History of the Region of Larnaca (Larnaka)

Agia Anna

It existed as a village at least since 1815, as William Turner mentioned it during that year: “We passed three villages on the road, Kalon Khourgon, S. Anna, and Psefgas”.

Agios Georgios

According to Giovanni Mariti, it was in the 1760s a deserted village in the road path from Larnaca to Nicosia, somewhere in the middle.

In Abraham Ortelius’s map of 1573, we see southern from the Pyroi village, a village by the same “Saint Zorzi”. It is very possible to be this one G. Mariti was referring to. Should that village existed, it would have been situated in the Larnaca district.

Nowadays, such a village does not exist.

Agrinou

Agrinou existed as a village in 1425, involved in a Mamluk raid incident mentioned by Hill (1948): “The enemy was also able to burn Kellia and Aradippou with its seigneurial lodging, also that at the tower of Aliki, as well as Agrinou, Vromolaxia and Kiti. Larnaka was sacked”.

It existed as a village at least since 1474. Georgios Boustronios mentioned it: “And she made monsieur Filip de Nores knight, and she gave him Agrinou, and she made monsieur Jean Attare knight, and gifted him the other part of Apalestra…”.

Agrinou (Αγρίνου) appears on Abraham Ortelius’s map of 1573 as “Agrino” on the east of Dromolaxia, near the salt lake.

Nowadays, such a village does not exist.

Alaminos

Alaminos existed as a village at least since 1308, as according to Hill (1948): “The Governor, on hearing of the death of Dampierre, sent an armed galley from Famagusta on 8 April 1 to a point on the coast near Alaminos”.

I assume that Ali Bey in 1806 was talking about what we call today the village of Alaminos]: “At half past five on the morning of the 9th, I started [from Mazotos] towards the S.W. and at six turned due west after crossing some fertile country called by the natives Laconicos, which they say was anciently inhabited by a people of that name. I was told that to my right lay the ruins of an ancient town called “Alamina”, not to be confounded with Salaminia. At seven I crossed a stream, an hour later another, and at a quarter to nine halted on the banks of the river S. Helena”.

Alethriko

It existed at least since 1815 as a village. William Turner mentioned it at that time: “The villages around Larnaca, within three hours, are Anaphotitha, Kyphino, a Turkish village, Anglisithes — this name appears to have some connection with our nation — Alethrikon, Chivisila, Klavia, Kyttion (Citti), Terzephanon, Arpera, Thromolazia, Meneoo, Tekeh, Kalon Khorion and Arathippou”.

Anafotida

Anglisides

Aradippou

Aradippou existed during the Middle Ages, in 1370, as Hill (1948) mentions: “Isabel de Lusignan in respect of her fief at Aradippou”.

Aradippou existed as a village in 1425, involved in a Mamluk raid incident mentioned by Hill (1948): “The enemy was also able to burn Kellia and Aradippou with its seigneurial lodging, also that at the tower of Aliki, as well as Agrinou, Vromolaxia and Kiti. Larnaka was sacked”.

We see the existence of Aradippou in 1573 on Abraham Ortelius’s map.

According to Giovanni Mariti, it was in the 1760s the richest village in the country and had one church, that of Agios Loukas. The remains of an ancient temple are also mentioned of which its walls preserved some frescos. Aradippou according to him, it was the only place in Cyprus where the breeding of pigs was allowed.

William Turner mentions the village in 1815: “In an hour we came to the village of Aracipou, consisting of about twenty-five houses; and we passed two others, Gotzi, containing about ten, and Looritzena, about thirty houses”.

Today Aradippou is a municipality.

Arnica

lohann van Kootwyck (Cotovicus) visited the so-called village in 1598. He wrote after that “From Comercio we went on foot to Arnica, called by the ancients Piscopia, about a mile from the shore. As we walked, at a stone’s throw on our left, we found a church, an ancient building, with a roof composed of several round domes; against the eastern side are sundry low huts, of a single storey, for the use of travellers, and convenient enough for those who land from shipboard. Turks and other strangers who come here for business pass the night in them — From the church of Lazarus to Arnica we saw nothing but ruins, wide plains full of the caper plant, and fields generally deserted. That Arnica or Arnicum was once a remarkable and very populous city is sufficiently attested by the remains of public buildings and ruined houses. Now there is nothing to see but some small buildings, few and poor, of one storey only”.

Arpera

A village near Meneou, had springs that supplied Larnaca with water. Giovanni Mariti mentions its existence in the 1760s. On the contrary, we don’t see it on the map of Abraham Ortelius earlier in 1573. We don’t see such a village to exist in 1914 Wagner & Debes’ map either.

It existed in 1815 as a village. William Turner mentioned it at that time: “The villages around Larnaca, within three hours, are Anaphotitha, Kyphino, a Turkish village, Anglisithes — this name appears to have some connection with our nation — Alethrikon, Chivisila, Klavia, Kyttion (Citti), Terzephanon, Arpera, Thromolazia, Meneoo, Tekeh, Kalon Khorion and Arathippou”.

Today such a village does not exist, but it is the name of an urban area instead.

Arsos Larnacas

The village existed at least since 1461. During that year Georgios Boustronios mentioned the following: “And in a few days he [King Jacques II] gave a beautiful property to Monsieur Moutzio de Constantzo, Vavla, Cornokipo, Lymbia and Kakotrygiti, Arsos of Mesaoria, and others…”.

Today Arsos still exists as a village but it enslaved under Turkish occupation.

Athienou [Golgoi]

A village with the name “Athienou” does not appear on Abraham Ortelius’s map of 1573.

Giovanni Mariti visited the village during the 1760s. At that time Athienou was well populated and G. Mariti assumes that was due to its location, on the route between Larnaca and Nicosia. Its fields produced wheat and some mulberry trees existed. William Turner described Athienou in 1815: “After leaving these hills we came to a plain, on the beginning of which, at half past ten, we stopped at the village of Athiainou, consisting of a few houses of mud, and a neat Greek church. It is four hours (of distance) from Larnaca and half-way to Nicosia. Round it are a few fields of corn, and some insignificant gardens of olives and mulberry trees”. Athanasios Sakellarios visited Athienou in 1890. He noted that the inhabitants of the village were occupied in agriculture, stock-raising or in the priesthood. Athienou in 1890 according to Sakellarios produced butter and fine honey.

Athienou is today a municipality.

Chirokitia (Χοιροκοιτία – Choirokoitia)

The village existed in 1426, as Pero Tafur who was in Cyprus between 1435-1439 mentions the following: ” He was a gentleman born in Segovia, of the family of the Cernadilla, and when he was a youth and wandering about the world found himself in Cyprus the day of the battle which the king Janus [at Choirokoitia, July 7, 1426] fought with the troops of the Soldan”.

Today Chirokitia is an average village.

Dromolaxia

Its name derives from Vromolaxia [βρώμος + λαξιά which means “filthy pit hole”]. It corrupted during that time.

Dromolaxia existed as a village in 1425, involved in a Mamluk raid incident mentioned by Hill (1948): “The enemy was also able to burn Kellia and Aradippou with its seigneurial lodging, also that at the tower of Aliki, as well as Agrinou, Vromolaxia and Kiti. Larnaka was sacked”.

It appears on Abraham Ortelius’s map of 1573 misspelt as “Vromolaxi”.

Pietro della Valle was in Cyprus in 1625 and mentions it as “Bromolaxia”; it existed as a village.

Fevdria

A village with the name “Fevdria” or similar, does not appear on Abraham Ortelius’s map of 1573.
Giovanni Mariti during the 1760s, mentioned it as a ruined village in the Larnaca region, next to what we call today Xylotymbou. Its church was almost destroyed.

Today such a village is unknown.

Kalo Chorio

Kastrouli

In 1890, Athanasios Sakellarios came across the ruins of a former village called Kastrouli. During that time it contained one byzantine church that it was about to collapse. Kastrouli was situated between Ormideia and Oroklini: “Μετά δε την Ορμίδειαν προς δυσμάς βαδίζον τες προς τον Λάρνακα μετά μίαν ώραν απαντώμεν το Καστρούλι, όπου υπάρχουσιν ερείπιά τινα μικράς πόλεως. ‘Εν αυτοίς σώζεται και μικρός Βυζαντινός ναός, όστις από τινος χρόνου ως μη επισκευαζόμενος ήρξατο να καταρρέη”.

Today Kastrouli is known as a locality.

Kato Lefkara

Ronald Jennings mentions the following about Kato Lefkara village, for the period entering the Ottoman Rule: “Kato Lefkara village had 91 adult males, making a total population between 450 and 475. Villagers paid taxes of 11,292 akce on their agricultural produce, of which 42% came from wine, 8% from olives, and 7% from wheat. The villagers produced 600 keyl of wine worth 24,000 akce, 40 keyl of olives worth 4400 akce, and 350 keyI of wheat worth 4200 akce. Kato Lefkara was apparently slightly richer than Pano Lefkara”.

To get an idea of the number of its inhabitants, in 1606 in Kato Lefkara lived 86 non-Muslim taxpayers [male, capable of work, between the age of 15-75], and in 1643 there were 69.

According to Athanasios Sakellarios, in 1890, villagers of Kato Lefkara were cultivating vineyards, olives and the women were occupied in needling.

Kellia

Kellia existed as a village in 1425, involved in a Mamluk raid incident mentioned by Hill (1948): “The enemy was also able to burn Kellia and Aradippou with its seigneurial lodging, also that at the tower of Aliki, as well as Agrinou, Vromolaxia and Kiti. Larnaka was sacked”.

Kiti

Kiti existed around 1228, as Hill (1948) mentions the following: “Embarking the hostages in a galley, Frederick sent his ships to Kiti”.

Kiti existed as a village in 1425, involved in a Mamluk raid incident mentioned by Hill (1948): “The enemy was also able to burn Kellia and Aradippou with its seigneurial lodging, also that at the tower of Aliki, as well as Agrinou, Vromolaxia and Kiti. Larnaka was sacked”.

Kiti was also an existent village back in 1573. It is seen on Abraham Cortelius’s map.
Cornelis van Bruyn visited it in 1683. He wrote: “This once famous place now consists of a few wretched houses”. “There still remains part of some great ancient building, and near it a well, very old and very deep: there is water in it now. Its beauty gives one an idea of the grandeur of the edifice to which it belonged. The surroundings are pleasant, thickly planted with orange and lemon trees; but the land is uncultivated and overgrown. Anyone who took a little interest in the place and made his home there could easily create an earthly Paradise”.

Giovanni Mariti knew the village in the 1760s, and according to him “it showed that it had previously been a considerable town” [not to be confused with the city of Kition]. In the middle of the village, there was a large and deep well containing excellent water; it was the work of Charion de Lusignan. It was so large, that someone could descent at the bottom of it. Opposite there was an ancient citadel, on the old foundations of it the Turks had erected a square tower that served as a retreat to the inhabitants, and particularly to the women, when they were apprehensive of being attacked by pirates. Kiti had a large church that contained the mosaic of the Virgin Mary, which Greeks believed performed a great number of miracles. In the proximity of the village, there was a stone bridge with several arches and various locks, which was at that time of no use. Cotton and mulberry trees were cultivated. The village produced an abundance of silk.

In our days it still exists as a village.

Kivisili

Klavdia

It was a deserted village in 1788, as Archimandrite Kyprianos mentioned: “It was some time since a wood-cutter of the deserted village of Klavdia, a one-eyed creature called Baqi, threw up wood-cutting, and joined the levendler or volunteers”.

Prior to 1974, the village was inhabited solely by Turkish Cypriots.

Kornos

Kornos existed also back in 1573. It is seen on Abraham Cortelius’s map.

It existed during the 1760s and produced vessels for the storage of commandaria.

In 1806 Ali Bey mentions the village: “I could learn nothing of the origin of the village, so it must be ancient. It may contain at most thirty houses; its situation is delightful, in the middle of a little valley full of olive and carob trees. The inhabitants are nearly all engaged in making earthen vessels. The mountains around are covered with wild cypresses in beautiful clumps and thickets”.

Today it remains a considerable village.

Koshi

William Turner mentions the village misspelt in 1815: “In an hour we came to the village of Aracipou, consisting of about twenty-five houses; and we passed two others, Gotzi, containing about ten, and Looritzena, about thirty houses.

Larnaca city

Ronald Jennings mentions the following about Larnaca village, for the period entering the Ottoman Rule: “With 63 adult males, the town had between 290 and 320 people. Larnaca was simply a grain-growing village, where a disproportionate amount of barley was produced. About half, 51%, of all taxes came from grain cultivation, and 2070 akce of the 5934 akce in agricultural taxes came from barley, as Larnaka produced 1725 keyl worth 10,350 akce. Another 385 keyl of wheat was produced, worth 4620 akce. This meant 35% of the revenues came from barley, 16% from wheat, and 5% from flax, of which 750 bunches worth 1500 akce was produced”.

Denis Possot in 1533 and Furer in 1566 describe Larnaca as a village as well. Leonhart Rauwolff and his business associates landed there in 1573, and they found the market area was still in ruins from 1570. According to Pedro Texeira, the city of Larnaca in 1605 had around 300 houses, poor and small, built on stone and mud bricks.

To get an idea of the number of its inhabitants, in 1606 in Larnaca lived 247 non-Muslim taxpayers [male, capable of work, between the age of 15-75], and in 1643 there were 140. P. della Valle in 1625 described it as small and of little importance. Cornelis van Bruyn visited it in 1683. He wrote: “It is just an ordinary village with an old church and tower, and some remains of an ancient town. The European merchants, all of them Frenchmen, live there”. Dapper in 1688 also reported the presence of merchants and consuls, and that all trade was handled there; he viewed the salt pans half a mile away and reported on a great decline in salt production and sugar cultivation under the Ottomans. John Heyman in the 1700s writes: “it has the appearance rather of a village than a city, the houses being very low, and only of dried clay, except those of the Franks, which are something higher, and of more convenience within — Besides the private merchants living at Lernica, there are also consuls of several nations, as English, Dutch, French, and Venetian”. Teixeira mentioned consulates of Venice, England, France, and Flanders. At the conquest, the Ottomans had seized the Latin church of St. Lazarus, but in 1589 they sold it to the Greek Orthodox for the nominal sum of 3000 aspers. Hume in 1801 describes Larnaca as a “fine village but owes all its beauty to the delightful gardens in the neighbourhood, the walks of which are overhung with the jasmine, the evergreen rose, and particularly by the Nerium Oleander, or rose-bay. This grows here with great luxuriance, and is remarkable for the cluster of pale crimson flowers, and forms the chief ornament of the gardens. In the fields adjoining the town, we observed the caper-bush in flower, as well as the Lycopersicon or love-apple”.

Ali Bey in 1806 writes about Larnaca: “This is a town next in size to Nicosia, the seat of a bishop, and the residence of all the consuls, of a few European merchants, and of several Greeks protected by different nations, with whose subjects they share the privileges and immunities of their several flags. Hence you meet here with something of the same civilisation and freedom as in the towns and ports of Europe.
John Kinneir in 1814 claimed that Larnaca was the second most important city of Cyprus at that time. He added that: “Larnica consists of an upper and a lower town, both together containing a population of five thousand souls; of which number forty families are Franks, and the remainder Greeks and Mahomedans. The houses being built of mud are mean in the extreme”.

Henry Light in 1814 visited Larnaca: “Though Larnica gives the name to the road in which vessels anchor, yet it is distant from the shore nearly a mile, and is detached to the east from the town which may be called the port, and bears the name of La Scala, about the same distance. This place contains the custom-house, and is the mart for trade. It consists of a long street, chiefly a bazar, where common necessaries of life and articles of dress are sold; is inhabited by Greeks and Turks; the latter commonly employed in the affairs of the custom-house, the former in trade. The houses are low, built partly of mud and partly of stone, whitewashed. The space between La Scala and Larnica is barren, as indeed is the greatest part of the plain at the foot of the mountains, which for several miles east and west of La Scala is either uncultivated or marshy land, intersected by salt lakes. The foundations of an ancient town are often found between La Scala and Larnica”. According to William Turner in 1815, “Larnaca, the second city of the island, contains about 1000 houses, and the Marina consists of about 700 more. Though the streets by the depth of mud which they present evidently show themselves to be Turkish, yet one meets in them carts drawn by oxen of a much better construction and workmanship than I have hitherto seen in the Ottoman dominions”.

Charles Frankland said in 1827: “The Marina of Larneca is a wretched place consisting of a long row of mud-built houses with flat roofs: it has a bazaar and a castle. The palm trees which are thinly scattered about the back of the town give it a very Egyptian appearance, and I am told make it very much resemble Alexandria”.

Charles Frankland observes: “In most of the houses at Larneca the ceiling of the large rooms is supported by a Gothic or a rather Saracenic arch. The beams likewise rest upon such wooden projecting supports or buttresses as we see in old churches in England under the woodwork of the roof. Many of the houses have a kind of facade extending half the height of the house, of stone, and of the same order of Saracenic architecture”.

In 1890 according to Athanasios Sakellarios, Larnaca was the most commercial town of the island: “ώς γνωρίζοντες ότι ενταύθα θέλουσιν εύρει διά το ταξεί διόν των ευθηνοτέρας τροφάς, ελλιμενίζονται εις αυτήν, και μάλιστα εις την εμπορικωτέραν της νήσου πόλιν Λάρνακα”. Larnaca had then 8,000 inhabitants of which 3,000 were Muslims.

Larnaca is today the 3rd largest city of Cyprus.

Livadia

A village with the name “Livadia” or similar, does not appear on Abraham Ortelius’s map of 1573.
During the 1760s, according to Giovanni Mariti, it was a small, poor village of shepherds mostly, amounting to around 12 residences. The village was full of marshes that corrupted the air; some of them were drained and cultivated. There was a small production of cotton and corn. Fifty years earlier there was a great production of cotton and great cultivation of mulberries, which were at that time abandoned and destroyed. The existence of the church of Agia Paraskevi is mentioned.

Dr J. Sibthorp visited Livadia in 1787. He saw corn crops and orange trees.

Livadia has grown today into a municipality.

Mari

Mari(n) existed back in 1573. It is seen on Abraham Cortelius’s map.

Mari is mentioned by G. Mariti during the 1760s as Marin. He advised that it was a village that was built to replace the ruins of the city of Marion[?]. Carob trees were cultivated. Hume in 1801 mentions that an abundance of carob trees are situated in Mari.

Mari in our days is a small village.

Maroni

Maroni existed back in 1573. It is seen on Abraham Cortelius’s map as “Marona”.

Abraham Drummond mentions its existence in 1750.

Today it is a considerable village.

Mazotos

Ali Bey passed by Mazotos in 1806. He mentions the following: “It was six o’clock when I reached Mazzotos. The plain which we crossed was rather fertile. At two or three miles from the road, it is bounded by the sea, on the other side, at a somewhat greater distance, by mountains. Mazzotos is a poor village on good soil at the foot of the hills”.

Meneou

Meneou existed back in 1573. It is seen on Abraham Cortelius’s map misspelt under the name “Menevo”.
Pietro della Valle was in Cyprus in 1625 and mentions it as “Menego”; It was at that time very small, the houses few and ruinous, and the inhabitants very few in number.

It is mentioned as “Meneon” by Giovanni Mariti in the 1760s. It was a small, almost entirely ruined village with very few inhabitants. According to Mariti, the Turks demolished its church to built Tichet (Hala Sultan Tekke) in 1760.

Meneou has grown today into a municipality.

Odou

Odou existed as a village since at least 1572. It is found in the Ottoman taxation records of that year as “Odu”. In 1572, in the village existed 34 houses.

Ormidia

It is seen on Abraham Cortelius’s map of 1573 misspelt under the name “Opinidia”.

Pietro della Valle was in Cyprus in 1625 and mentions it as a village with under the name “Ormidia”. He wrote about it the following: “We broke our fast at Ormidia, and rested for some hours in the porch of the church dedicated to Constantine, whom the Greeks reckon among their saints”. Ormidia kept existing in 1787 as well. Dr J. Sibthorp mentions it as “Armidia”.

Today it exists as a considerable village.

Palliocanut[i]

A village with the name “Palliocanut” or similar, does not appear on Abraham Ortelius’s map of 1573.
Giovanni Mariti mentioned it during the 1760s as a deserted village in the Larnaca region.

Today such a village does not exist, but it could exist as a location somewhere on a Land Registry map.

Pano Lefkara

According to Etienne de Lusignan (1573), the village was in his opinion among the 20 largest villages in Cyprus during the Venetian Rule. Ronald Jennings mentions the following about Pano Lefkara village, for the period entering the Ottoman Rule: “Pano Lefkare village had 35 or 36 unmarried adult males out of a total of 259 adult males, meaning a population between 1225 and 1275. 20% of the village population, presumably was occupied by Latin Christians. Of the taxes of the villagers 43 % (12,800 akce) came from wine. They produced 1600 keyl worth 64,000 akce. A further 10% of revenues came from olives; of them the villagers produced 1300 keyl, worth 14,300 akce. Another 12% of revenues came from grains, of which 9% was from wheat. The villagers produced 1100 keyl of that, worth 13,200 akce, and 650 keyl of barley worth 3900 akce”.

In 1570 the Turks were about to attack Venetian ruled Nicosia. According to Paolo Paruta [1573], the Venetians “when they heard of the rebellion of Lefcara’s family, which had not only suddenly come into Mustafa, but committing other outrages to the prejudice of those of the City, had sent some of their men to persuade other Citizens, who had retired themselves to certain narrow passages amidst the mountains, and were free from being injured by the Turks, that following their example, they should descend into the plains, and submit willingly unto the Turks, it was resolved one night to send out 100 Horse and 400 Foot to fire that hamlet, whereof almost all the inhabitants, to the number of above 400 were put to the sword”.

Lefkara existed in 1573. It is seen on Abraham Cortelius’s map as “Lefcara”.

In the 1760s, according to Giovanni Mariti, it produced an abundance of laudanum and cotton. It was described by him as a pretty village.

According to Athanasios Sakellarios, in 1890, villagers of Pano and Kato Lefkara were cultivating vineyards, olives and the women were occupied in needling.

Today Pano and Kato Lefkara exist. Pano Lefkara is a significant municipality.

Parasolia

Parasolia is translated as “Parasols” in English. Parasolia was in 1890 a ruinous area (former village) 18km from Larnaca, on the coast, near Mazotos, according to Athanasios Sakellarios.

Pergamos

According to the Ottoman taxation records of 1572, Pergamos existed during that year as a village, as it is translated from Arabic (with Turkish pronunciation) as “Bergamo”.

Petrofani

A village with the name “Petrofani” or similar, does not appear on Abraham Ortelius’s map of 1573. In fact, a village called at that time “Malloura” was very close to it and today Malloura is known as just an area.

During the 1760s Giovanni Mariti mentions it as a deserted village in the Larnaca region, under the name “Petrofanis”.

It had life afterwards for as we know it was a small community inhabited until 1975 by Turkish Cypriots, a year when the residents were forced [by the Turkish leadership] to abandon it and move to the North. There were around 171 people. Its villagers were mostly shepherds. They called their village Esendeg, which means “healthy”.

Petrofani, as we call it today, could be explained by the words “Petra + phanos or fenome“, which means “an appearance of light on the stone(s)” or “appearance of the stone(s)” [many legends of the past refer to an appearance of light in the darkness as a result of a religious incident].

Named Petrofani(s) since the 1760s, it means it was previously inhabited by Greek speakers, which obviously abandoned it, and it was inhabited at a later stage entirely by Turks.

Today Petrofani remains abandoned.

Psevdas

It existed as a village at least since 1815, as William Turner mentioned it during that year: “We passed three villages on the road, Kalon Khourgon, S. Anna, and Psefgas”.

Pyla

It appears on Abraham Ortelius’s map of 1573 as “Pilla”.

Cornelis van Bruyn was in Pyla in 1683 and he describes the following: “We arrived at the town of Piela, where we found the remains of a large building, and four small churches in the old style; a stream runs from the neighbouring mountains and supplies the town perennially with water”.

Pyrga

King Janus and his Queen, Charlotte of Bourbon, are conventionally represented in the wall-painting in the little Latin chapel at Pyrga, built in 1421, according to Enlart (1899).

A village with the name “Pyrga” or similar, does not appear on Abraham Ortelius’s map of 1573.
It existed as a village during the 1760s according to Giovanni Mariti. It contained very ancient olive trees.

Today it still exists as a small village.

Scala

Ali Bey mentions in 1806: “A mile from Larnaca is a village called. Scala, where the English consul lives, as well as two others, and there it seems is the landing place”.

Tekes [?]

Tersefanou

Tochni

It existed during the early to mid 15th century, as chronographer Leontios Macheras mentions it as the village where Agia Eleni built a church in the 4th century, as well as a bridge for the people to cross over [but we can’t assume that Tochni existed since the 4th century with certainty and carried the same name]. According to Macheras, the church was dedicated to the Holy Cross.

It existed during the Ottoman rule as a village, between the years 1571-1640, as Ronald Jennings mentioned an incident related to this village: “When spahi Dervis of the·castle volunteers of Magosa died, his 6666 akce timar at Togni village of Mazoto…”.

Ali Bey in 1806 describes Tochni: “The village of Togni, though the houses are ugly and badly built, is prettily situated on the slopes of two hills, on one side live the Greeks, on the other the Turks: a little river runs between them, under a bridge of a single arch, on which is built the Greek Church dedicated to S. Helena”.

Today Tochni is a small village.

Tremetoushia

It is initial name was “Tremithus” or “Trimithus” since at least the 4th century, according to Andros Pavlides (1982).

Vavatsinia

The village existed at least since 1474 when Georgios Boustronios mentioned it: “And the 27th of January they made monsieur George Codarin, Count de Jaffa in Famagusta, and gave him as property Vavatsinia with its pertinenza, and Dali and Platanistasa and Kalopsida”.

The village exists until our days.

Vavla

According to Andros Pavlides (1982) before the King gifted this village to de Constantzo, it was “owned” by the Dominican monks. Furthermore, there had been a monastery there of Agios Epifanios according to the same source.

Vavla appears on Abraham Ortelius’s map of 1573 misspelt as “Vala” on the west of Lefkara.

Today Vavla still exists as a village.

Xylofagou

Pietro della Valle was in Cyprus in 1625 and mentions its name as “Xilofago”, without determining whether it was a village [most probably]. He writes about the Xylofagou: “…we passed Xilofago dismounted to see the church dedicated to S. George. Among the other saints painted therein we found Agios Mapeas[?] or San Mama. He is greatly venerated by the Greeks, who say he was a martyr buried in Cyprus, and have some story to explain why he is painted riding on a lion”.

Today Xylofagou is a considerable village.

Xylotymbou [Timbo]

Timbo appears on Abraham Ortelius’s map of 1573. The village was located exactly at the same location where we find today the village of Xylotymbou. According to Giovanni Mariti, Timbo in the 1760s was a populous and delightful village on the east of Voroklini (today Oroklini).

The name Xylotymbou may appear from the words “xylo + tymvos” which means “wooden tomb”. It is a fact that the village was uninhabited during the early 1800s and later it started to receive residents once again. According to K. Christophides’s encyclopedia, illicit antiquities dealer Luigi Palma di Cesnola recovered a wooden grave in the village in 1882, hence the village could be named as such. This explanation may not stand, as according to Georgios Kasapi (in 1988), his grandfather has been one of the first residents of the village, and during 1840 seven houses existed in the village [hence it should already bear the new name].

Xylotymbou is today a significant village, which has grown significantly due to the acceptance of refugees from the North.

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