HISTORY ETHNOGRAPHY NATURE WINE-MAKING SITE MAP
Selected and rare materials, excerpts and observations from ancient, medieval and contemporary authors, travelers and researchers about Cyprus.
 
 
 
 
uses Google technology and indexes only and selectively internet - libraries having books with free public access
 
  Previous Next  

CLAUDE DELAVAL COBHAM
Exerpta Cypria
page 273

View PDF version of this page

of the antient Arsinoe, and the present name of it may he derived from Aeamas which was the most western point of the island, opposite to the bay is a small island called *Si Nicholas, from which the bay lias its name. I was told by the monks, if I do not mistake, that the old name of this island (probably that of the middle ages) was Stiria. Towards the sea to the north there is a village called Bole, where 1 was informed there were iron mines and hot mineral waters. On the thirtieth we passed the hills which are on the west side of the island, and went to the south west into a plain, which is about fifteen miles long and throe wide: the city of new Paphos, and the port of old Paphos were on this plain. ^ This country probably made another kingdom, of which Paphos might be the capital. We arrived at Baffa, which is situated near the place where new Paphos stood ; it is on a rocky eminence in a narrow plain on the sea, which is separated from the groat plain by some low rocky clifts, which might autieiitly be washed by the sea before new Paphos was built. These clifts are now full of sepulchral grots, which doubtless were made for the use of the city. To the west of the town there is a point of land, and the old port was to the south east of it, in an angle made by a small promontory, and was sheltered by piers built out into the sea, some romains of which are still to be seen. The city seems to have been to the east and north of the port ; and I observed a very large fosse cut out of the rock to the north of the old town", where probably they dug their stones for buildings. There are several lofty rooms hewn out of the rock, and many small apartments; one of them seems to have served for a large cistern, there being a hole in the top to draw up the water, and stairs down to it cut out of the rock; it is probable this was filled in winter by an aqueduct from the mountains, of which there are some remains near the town; by this means the city might be supplied with good water in the summer time, of which there is a great scarcity in the island. To the north of the port there are some signs of an antient temple on a ground raised by art. From the manner iu which the grey granite pillars lie, and by the disposition of the ground, I judged there was a eolonade round it, and a portico to the west with a double colonade; the pillars are about two feet in diameter. Half a furlong to the east of this there are foundations of a smaller building of hewn stone near the corner of the port, which might be either a temple or some other public building. Farther to the east are the remains of a large church, which probably was the cathedral, and seems to have been built on the foundations of a great temple, for there are some very large pillars of grey granite now standing near it ; they are about three feet in diameter, and finely polished ; it is needless to say that both these temples were without doubt dedicated to Venns, for whose worship the citiy was famous. This place probably began to be considerable when Ptolemy the son of Lagns demolished Citium, and removed the inhabitants to this city; it was almost entirely destroyed by an earthquake, but was rebuilt by Augustus, and called Augusta, in honour of him. Near the cistern before-mentioned there is a church underground cut out of the rock, dedicated to the seven sleepers; and in the town there are ruins of several churches, and houses, most of which are uninhabited. This city is famous in sacred history for being honoured with the presence of Saint Paul, and on account of his having here converted Sergius the governor of the island to Christianity. About a mile to the north there is a rocky ground near the sea-shoar, cut out into sepulchral grots; many of them seem to have been designed for rooms, and some of them are very large. I saw five or six which probably were inhabited by families of a superior rank, baring a court in the middle, and a colonade of two Doric pillare in front, and three on each side, with an entablature over them, all cut in the rock, and some of the pillars are tinted; one side of these courte is open in front; in POCOCKE.

View PDF version of this page


  Previous First Next