FAMAGUSTA: excavation of five UNDERGROUND churches! Part 2

DutchCrusader



Joined: 19/05/2008
Posts: 11281

Message Posted:
30/04/2011 20:18

Five underground built churches (one of them possibly a monastery), from the beginning of the Lusignan rule in Cyprus, will be excavated in the Walled City of Famagusta. The Brits started this work in 1937/8, but the outbreak of World War II stalled this initiative.

More: ▶ [ http://is.gd/Ed05YC/Famagusta_underground_churches ].

More history items and historic updates here:

▶ [ http://is.gd/MHl4g0/Overview_of_updates_of_AAAC_site_in_2011 ].



A link to a small photobook of Ayia Photou (many spellings possible) is now provided on the page mentioned above. Ayia Photou (Fotu, Fodu) would suggest St. Clare in English (Santa Chiara, Italian) and as matter of fact there was a convent of Poor Clares in Famagusta in 1340.

[ more ]

DutchCrusader



Joined: 19/05/2008
Posts: 11281

Message Posted:
01/05/2011 19:09

From another thread with the same subject (abandoned because of some rubbish posts):



Clarissa2: (...) The only thing which I could not find in the newspaper article is the exact location of these excavations. Could you please point out on your map the location. (...)



This Sunday I walked with a nice British group (from the Karpaz area - thank you for all your questions and deep interest!) in Famagusta and we were lucky enough to find TWO new excavations! After the walk I went back to the main excavation and took some snapshots - I'll do the better and extended photographing this week.

I'll upload the snapshots so interested people get an idea about this exciting excavation. On the spot I cleaned some tiles (possibly from around 1340!) and put my feet on them - I don't mind people laughing about me, but I felt like Neil Armstrong when he set foot on the moon. Different, but still...

Clarissa2


Joined: 12/06/2009
Posts: 1476

Message Posted:
01/05/2011 19:22

Re : Msg2,



Great! Looking forward to the photographs.



Shall we cast your footprint for the posterity?

DutchCrusader



Joined: 19/05/2008
Posts: 11281

Message Posted:
01/05/2011 19:59

Here's the location of one of the excavations in Famagusta where archeologists and historians hope to find the Ayia Photou church (see link in msg 1) OR the Saint Dominic monastery:

▶ [ http://www.allcrusades.com/bb/01/20/fam_st_clare_st_dominic.html ].



[ more: snapshots and text ]

DutchCrusader



Joined: 19/05/2008
Posts: 11281

Message Posted:
01/05/2011 20:27

I've added a panoramic photo of the excavation in Famagusta of St Clare church (ca 1340) or the St Dominic monastery. As far as I can check it's the first picture on the Internet (and I have not found any pictures of the excavation in any newspaper yet - DC).

Find the picture here: ▶ [ http://is.gd/Ed05YC/Famagusta_underground_churches ].

DutchCrusader



Joined: 19/05/2008
Posts: 11281

Message Posted:
01/05/2011 20:40

From another thread, Phylray: (...) Funny how us atheists are kinda interested in ancient churches! (...)

▶ Why? Faith/religion do not stand in the way of architectural beauty, architectural masterpieces, art etc (imo).

Clarissa2


Joined: 12/06/2009
Posts: 1476

Message Posted:
02/05/2011 11:32

Re : Msgs 4&5,



DC, thanks for the picture and the location on the map. Most interesting!



Do you happen to know if the excavations are funded by some international body (EU, UNESCO etc.) and whether they are led by foreign archaeologists ? Or is it rather local affair?

DutchCrusader



Joined: 19/05/2008
Posts: 11281

Message Posted:
02/05/2011 12:19

UPDATE: I've updated my map of Walled Famagusta with 1 : the latest info about the excavations and 2 : added a grid, which will make it easier to find Lusignan, Genoese, Venetian and (early) Ottoman remains. And some minor changes and updates.



@ msg 7, Clarissa2: I've no info yet re: your questions. There was nobody on the site yesterday, but I'll try the Famagusta head of the Department of Antiquities (which from my expierience is not easy...).



On site the excavations seemed rather done by JCB's than by archeologists with trowels... But I can be mistaken.

DutchCrusader



Joined: 19/05/2008
Posts: 11281

Message Posted:
02/05/2011 13:45

UPDATE: I've uploaded a small photobook with the first snapshots of the site. All links (bold text in blue) can now be found on this page:

▶ [ http://is.gd/Ed05YC/Famagusta_underground_churches ].



(Captions and a text page with what is (not...) known about Ayia Photou will follow in another update).

Clarissa2


Joined: 12/06/2009
Posts: 1476

Message Posted:
02/05/2011 16:28

Re : Msg 9,

Dear DC,

Thanks for the update . Re: pictures . On some of them I can see barbed wires. Does it mean that some (all) excavated area is within the army compound?

On one of the pictures there is an ugly bungalow right in the middle of the excavated area. What are the chances that it is going to be demolished? I know - rhetorical question.



Re : Msg 8,

Re: JCB's being used.

sigh..... sigh...sigh

Say no more!



Clarissa

DutchCrusader



Joined: 19/05/2008
Posts: 11281

Message Posted:
02/05/2011 16:45

@ msg 10, Clarissa2: "barbed wires": The area is free for all to enter! One can search the rubble for coins, broken pottery etc... Who cares? Is has never been any different in Cyprus, although the Brits (Colonial rule, 1878-1960) tried to stop the treasure digging robbers in Cyprus. Their measures and lessons seem to have been forgotten though.



"ugly bungalow, demolished?" No way, definitely not! It's the clubhouse of the Famagusta Chess (Satranç) Club..!

Clarissa2


Joined: 12/06/2009
Posts: 1476

Message Posted:
02/05/2011 16:53

Re : Msg 11,

"ugly bungalow, demolished?" No way, definitely not! It's the clubhouse of the Famagusta Chess (Satranç) Club."



I' d better join it while it's there.

DutchCrusader



Joined: 19/05/2008
Posts: 11281

Message Posted:
02/05/2011 17:56

UPDATE: The French expert Camille Enlart (1899) and the British architect George Jeffery (1918) have seen more of the ruins on the Famagusta excavation site than we will ever see... Remarkable: the Brit Rupert Gunnis (1936), in his book "Historic Cyprus", does not mention the ruins in Famagusta at all - neither the existence of Ayia Photou church nor a St Dominic monastery!

Well, here's the link to all I know at the moment:

▶ [ http://is.gd/Ed05YC/Famagusta_underground_churches ].

Clarissa2


Joined: 12/06/2009
Posts: 1476

Message Posted:
03/05/2011 10:43

Re: Msg 8,

"I've no info yet re: your questions. There was nobody on the site yesterday, but I'll try the Famagusta head of the Department of Antiquities (which from my expierience is not easy...). "



Dear DC,

Sorry, I thought that perhaps something was mentioned in the media. The folks from the Department are better left unstirred and undisturbed.



Clarissa