Throughout its long and interesting history, Cyprus has attracted the attention of European travelers. This was facilitated by the fact that the country, having come into the possession of the Franks and then the Venetians, became part of Western civilization. Its proximity to the Holy Land made the island a mandatory stopover for pilgrims. We continue the story about some European travelers from different centuries who visited Cyprus and left their memories about it.
John Locke's Notes: Salt Lakes and Exotic Cuisine
The English traveler, the great-great-grandfather of the famous English philosopher, also named John Locke, visited Cyprus on his way to Jerusalem in 1553. No precise information has been preserved about his life. The result of his journey was an essay entitled “The Voyage of M. John Locke to Jerusalem.”
Locke was in Cyprus in August, September and October 1553. That is, at a time when the island was in the possession of the Venetians, and only 17 years before the invasion of the Ottoman Turks. The traveler landed in Limassol on August 12, describing it as a dilapidated city. Already on August 14 he left for the Holy Land. And he returned to Cyprus on September 26, arriving from Palestine in Larnaca. He visited Famagusta, Nicosia and again in Limassol. On October 16, the traveler left the island and went to Europe.
In his notes, Locke describes Orthodox worship in one of the temples of Limassol, the Larnaca Salt Lakes and the production of salt. He pays special attention to the culinary aspect - various delicacies of Cyprus, such as carob, come into his field of vision. He also says that in Cyprus, small songbirds are caught, pickled in vinegar and sent to Venice. Judging by the description, he means the recipe for the now banned dish “ambelopulia”.
William Lithgow. About the fight against the Florentines and the Ottoman yoke
This Scottish traveler left his starting point in 1609 and, having traveled through France, Italy and Greece, reached Constantinople. From there he went to Smyrna, Rhodes and Cyprus, Tripoli, Aleppo, Damascus and Jerusalem, where he arrived in the spring of 1612.
Lithgow’s main work, in which he described his impressions and adventures, is called “The Total Discource of the Rare adventures and painfull Peregrinations of long nineteen years.” The book was published in London in 1632. It is now of great importance due to the historical information it contains and the description of the manners and customs of peoples and places.
Lithgow speaks with great sympathy of the Cypriots. He describes the local people as very kind, hospitable, “who would be good warriors if they could afford to buy equipment.” Making his visit at a time when the Cypriots were trying, albeit in vain, to throw off the Turkish yoke, Lithgow describes their suffering under the Turkish yoke as "indescribable." The traveler expresses the opinion that "the Cypriots could easily neutralize the garrison of 1,050 Turks if they had weapons or the help of the Christian powers." He then gives the example of the unsuccessful operation of Duke Ferdinand of Florence against Famagusta. It took place in 1607. 5,000 soldiers and five galleys took part in it. The author describes the landing of these forces in the wrong area, the mobilization of the Cypriots by the Ottomans in their fight against the Florentines, and the revolt of 400 Paphos Greeks, who were all killed by the Turks.
Also interesting is Lithgow's mention of the products of Cyprus: sugar, cotton, olive oil, silk and salt. He also mentions that Cyprus had many types of precious stones: emeralds and diamonds. And in Troodos there were mines for the extraction of gold, iron, asbestos and “exceptionally good copper.”
This article was first published in the Cyprus Herald on September 24, 2022. Some information may be out of date.
