Outrage as developers in the north wreck grade 1 archaeological site
A FIERCE row has broken out between the Turkish Cypriot ‘department of antiquities and museums’ and a construction company over what the department claims is the “illegal destruction of a grade one archaeological site” at Vounos, near Kazafani, to make way for luxury homes.
‘Antiquities department’ head Ilkay Feridun told the Cyprus Mail she had filed legal proceedings against the company following last-minute moves to declare the Bronze Age necropolis at Vounos a grade one site.
“Our archaeologists did a detailed study of the site and found it had been damaged, and we have informed the Attorney-general of the situation,” she said.
She added that bulldozers had “completely flattened” the Vounos site, damaging the hundred or so tombs located there.
Archaeologists describe Vounos as one of the most important early Bronze Age necropolises in the Eastern Mediterranean. Many of the objects discovered during excavations in the 1930s are display at the Cyprus Museum in Nicosia.
Renowned Cypriot archaeologist Vassos Karageorgis highlighted the importance of the site, saying: “Our knowledge of this period comes almost exclusively from cemeteries like Vounos.”
The managing director of the company involved in the construction project – who cannot yet be named for legal reasons — reacted angrily to the action being taken against him and argued that the Vounos site was of little or no archaeological significance.
“It is not an important place. If it had been they would have put something on the title deed,” he said, adding that whatever of interest had been there had been removed during excavations in the 1930s.
He also denied causing damage to the underground tombs.
“All I did was clear away the weeds and bushes.”
Although local residents in the area say bulldozers were used in the “cleaning” operation, the company’s claim was partly backed by a visiting archaeologist who said that if work at the site was halted, up to 70 per cent of the tombs could be salvaged.
But the company says it has no intention of halting its project to develop the area as a luxury home complex.
“It hasn’t been put on hold because we have building permits from the government.”
Feridun, however, said that unless the company could overturn the ruling of ‘parliament’, which declared the site a grade one archaeological site in its official gazette on May 27, it would have to halt all work at Vounos.
“As it’s a grade one area, the company cannot do anything to the site at all. Even if it were a grade two site, he still wouldn’t be able to build on it.”
But the company head claimed there was little the ‘antiquities and museum department’ could do to stop the project going ahead.
“They can’t stop me. I have already sold 14 of the properties,” he insisted, adding that he believed the department’s decision to bring charges against him was “personal”.
“Most of the Bellapais area has this kind of stuff in it. People are finding things every day. Why are they picking on me?”
Feridun said she had received a call from the company’s lawyer saying it would be filing its own charges against the ‘antiquities department’ – something the company manager confirmed.
“I’ll sue them and all those people in the antiquities office will get the sack.”
According to Feridun, the ‘Attorney-general’ is yet to decide on whether to press charges.
