Cyprus: Historical and DescriptiveLöher, Franz von
History
Cyprus: Historical and Descriptive
Löher, Franz von
Cyprus -- Description and travel; Cyprus -- History
After wandering some distance farther along the sand, I reached
Kapatah, a fortress built upon the shore by the Genoese, and here came
upon more tombs cut in the rock, and entered by means of roughly hewn
steps. Over the largest of these chambers, I observed an inscription in
ancient Cyprian characters, and in the grotto itself, which is divided
into two apartments, the hindermost of which has a small cupola at its
top, I also noticed half effaced characters upon the walls. Near this
spot was the ancient harbour, the dams of which were formed of blocks
of stone; a stream now discharges itself here. I was told that the
harbour had formerly extended much further inland, and had gradually
fallen into ruin, and been filled up with sand. The sea was plashing
against the stones in the foreground, the flowering shrubs of all kinds
filled the air with fragrant perfumes, and in the distance towered the
dark and lofty mountains.
Proceeding onwards, after leaving this fort, I came upon a village
embowered in trees and inhabited by Greeks and Turks. The walls, as is
commonly seen in the district, appeared to be constructed principally
of stones taken from the surrounding ruins, and I noticed many a piece
of broken column peeping out from its hiding-place, among waving
palms and flowering shrubs. Near a little church I observed some
small pillars, two of white marble, and two of beautifully polished
granite. Of another church only a square tower and the portion of an
arch remain. In the midst of the village is a roomy basin, formed
of large blocks of stone, which was, no doubt, the bath of the fair
Cyprians of ancient times; now it is merely a receptacle for refuse.
As I proceeded farther into the village I found huge blocks of marble
and granite lying in all directions. The French, we are told, in the
course of their explorations here ten years ago, brought to light many
valuable relics, and carried off the best of all they found. Knowing
this, I was perfectly astonished at the rich treasures of antiquity
that met my eye at every step, and I could only suppose the place to be
the site of a former city, over the buried temples and palaces of which
trees and shrubs had sprung up, and a few small houses for the present
poor inhabitants been hastily erected. The people still draw their
water from the ancient limpid springs. Even the higher class of Turkish
houses, which were comparatively modern, showed here and there traces
of walls and gateways of an early date. During the time of the Emperor
Augustus a violent earthquake destroyed New Paphos, and in obedience
to imperial commands the city that rose upon its ruins was named after
his wife, Augusta. At a later period, a second earthquake destroyed the
unfortunate town; but we have no clue as to the date of this second
calamity. I could not but groan in spirit as I walked and thought of
all the treasures that probably lay buried beneath my feet.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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