Agios Georgios Vasas
According to the Ottoman taxation archives of 1572, Agios Georgios existed during that year as a very small village, which included 15 non-Muslim inhabited houses. It is translated from Arabic with Turkish pronunciation as “Aya Yorgi Vasa”.
Agios Konstantinos
According to the Ottoman judicial records of 1720, Agios Konstantinos existed during that year as a village, as it is translated from Arabic (with Turkish pronunciation) as “Ayia Kostanti”.
Agios Mamas
According to Andros Pavlides (1991), the village of Agios Mamas was most likely founded by the Akrites during the Byzantine Era. According to Wikipedia: “The Akritai (Greek: Ακρίται) is a term used in the Byzantine Empire in the 9th–11th centuries to denote the army units guarding the Empire’s eastern border, facing the Muslim states of the Middle East. Searching through the names of areas within the Agios Mamas village, we find from the Cyprus Land Registry such unfamiliar names to the Greek Cypriot vocabulary, as Anendrada [Ανενδράδα], Gerakides [Γεράκηδες], Zalakas [Ζάλακας], Mantheina [Μανθαίινα] and Mersinaki [Μερσινάκι], which could lead to the conclusion that these are areas were initially named after the Akrites, and they were preserved as such even after the lapse of about one millennium [Due to the fact that one word could not easily survive uncorrupted for one millennium, I wouldn’t exclude the occasion that the village was inhabited by other greek speakers (immigrants) during following eras, such as during the Venetian Rule, when Pelloponese refugees found a new home in Cyprus according to Sathas]. The name that was given to the village, “Agios Mamas”, according to Andros Pavlides relates to Saint Mamas, the guardian of Akrites, whose figure the Akrites had engraved on their spear to protect them. An additional clue that leads us to the conclusion that the village was formed by Akrites, is the locality found within the village under the name Vikli [Βικλί], according to Pavlides, which means “observation post”, something that relates to the guarding mission of Akrites.
During the Ottoman Rule, according to Papandreas Orfanos (2010), the Greek inhabitants of Agios Mamas were expelled somewhere around 1570 and situated on a location called today “Finiki” or “Finitzi”, which is situated not far from Agios Mamas, on the opposite mountain. During that time according to Ronald Jennings’s (1992) sources, a plague occurred in Cyprus, in 1692-93, which reportedly killed the 2/3 of the island. According to Papandreas Orfanos, who doesn’t mention the exact date, the descendants of Agios Mamas village had the opportunity to return back to their roots, having all the Turks but one died from the deadly plague, at around 145 years later [it could have been at 1693-1694 and onwards].
Regarding the respectable contribution of the community of Agios Mamas during the 1955-59 EOKA struggle, according to Papandreas Orfanos, several persons took part in the organization, of which Andreas Demetriou was the first partisan to be hunged by the British rulers during the struggle, whilst 19 others were put into prison, originating from the same village.
The population of Agios Mamas had been 216 people in 1881, 481 in 1960, declined to 213 in 1981 and 114 in 2011. Today Agios Mamas is a small village.
Agios Thomas
It existed as a village in 1806. Ali Bey mentioned it: “We reached Episcopi and rested there until a quarter to four. Continuing our march in the same direction at half past four we passed S. Thomas, and at six entered Lataniskio, where I was to pass the night”. “S. Thomas is a very small village in the mountains”.
Agridia
According to the Ottoman taxation records of 1572, Agridia probably existed during that year as a village, as it is translated from Arabic (with Turkish pronunciation) as “Agridi”.
Agros
According to Pavlides (2013) in the location where the village is situated, it was initially formed the Megalos Agros monastery during the iconoclastic persecution era, from 726 until 843. It was formed by 40 fugitive monks from Cyzicous, in Minor Asia. The village was formed later around the monastery during the 16th or 17th century, due to the existence of that monastery. The monastery today does not exist.
Akrotiri
It appears on Abraham Ortelius’s map of 1573 as “Acrotiri”.
It existed back in 1750. It is mentioned by Abraham Drummond under the name “Agrodiri”.
Today it is a small village and it is considered British ground.
Alektora
It existed in 1738 because Richard Pococke wrote about this village: “…from Coucleh came to a Turkish village called Alefcora, where we got a place to lodge in with great difficulty”.
Ali Bey passed by Alektora in 1806: “At a quarter past nine I passed Yalektora, now a poor village, but once larger and rich, to judge by the ruins still conspicuous of churches and other buildings. It is built on a slope, surrounded with magnificent valleys, many of them cultivated”.
Amathous
According to Stephanus of Byzantium (6th cent.), «Αμαθούς πόλις αρχαιοτάτη, έν ή “Αδωνις ” Όσιρις ετιμάτο, ον Αιγύπτιον όντα Κύπριοι και Φοίνικες ιδιοποιούνται από δέ ‘ Αμάθους τε του Ηρακλέους εκλήθη ή από της Κινύρου μητρός ‘Αμαθούσης», meaning in short that the ancient city of Amathous was founded by Cinyras, linked with the birth of Adonis, who called the city after his mother Amathous.
Amiantos
It appears on Abraham Ortelius’s map of 1573 misspelt as “Miendo”.
Mentioned as Amianthos during the 1760s by G. Mariti, it was a village producing asbestos. From asbestos a kind of cloth was produced in which the bodies of European emperors were burnt. According to G. Mariti, “Amianthus was a considerable town in the time of the Romans”.
According to Athanasios Sakellarios in 1890, in Kato Amiantos we could find the “Loumata tous atous” water spring. The locals claimed that who bathes in that water revived: “Λούματα τους ‘Ατούς· διότι κατά την γνώμην των πέριξ οικούντων οι αετοί εν αυτή λουόμενοι αναγεννώνται”. Loumata tous atous literally means “eagles’ showers”, probably named after the eagles that existed there at that time, as Sakellarios recorded: “Παρ’ αυτην δε υπάρχουσι πλήθος πτερών των αετών, οίτινες επί των πέριξ δένδρων πάσης ηλικίας όντες διημερεύουσι”.
It used to be separated into Pano and Kato Amiantos. Today only Kato Amiantos is a small inhabited village and it is known as “Amiantos”.
Anogyra
Anogyra existed as a village at least since 1312 when it was property of the Templar Knights according to Hill (1948).
It existed as a village in 1788 as Archimandrite Kyrpianos mentions it.
Today Anogyra is a small village.
Armenochori
As assumed by its name, it was probably formed by Armenians, which according to Hill (1948): “A memory of an early settlement [before the Frankish rule] is preserved in the name of Armenochori, a village (now Turkish) near Limassol, which was taken from the Templars and transferred to the Hospitallers in 1307”.
Arsos
Arsos appears on Abraham Ortelius’s map of 1573 as “Arsos”.
Today it exists as a small village.
Avdimou
Avdimou appears on Abraham Ortelius’s map of 1573 misspelt as “Audimo”. Avdimou existed in 1738 because Richard Pococke wrote about this village: “On the second we went near a large Turkish village called Afdim, which is the same as Audimo or Aitimo”. According to Etienne de Lusignan (1753), Ptolemy Philadelphus in memory of his sister who bore the name Arsinoe. he built or restored other three cities, and called all four Arsenoe: one is the village of Afdimou, the second is Famagusta, the third is the village Lefka, the fourth the village Arsos. The village of Avdimou in the 1760’s, according to Giovanni Mariti, was badly peopled. “Avdimou was well watered and produced silk and cotton”. According to Athanasios Sakellarios in 1890, Avdimou had approximately 380 inhabitants, both Christians and Muslims.
Today Avdimou is a small village.
Doros
It existed as a village at least since 1474 when Georgios Boustronios mentioned an event: “…and he said that the village of Jean Mistahelis [?], Doros, was taken from him…”.
Today Doros still exists as a small village.
Episkopi
According to Hill (1948), Episkopi grew to considerable importance from the 13th century, as the centre of cultivation of sugar-cane. It existed as a village in 1458. Gabriele Capodilista mentions it as “Episkopia”, a village very rich in sugar, which also grew orange, lemon, carob and banana trees. According to Etienne de Lusignan (1573), the village was in his opinion among the 20 largest villages in Cyprus during the Venetian Rule. It is mentioned in 1596 by Girolamo Dandini as “Piscopia”, being one of the villages where Maronites lived at that time. To get an idea of the number of its inhabitants, in 1612 in Episkopi lived 255 non-Muslim taxpayers [male, capable of work, between the age of 15-75], and in 1643 there were 108. “Piscopi”, according to Abraham Drummond in 1750, was a beautiful large village. According to G. Mariti, it produced during the 1760s the best cotton in the kingdom. He mentions it as “Piscopia”. During the Venetian rule, sugar-canes were cultivated, but the cultivation of sugar-canes was afterwards abandoned for the more lucrative and less troublesome cultivation of cotton. Piscopia had an abundance of orange, lemon, and olive trees. There was a plentifulness of water coming from springs. Ali Bey writes about Episkopi in 1806: “Episcopi is larger than Colossi and most pleasantly situated. Every house is surrounded by gardens, trees, plots of cotton and sown fields. The village lies at the foot of the mountains which slope down to the seashore and commands a view of a fine plain and of the sea. There is water in abundance, the soil is excellent — advantages which make Episcopi a delightful place, infinitely more worthy of the goddess of the isle than Idalium and Cythera [Kythrea]. It was formerly a very rich town, with large sugar-works. One sees still the ruins of an aqueduct, immense stores or vaulted halls, and several Greek churches with fresco-paintings. Today it is a village of little importance, inhabited by Turks and Greeks, each in their own quarter. The women appeared to me to enjoy considerable liberty, but I saw no beauties — perhaps my unlucky star kept them out of my sight”. According to Athanasios Sakellarios in 1890, the plain between Kolossi and Episkopi was abundant in lemon, orange and other citrus trees, as well as cotton cultivations. At that time Episkopi had around 850 residents, primarily Muslims, of which most of them had black skin [desendants of slaves].
Today Episkopi is a large village, initially inhabited by refugees after the 1974 Turkish invasion.
Eptagonia
Eptagonia or Eftagonia appears on Abraham Ortelius’s map of 1573 misspelt as “Astagonia[?]”.
It existed as a village during the 1760s, as mentioned by G. Mariti. The village was distinguished by its gold mine.
Today Eptagonia still exists as a village.
Finitzi
According to Papandreas Orfanos, the village of Finitzi [Φοινίτζι] was erected during the Ottoman Rule, around 1570, when the Ottomans expelled the Christians from their original village, Agios Mamas, and moved to Finitzi, on the opposite mountain. Until the Agiomamites were allowed to dream of returning back to their original village, according to Orfanos: “Almost 145 years passed since the time crew arrived. God listened to their prayers and decided to terminate their exile” and this happened at a time when: “In a small timeframe all the Turks [of Agios Mamas] died of the plague. The only one [?] to escape the deadly disease was the richest of the village, Ali Pasha. Ali Pasha, afraid of the plague, went to [a man called] Sevastos and offered to him to sell the big chiftlik he owned in Grikelli area and with the money, he would collect, gift it to him in order to build his church [Sevastos had previously visioned that Agios Mamas urged him to build his church in the Agios Mamas village area, in proximity to the Muslim community]”. Indeed, even though Orfanos not aware of the time when the plague occurred, according to Ronald Jennings: ” One of the most severe plagues was in 1692 when some sources report that 2/3 of the population died. The plague of 1692 correlates with the “approximately at around of 1695” of Papandrea’s Orfanos estimate, when Finitzi villagers decided that it was the time that they should return back to their roots. According to Orfanos, Finitziotes completed the erection of Agios Mamas church at 1720, a time that logically, had returned back to their village, uninhabited by Turks. Following that time, we suppose that Finitzi started to decline so much, that in 1944 its church [of Agios Georgios] was so ruinous, that they decided to stop using in the middle of the 20th century for religious purposes. At that time according to Orfanos, they decided to create a new church in its place, and in the ruins of Agios Georgios, in 1944, they found “a xmall box of coins or the era 1500-1700” something that makes us presume that the village was indeed abandoned after that time [1720 when Agios Mamas’s church was build in the original village]. Today, Finitzi is an area of the Agios Mamas village, owning the new church of Agios Georgios, erected in 1944 by Styliani Hadjinikola.
Foini
Foini or Phini [better read Fini] was recorded by Athanasios Sakellarios in 1890, as the village where famous vessels were produced.
Germasogeia
Germasogeia or Yermasoyia existed at least since 1312 as according to Hill (1948) it was a property of the Templars.
Fasouri
Fasouri existed as a village at least since 1317 as according to Mollat (20th cent.), Albert of Schwarzburg received the estates of Kolossi, Trakhoni, Phasouri, the house of Moneho, an old possession of the Hospital, and all the property in the town and diocese of Paphos.
Fylagra
Fylagra village appears on Abraham Ortelius’s map of 1573 misspelt as “Filoga”.
Fylagra exists today [2021] as a location, marked by a homonymous abandoned restaurant.
Kardama
Kardama village appears on Abraham Ortelius’s map of 1573 as “Cardama”.
Today Kardama is known as a location and the village does not exist.
Karydaki
Karydaki village appears on Abraham Ortelius’s map of 1573 as “Caridac”.
Today such a village does not exist.
Kato Avdimou
Ronald Jennings mentions the following about Kato Avdimou village, for the period entering the Ottoman Rule: “Kato Avdimou had only 250 to 300 villagers; they paid taxes of 4650 akce on agricultural production that may have been worth 14,000 akce. The register noted 61 adult males, of whom 5 were unmarried. The leading crop in Kato Evdim was carobs, which accounted for 15% of village taxes, wheat, which accounted for 14%, and barley, 8%. Villagers produced 100 kanatar of carobs annually, worth 3500 akce, alone with 270 keyl of wheat worth 3240 akce and 310 keyl of barley worth 1860 akce”.
Today we know Avdimou as one united village, of a small size.
Kilani
According to Etienne de Lusignan (1573), the village was in his opinion among the 20 largest villages in Cyprus during the Venetian Rule. Kilani appears on Abraham Ortelius’s map of 1573 as “Chilani”. It existed in 1598 when Johann van Kootwyck calls it “Chilani”. To get an idea of the number of its inhabitants, in 1606 in Kilani lived 541 non-Muslim taxpayers [male, capable of work, between the age of 15-75], and in 1643 there were 155. This raises the question of what happened to the rest of them (migration, relocation, Islamization).
According to Athanasios Sakellarios in 1890, Kilani produced chairs, silk and woollen clothes, as well as good wines.
Today it is a considerable village.
Kolossi
Kolossi existed at least since the early Frankish Rule as we read from Hill: “The Hospitallers, on receiving Innocent’s recommendation, actually took over some of the fortresses. They already possessed a preceptory in 1210, when King Hugh gave them special privileges, such as the right to acquire land, exemption from customs dues on their exports and imports, free milling at Kythrea, land and houses at Lemesos, and also four estates, Platanistia and Phinika in the territory of Paphos, Monagroulli in that of Lemesos, and, above all, Kolossi, which became the Grand Commandery”.
According to Martin von Baumgarten in 1508, Colossi existed as a village and it was famous for its production of sugar. According to Etienne de Lusignan (1573), the village was in his opinion among the 20 largest villages in Cyprus during the Venetian Rule. Giovanni Mariti mentions it during the 1760s when it existed as a village at that time. According to Athanasios Sakellarios in 1890, the plain between Kolossi and Episkopi was abundant in lemon, orange and other citrus trees, as well as cotton cultivations.
Today it is a large village or small town.
Kouka
Kouka existed at least since 1461, as Georgios Boustronios mentions it at that year: “…And to Palia Salaha he [Jacques II) gifted him the villages of Sir Alexandro Cappadoca, Kouka and Moniati; and in a few days he altered his decision and gave them to Penetto of Morea”.
Kouka exists today as a very small village.
Kyvides
Kyvides village seems to exist at least since during the Frankish Rule of the island. It is suggested that its name derives from the popular medieval Hector De Quivides (mid 15th century), of Frankish origin. Andreas Pavlides (1982) suggests that its land belonged to him.
There used to be Pano and Kato Kyvides. In Pano Kyvides lived the Christians and in Kato (lower) lived the Muslims.
Today both Pano and Kato Kyvides are ruinous and exists only the new village “Kyvides”, which is on the top of the mountain, whilst Pano and Kato Kyvides were in the foothills of that mountain. Kato Kyvides were abandoned in 1974, and the village was once again re-inhabited between the years 1992-2001 by two people. In the 2011 census, the inhabitants were 5.
Lania
According to the Ottoman judicial records of 1698, Lania existed during that year as a village, as it is translated from Arabic (with Turkish pronunciation) as “Lanya”.
Limassol City
How Limassol fell gradually into decay we may judge by the remarks of travellers. Ludolf of Sudheim (1336-41) says that it was once a fair city, but had been laid waste by constant earthquakes and floods. Orient d’Anglure (1395-6) says it had been destroyed by the Genoese and was for the most part uninhabited; they attacked it again in 1407. Mamluks attacked for three successive years (1424-1426), twice taking the castle and sacking the town. In 1459 the Latin bishop, Peter de Manatiis, resigned because the city had long lain in ruins, and was at the time quite deserted, on account of the incursions of pirates and other barbarous peoples; the church itself was half destroyed, and the services had been transferred to a chapel at Kolossi, five miles distant, where the archives and ornaments of the church were kept. In 1482 Joos van Ghistele described the place as a village of only thirty or forty houses; in that same year Paul Walther found only a single church stood there, along “with a few hovels.” Fra Suriano (1484) reported the place “in ruins” and “entirely destroyed by earthquakes.” After the earthquake of 1491 Pietro Casola (1494) found all the churches but one in ruins and no good houses anywhere. The few people appeared ill. Because of the earthquakes and malaria, no one could be induced to settle there. Finally in 1539 Turkish pirates nearly destroyed Limassol. Various reports from the 1540s and 1550s evaluated its population between 500 and 600 souls, while the document based on the census of 1563 mentions 800 inhabitants at Limassol. Angelo Calepio (1573) reported another earthquake of 1556. Limassol was no town at all. Ronald Jennings mentions the following about Limassol village, for the period entering the Ottoman Rule: “Limassol in 1572 was a very small town with 177 adult males, including 13 unmarried. Probably it had between 800 and 850 people, divided into three quarters. One of those is named quarter of the Katholiki, belonged to the Church of Rome.” The other two quarters were “Ayanbe” and Agios Mamas. “A total of 63% (27,000 akce) of the 42,957 akce in taxes paid locally went for the tax farm of the customs of the pier and the weighing of flour Another 3% (1400 akce) went for the bazaar dues and ihtisab. Some 15% of taxes went for grains, including 10% for wheat and 4% for barley. Villagers produced 1875 keyl of wheat, worth 22,500 akce annually, and 1950 key1of barley worth 8700 akce, as well as numerous fruits and vegetables in very small quantities”. Jennings doesn’t mention any tax acquired from fishing as happened to the cases of Kyrenia, Chrysochou and Pafos, meaning that fishing was almost or entirely inexistent. Limassol appears on Abraham Ortelius’s map of 1573 misspelt as “Limisso”. Seigneur de Villamont in 1589 wrote about Limassol that it was a village in a beautiful plain and close to the sea. The houses were built chiefly of earth covered with rushes and fascines, of a single story, and so low. They made their doors thus low so that Turks on horseback or an angry crowd could not enter. Beyond Limassol, he crossed a beautiful plain full of olives, fig trees and carob trees. He also encountered palms, orange and lemon trees, and some cypresses. Johann van Kootwyck (Cotovicus) visited the village of Limassol in 1598. He wrote that the soil bears freely vines, shrubs, garden produce, and nearly every kind of tree, especially fig, olive and carob trees.
To get an idea of the number of its inhabitants, in 1606 in Limassol lived 141 non-Muslim taxpayers [male, capable of work, between the age of 15-75], and in 1643 there were 152. Pietro della Valle was in Cyprus in 1625 and he walked about the town, which was “fairly large and populous”. He saw the great mosque, which was near the sea in a fine broad street running along the shore, quite full of carobs in which “Limisso” does a great trade, loading whole ships for Venice and elsewhere. Olfert Dapper in 1688 pointed to the good cotton, as well as to wine, carobs, oranges, and lemons. The janissary garrison in the castle was still necessary to guard against pirates. The Greeks and Jews, who mostly were merchants, lived in the same quarter and the Turks in another; the Turks had a small mosque and the Orthodox a church. The vineyards of the small place were praised by R. Pococke in 1738, as was the cheap food. By that time the Orthodox had two churches and the Muslims a dervish convent. Both Pococke and Tollot in 1731 emphasize the continuing need to be on defence against pirates. Archbishop Constantius in 1766 says the following about Limassol: “Beyond the site of Amathus is Nemesos, now called corruptly Lemesos. This town is no longer what it was, a populous and thriving commercial centre, but ranks among seaport towns next after Scala; it is largely frequented by strangers, and has an excellent market for wine, cotton, silk and other island produce. The country around is fertile but wants better cultivation. But this needs men who are fond of toil, and the hardworking Cypriots leave their country every day to seek other lands with fewer troubles and taxes. The air of Lemesos is hot and unwholesome in summer, on account of the exhalations of the salt lake which is not far off”. Hume in 1801 describes Limassol: “The plain of Limassol is perhaps one of the most fertile districts in the island, and where the ground is not cultivated there are clusters of the olive and locust tree, and the evergreen Cypress. No tract of the country perhaps affords a finer variety of thorns and thistles; and there, as well as at Larnaca, the caper bush grows luxuriantly. Some small fields near the town were covered with tobacco and cotton plants…”. William Turner passed in 1815 from Limassol: “It is a miserable town, consisting of 150 mud houses, of which 100 are Greeks, and 50 Turks; yet of the fifty shiploads of wine which Cyprus exports annually, twenty are on an average despatched from Limesole. A mountain-stream runs through it, over which is a broken Venetian bridge”. In 1890, according to Athanasios Sakellarios, Limassol had approximately 6,000 inhabitants of which 1,500 were Muslims.
Today Lemesos or Limassol is the second-largest city of Cyprus.
Limnati
According to Etienne de Lusignan (1573), the village was in his opinion among the 20 largest villages in Cyprus during the Venetian Rule.
Limnati appears on Abraham Ortelius’s map of 1573 under the same name.
It existed as a village during the 1760s, as mentioned by G. Mariti. According to him, “Limnati was formerly a city” [According to one older research of mine, a local legend which existed in the area during the 2000s mentioned a huge treasure hidden somewhere on a hill in Limnati, which could support the assumption that Limnati was formerly a potentially rich city]. The village was famous for the production of wine.
Today it is a small village.
Mallia
To get an idea of the number of its inhabitants, in 1606 in Mallia lived 50 non-Muslim taxpayers [male, capable of work, between the age of 15-75].
Today Mallia is a small village.
Monagroulli
It existed at least since 1815 as a village. William Turner mentioned it at that time: “The villages we passed on these mountains were Monaphrouli, Pentakhoma and Maroni”.
Moniatis
Moniatis existed at least since 1461, as Georgios Boustronios mentions it at that year: “…And to Palia Salaha he [Jacques II) gifted him the villages of Sir Alexandro Cappadoca, Kouka and Moniati; and in a few days he altered his decision and gave them to Penetto of Morea”.
Moniatis exists today as an average village.
Omodos
The name of the village comes from Latin “Homo Deus”.
According to Etienne de Lusignan (1573), the village was in his opinion among the 20 largest villages in Cyprus during the Venetian Rule. Omodos appears on Abraham Ortelius’s map of 1573 misspelt as “Homodos”.
Omodos existed as a village during the 1760s, mentioned by G. Mariti. The village was famous for the production of wine. According to Athanasios Sakellarios in 1890, Omodos produced “the best moschato wine in Cyprus, red and black raisins, fragrant tobaccos and excellent wine hams (χοιρομέρια)”.
Today it is a considerable village.
Ozungun
According to Giovanni Mariti, it existed as a village during the 1760s near Zoopigi and it produced wine.
Today, such a village does not exist.
Pachna
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 Sefer bese of the Cyprus janissaries, from Pachna village of Evdim kaza…”.
Today Pachna is a large village.
Palaiomylos (Παλαιόμυλος – Palaeomylos)
According to the Ottoman taxation records of 1572, Palaiomylos or Paliomylos probably existed during that year as a village, as it is translated from Arabic (with Turkish pronunciation) as “Balyomilo”.
Pano Avdimou
Ronald Jennings mentions the following about Pano Avdimou village, for the period entering the Ottoman Rule: “Pano Avdimou village had 140 adult male residents, of whom 14 were unmarried and 2 blind. Perhaps its population was 600 or 650. The villagers paid 49,583 akce in taxes annually (or 40,583 akce according to another entry); undoubtedly they produced crops worth over 220,000 akce. The leading crops were cotton and grains, which amounted, respectively, to 39% and over 36% of the total production. A total of 320 kantar of cotton was produced, worth 96,000 akce, and 5500 keyl of wheat and 3250 of barley were cultivated, worth 66,000 akce and 19,500 akce respectively. Another 8% of agricultural taxes came from carobs; 535 kantar worth 18,725 akce were produced. In addition, 3% (1500 akce) of taxes came from wineries, with produce worth 7500 akce, and 2% (957 akce) from 435 kantar of olives, which were worth 4785 akce.
To get an idea of the number of its inhabitants, in 1606 in Pano Avdimou lived 75 non-Muslim taxpayers [male, capable of work, between the age of 15-75], and in 1643 there were 26.
Today there is no such village, only Avdimou.
Pelendri
It existed as a village at least since 1460. Georgios Boustronios mentioned it: “And from there [Gialia village] they went to Pelendria, and they caught Satin and they pressed him to confess his possessions, and he took them to a storage room and showed them one vessel full of coins…”. According to Etienne de Lusignan (1573), the village was in his opinion among the 20 largest villages in Cyprus during the Venetian Rule. Pelendri was at the 1760s according to Giovanni Mariti called Paleandros and formerly it was “the ancient city of Palea”.
Today it is a large village.
Pentakomo
It existed at least since 1815 as a village. William Turner mentioned it at that time: “The villages we passed on these mountains were Monaphrouli, Pentakhoma and Maroni”.
Pissouri
According to Athanasios Sakellarios in 1890, Pissouri had approximately 500 inhabitants, primarily Christians (and a few Muslims).
Plataniskia
Plataniskia existed at least since the early Frankish Rule as we read from Hill: “The Hospitallers, on receiving Innocent’s recommendation, actually took over some of the fortresses. They already possessed a preceptory in 1210, when King Hugh gave them special privileges, such as the right to acquire land, exemption from customs dues on their exports and imports, free milling at Kythrea, land and houses at Lemesos, and also four estates, Platanistia and Phinika in the territory of Paphos, Monagroulli in that of Lemesos, and, above all, Kolossi, which became the Grand Commandery”.
It existed as a village in 1806. Ali Bey mentioned it: “We reached Episcopi and rested there until a quarter to four. Continuing our march in the same direction at half past four we passed S. Thomas, and at six entered Lataniskio, where I was to pass the night”. “S. Thomas is a very small village in the mountains. Lataniskio, a little larger, is similarly situated in the middle as it were of this range. From Lataniskio you see perfectly well C. de Gatta, the point looks about seven leagues off, to the S.E. The greater part of the inhabitants of Laianiskio are Turks, honest, hard-working people, neatly dressed, and chiefly in white. All grow beards, which are long, thick and generally reddish. Their meals are served after a cleanly decent fashion. They would be happy if they were not worried by the government which treats them worse than it does the Greeks. The very poorest of them pays a hundred piastres a year. These good mountaineers inspired me with regret and pity: they are faithful Musalmans and worthy therefore of a better lot.”.
Polemidia
It existed as a village during 1570. Venetian Calepio lived at that time and mentions it as “Polimidia”.
Today is a large municipality divided in Pano and Kato Polemidia.
Saittas
Saittas village appears on Abraham Ortelius’s map of 1573 misspelt as “Caica”.
Today Saittas is part of the village Moniatis.
Silikou
According to Etienne de Lusignan (1573), the village was in his opinion among the 20 largest villages in Cyprus during the Venetian Rule.
Spitali
It existed during the early to mid 15th century, as chronographer Leontios Macheras mentions ” Τότε ἐπῆρεν ὁ πάπας μεγάλην χαράν, ὅτι οἱ Σπιταλλιῶτες ἔνι καλοὶ χριστιανοί, καὶ οἱ Τεμπλιῶτες…” [Then the Pope was very glad because the Spitallians are good Christians, and the Templars…].
Today Spitali exists as a small village.
Trachoni
Trachoni existed as a village at least since 1317 as according to Mollat (20th cent.), Albert of Schwarzburg received the estates of Kolossi, Trakhoni, Phasouri, the house of Moneho, an old possession of the Hospital, and all the property in the town and diocese of Paphos.
Treis Elies
William Turner in 1815 speaks about the existence of this village. More specifically he mentions: “Among these mountains, we saw three villages, Melikhori, Treiselees, and levrekou. One of these consisted of three houses and another of five”.
Trimiklini
Trimiklini village appears on Abraham Ortelius’s map of 1573 as “Trimiclini”.
Trimiklini is nowadays a considerable village.
Zakaki
It is mentioned as a village in 1815 by William Turner: “At half past six we mounted and rode for two hours along the plain of Limesole, which, though very level and rich, was mostly uncultivated, and covered with brambles and brushwood, except as usual in the neighbourhood of villages, of which we saw two in these two hours, Colos and Zakatzi”.
Today Zakaki is an area in Limassol city.
Zoopigi
It appears on Abraham Ortelius’s map of 1573 misspelt in a form that can’t be read [Zopy?].
It existed as a village during the 1760s, mentioned by G. Mariti. The village was famous for the production of wine.
Today it is a small village.