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.
 
 
 
 
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SIR SAMUEL WHITE BAKER
CYPRUS AS I SAW IT IN 1879
page 71

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even until we barter their ashes for gold as an honoi able transaction. The most important object of antiquity that has beq recently discovered by excavations at Dali is the statue < Sargon, king of Assyria, 707 B.C., to whom the Cyprioj kings paid tribute. This was sent to the Berlin Musei by Mr. Hamilton Lang, and is described in his interes ing work upon Cyprus during the term of several yea ^ consulship. The ruins of ancient cities offer no attraction to tlj traveller in this island, as nothing is to be seen upc the surface except disjointed stones and a few falli columns of the commonest description. The destrujj tion has been complete, and if we wish to malj discoveries, it is necessary to excavate to a considera depth ; but as all such explorations are prohibited, Ù subject remains fruitless. General di Cesnola, whc work upon the antiquities of Cyprus must remaH unrivalled, describes the tombs as from forty to fiftj five feet beneath the present surface, and even thos great depths had not secured them from disturbance as many that he opened had already been ransacked former explorers. On the 7th of February the thermometer at eight A.M. was only 400. The oxen were put into thee yokes, and after a discussion concerning the best route to Lefkosia, it was agreed that Georgi should be the responsible guide, as he was a native of the country. 1 When travelling on horseback through the district of Messaria there is no difficulty of roads, provide^ you know the country thoroughly, as you may canter^ in the absence of enclosures, in any direction you may please ; but the Cypriotes have an awkward habit of leading their watercourses straight through any route

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