From: bse@en.ecn.purdue.edu (Besime Erin)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.europe
Subject: Re: Destruction of cultural heritage in Cyprus (fwd)
Keywords: Kanakaria, cultural heritage
Date: 28 Jul 92 17:50:03 GMT
Organization: Purdue University Engineering Computer Network

In article <1992Jul22.203126.2914@eecs.nwu.edu> efstse@epsilon.eecs.nwu.edu writes:
>Forwarded from soc.culture.greek:
>-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>Recently there was a discussion on the network about the destruction of the
>cultural heritage of Cyprus.  One of the points discussed was the case of the
>Kanakaria Mosaics, and the trial in Indianapolis.  The "New Yorker" magazine in
>its July 13, 1992 issue had the first part of two of an article entitled
>"Annals of the Antiquities Trade - The Angel on Her Shoulder-1." The article
>is quite lengthy (29 pages for part 1 only!) and I will not attempt to
>reproduce it. I am only quoting parts that are relevant to soc.culture.greek.
>The author of the article is Dan Hofstadter, who IMO is very objective.  I hope
>you will find it interesting.
>
>        Annals of the Antiquities Trade - The Angel on Her Shoulder-1.
>                           New Yorker,  July 13, 1992
>p. 49.

******

 The following is somewhat a reply to the above posted article. 

 In my belief, if one wishes to know about the happenings in Cyprus,
 one has to hear both sides. i.e. including the Turkish Cypriot side.

 Thus the document below sheds more light to the reality behind the 
 Preservation of Cultural Heritage in Cyprus, more specifically in North 
 Cyprus since constant,unjustified accusations are made by Greek/Greek Cypriots 
 towards the Turkish Cypriots and Turks in this issue as well as in
 every other issue.

******

Geraldine Norman in an article "Disappearing Treasures" published
by the Independent of 5 August 1989 commented:

"The Turkish Cypriots have been accused by the Greek Cypriots of 
purposely seeking to destroy all vestiges of Greek Christian culture
within their Islamic state and officially backing the looters.
The report submitted by Senator Van der Werff  to the Parliamentary
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Assembly of Council of Europe (dated 2 July 1989) proves this to be
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
a fiction-which, perhaps, is the most important finding" 

Some parts of the report prepared for COUNCIL OF EUROPE by European
specialists headed by Council of Europe Senator Van der Werff are as follows:

Section: Damage to immovable cultural property

"There has been considerable,irretrievable damage to the Cypriot
cultural heritage since 1960 and especially in the period of hostilites
from 1974 and up to 1982. The significant losses are documented in
Dr.Cormack's report."

"Most of this damage has occured in the North and is result of
looting. It is difficult to say that this was professionally done
(though the removal of Kanakaria mosaics were certainly an acrobatic
 defeat) but it was evidently linked with the highly professional 
                                          ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
international market in illegally exported art. After early opportunist
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
raids during the settled period following 1974, more organized looting
of selected targets seems to have taken place between 1977 and 1982.
Public opinion through the Turkish Cypriot press is now increasingly
aware of the problem. The south is also vulnerable as the theft of
"Leda and Swan" mosaic from the Paphos museum shows. Unfortunately
the international art market is now well aware of the existence of a 
well-funded market in the south for items coming from the north."
                   ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
"Some damage was however clearly caused for no other purpose than 
distruction. In the South we visited the site of the main Paphos
mosque that had been entirely erased and saw damaged graves; in
the north many small church windows were smashed by stones and we saw
disfigured wall paintings(in Limnia and Engomi village churches).
Graffiti were much in evidence inside, though practically not at all
outside building. This was not necessarily restricted to the recent
period and some graffiti on the walls of Antiphonitis were in
Greek datings from the 19th century."  

A word from the Conclusion of the document:

"A major obstacle to the protection of cultural property in Cyprus
is precisely the lack of communication. I feel that our study visit
began to break down such barriers and hope that this report will
also help in the same direction."

"As far as follow up is concerned,two areas call for immediate action.
Means must be found by the international community of ensuring that
the necessary experience and financial help reaches those responsible
for the cultural heritage IN THE NORTH AS WELL AS THE SOUTH."

[ My note : UNESCO has NOT been 
  helping the Turkish Cypriots financially on this issue due to Greek 
  Cypriot propaganda.  ]

"Secondly progress must be made in stemming the illegal international
trade in works of art. The cooperation of international organizations
such as Unesco,Icom and Icomoz, Interpol, Unidroit, the European
Community and the Council of Europe is essential."


This article was posted by:

Besime Erin
A Turkish Cypriot

P.S If you are interested in more of this document(there is much more to 
it than what I have quoted above, please let me know by E-mail at bse@en.ecn.purdue.edu 
Newsgroups: soc.culture.europe