20 years, concluding in February 2012. The frescoes were repatriated on March 16, 2012, with the valuable help of the Archbishop of Cyprus Chrysostomos II and the authorities of the Republic of Cyprus. They are temporally exhibited at the Byzantine Museum of the Archbishop Makarios III Foundation, with the aim of returning them to their birthplace after resolving the Cyprus Question. For the holistic documentation of the frescoes of Saint Euphemianos, a conceptual model of data was created which divides the different types of data needed for the record of a cultural heritage object into classification categories. The general taxonomic system was developed under the MNEMOSYNE project (H2020 ERA Chair) and categorizes the frescoes within the classes, for example, Tangible and Immovable, indicating the type of the object. Furthermore, the intangible information of the object gives information on the past and current location of the frescoes, the period of production, the legal owner of the frescoes etc. This data offers important explanations and knowledge regarding the history of the frescoes. The collected information supports contextual knowledge redistribution and preventive conservation through awareness of the object’s heritage significance. The holistic documentation of the frescoes is important for piecing together their history, which is achieved by recording all of the related information within the same system. The cutting, stealing and illegal export of the frescoes demonstrates the extent of the violent destruction of Cyprus’ cultural heritage by Turkish illicit antiquities dealers in the Turkish-occupied part of the island and by the Turkish occupation army that was actively supporting and even partaking in the looting of churches and monasteries, and medieval monuments. For this reason, many hold the hope to one day not only return to their occupied lands but to also see looted artefacts returned to their rightful place of origin. To this end, the ERA Chair team members work toward a set of objectives, including digitizing the two frescoes located in the Byzantine Museum in Nicosia to perform a digital reunification with the 3D model of the church to provide an as close as possible authentic setting for the murals. Furthermore, written sources (e.g. newspapers) and photographs of the Church before the frescoes were forcibly removed in 1984 are to be collected via crowdsourcing and subsequently digitized. The research results are to be disseminated to the international community (e.g. Europeana) to raise awareness of the violent destruction of Cyprus’ cultural heritage.
Byzantine Musuem – Nicosia, Cyprus
13th century
Icon of Panagia Chrysorrogiatissa
The icon of Christ and the Virgin Mary covered with gold and silver is located in the Church of Chrysorrogiatissa monastery and is believed to have been painted by the Apostle and Evangelist Luke. According to tradition, the sacred icon was thrown into the sea during the iconoclastic period, in order to be saved from the iconoclasts. The waves from Isauria swept it away and carried it to the coast of Paphos, to the location of Moullia. On August 15, 1152, the monk Ignatius, who was practicing in the area, at the site of Kremasti, saw a great flash on the coast of Paphos. He found the icon and set off for his retreat. Overtired as he was, he fell asleep on the slope of Mount Rogia, under a pine tree. In his sleep, an angel of the Lord envisioned him building a temple in the name of the Virgin Mary. The building of Chrysorrogiatissa monastery as it is today, dates back to the 1760- 1770.
Chrysorrogiatissa Monastery
1152 A.D.
The Monastery of Chrysorrogiatissa
Byzantine Heritage
The Monastery of Chrysorogiatissa was founded by the monk Ignatios in 1152, during the reign of the Byzantine emperor Manuel I Comnenus, following the discovery of the icon of the Virgin on the shores of Paphos, which according to tradition is one among the seventy known to have been painted by Apostle and Evangelist Luke. Despite being one of the most famous pilgrimage destinations of Cyprus, as well as one of the oldest Monasteries of the island, the foundation of which is connected with a valuable relic, the monastery of Chrysoroyiatissa has never been made the object of extensive research. Little is known about the history of the Monastery from its foundation until the middle of the eighteenth century. The Russian monk Basil Barsky, who visited the Monastery in 1735, described its catholicon as a very small church with a round top, surrounded by two or three cells; while mentioning as well that the Monastery was modest and poor and that it was maintained through agricultural work and goat grazing. The katholikon (main church) of Chrysoroyiatissa, which replaced the small twelfth-century church mentioned by Barsky, was built between 1768 and 1790. Beyond the katholikon, the monastic complex includes also a second underground church, which is a barrel-vaulted structure. The chapel most probably built during the Medieval period, bears no evidence allowing its exact dating. However, it constitutes the oldest still standing built structure, currently on the site. The Monastery owns an important collection of artefacts dating from the twelfth to the mid-nineteenth century, despite the looting of its movable heritage, following the beginning of the Greek revolution of 1821, to which almost all the Cypriot Archpriests and Bishops participated also. The most important and venerated artefacts among the Monastery’s movable heritage are exhibited at the Eikonoskevofylakion (Exhibition hall) of the Monastery created in 2001 within its walls. The exhibition includes icons, liturgical vessels, documents and manuscripts, incunabula, reliquaries, liturgical vestments and garments.
1152 AC
Chalcolithic wine jars
Chalcolithic Wine Jars and the History of Wine in Cyprus Since antiquity, grapes have been one of the most famous agricultural products and foodstuffs of Cyprus, as well as one of the basic nutritional elements of the Cypriot diet. The vine has been cultivated on the island since ancient times, while it is still widely cultivated on the island more than any kind of fruit. Viticulture constitutes almost one quarter of the agricultural population, while a large proportion of their income derives from the vines. The famous Wine Villages (“Krasochoria”) of Cyprus – fourteen areas in Limassol, Paphos and Troodos, where inhabitants are exclusively engaged to vine planting and wine-making – constitute the core of vinification of Cyprus since antiquity. However, it is difficult to make any assumptions concerning the time and the circumstances under which the plant was brought to cultivation. It is likely that its cultivation is closely related to the knowledge of turning the fruit of the vine into wine. Wine is not only related to the nutrition or the economy of the island. Given that some of the equipment, recipes, techniques, and processes used to make wine (such as the traditional Commandaria) and zivania (another traditional grape-related beverage), as well as deserts, such as palouzes and soutzoukos, have been handed down for thousands of years, it is clear that wine constitutes a very important part of the cultural heritage – both tangible and intangible - of Cyprus, totally connected with the traditions, the art and the religion of the island. The famous Cypriot Wine The Cypriot wine became famous since antiquity while poets and historians, such as Homer, Stasinus, Pliny, Strabo, and others, sang the praises for its high quality and its sweet flavour. As early as 1100 B.C. the epic poet Homer refers to the Cypriot wine, while the great poet Hesiod in his book “Works and Days”, written around 800 B.C., describes its production in detail. Pliny highlights the importance of wine in antiquity in a simple statement (xiv. 150): ‘There are two liquids most pleasant to human bodies, wine inside and (olive) oil outside’. Furthermore, Strabo in his Geographica (around 23 AD) mentions that (xiv. 6.5): ‘In fertility Cyprus is not inferior to any one of the islands, for it produces both good wine and good oil…’. Winemaking though, was known in Cyprus long before Strabo wrote, as evident by the archaeological record, while Cypriot wine would be known for centuries by the name of “Nama”. Nevertheless, after Richard the Lionheart sold Cyprus to the Order of the Knights Templar and then to the Frank, Guy de Lusignan, the founder of the dynasty that ruled the island for three centuries (1192-1489), the Cypriot wine was renamed to “Commandaria”. During the Lusignans’ rule, catholic crusaders were settled and established themselves on the island in order to build up a feudal kingdom. Among these were the Knights of the Order of Saint John of Jerusalem. During their government (in order for them to have better control of the island) Cyprus was divided into districts called ‘commanderies’. The largest territory was that of Limassol, with Colossi Castle being tis centre of administration. Therefore, the name “Commandaria” was given to the wine because vineyards of excellent quality used to produce this wine were cultivated around the area of Colossi – named “La Grande Commanderie”. After the 12th century, the Cypriot wine became famous in almost all European countries. A famous poem by Henri d’ Andeli ‘The battle of the Wines’ says that during a wine contest the King of France, Phillip Augustus, asked his messengers to bring him the best wines from all around the world. Commandaria won the first prize and the King called the wine of Cyprus “the Apostle of wines”. Moreover, Ludolf Von Suchen, a historian who visited Cyprus in 1336-1344 writes that Commandaria was the Crusaders’ main source of wealth because of the extensive wine trade of that period. As evident in the text of Estienne de Lusignan, who visited Cyprus in 1850, “The Description of the Island of Cyprus”, the Cypriot wine is produced almost in the same way as it was produced during that time and even earlier, while he notes that the Cypriot wine is the best of the world. As Commandaria is not only one of the oldest traditional wines of the world, but it is also produced only in the previously mentioned Wine villages in Cyprus, it was attributed with a Protected Designation of Origin within the European Union, USA and Canada, securing the uniqueness and authenticity of the Cypriot wine. The case under study The earliest archaeologically documented evidence for the vine dates back to the middle of the 5th millennium BC. Wild grape seeds have been found at the Neolithic site of Aghios Epiktetos-Vrysi (4500-3900 BC), in the Kyrenia district, but most probably without any economic significance of the plant in the early prehistory of Cyprus. The same variety of wild grape seeds have been also discovered at the Chalcolithic site of Lemba - Lakkous, in Paphos, dated in the late 4th millennium BC. Chemical analyses of the botanical remains found at the bottoms of a number of egg-shaped jars (with long, narrow, cylindrical necks tapered towards the mouth, pointed nipple bases and no handles) found during Porphyrios Dikaios’ excavation at the archaeological site of Erimi-Bamboula, in 1932-1935, indicate that wine was produced on the island, at least, as early as the Chalcolithic period (3900-2500 BC). More specifically, out of an assemblage of eighteen jars, twelve bottoms contained large traces of tartaric acid (a naturally occurring acid found in several fruits, especially grapes), while the remaining six contained only some traces of the acid. Hence, the research concluded that the Chalcolithic jars were indeed used to intentionally process wine and, furthermore, that the jars with their specific form can be considered the predecessors of amphora-type wine storage vessels in Cyprus. The Chalcolithic Wine Jar under study: Out of the assemblage of the eighteen wine jars found in fragments (18 bottoms and several scattered body sherds) at the site of Erimi – Bamboula this was the only one restored and preserved. It has a characteristic ovoidal shape, pointed base and cylindrical neck tapered towards the mouth. It is taller than 60cm. It can be considered as an early amphora for wine storage and/or processing. It is white slipped inside and outside while it is decorated with wide brush strokes of red colour.
Department of Antiquities
Department of Antiquities Limassol Archaeological Museum
Chalcolithic Period (3900-2500 BC)
The Church of the Virgin Karmiotissa
The church of Panagia Karmiotissa is dedicated to the Merciful Mother of God (Panagia Eleousa). It is located north of the area of Pano Polemidia, on the outskirts of the city of Limassol, in Cyprus. The foundation of the church is dated to the period spanning from the late 13th century to the early 14th century. It was erected by Roman-Catholic monks of the Order of Carmelites, who migrated to the island following their expulsion from Mount Carmel in Palestine. The monument is currently the sole remnant of the Monastery founded by the Carmelite monks and is therefore considered an important vestige of the establishment and presence of the Mendicant Orders on the island during the Frankish period. History and structure The monument, which was fully constructed from regular ashlars, is a pointed barrel-vaulted structure, unusually spacious for a rural Cypriot church. The two additional sections attached to its north wall, most probably two adjacent chapels, are preserved today in a ruinous state. A doorway on the north wall (there are two more doors opened on the west and south walls), which was later sealed, connected the interior of the church with the two chapels. The corners of the west wall bear the bases and of arches that may have supported a gateway or a narthex. One of the upper arch cantilevers is decorated with a figure, most probably that of a Carmelite monk, preserved in a bad condition. The interior of the church is not decorated and there are no traces of plaster, indicating thus, that it has never received a painted decoration. The monument has been restored several times between 1952 and 2002. According to the oral tradition, a settlement was also built within the same area because of the existence of a spring, the water flowing from which, was and is still believed to be holy. Through a water channel, the sacred water was also transferred to the center of the nearby city of Limassol, and more specifically to the church of Ayia Napa. The church belongs to a cluster of monuments and sites of the wider Limassol area associated with the Lusignan ruling family and the Frankish elites, while it is also connected with the religious life of the Latin (Catholic) population of the island of the 13th and 14th centuries.
Holy Metropolis of Limassol
late 13th century to the early 14th century A.D.