Geronisos Island confirmed much older...(PaphosPress)

[cyprusmax47]

Todays article in Paphos Press confirmed what I said in various posts that the ancient place is much older than Hellenistic and also my recent Guest blog, Necropolis of Cape Drepanum https://www.paphoslife.com/blog/cape_drepanum mentioned that.

The Island is quite unique in the world.... article translated by google

The "Unknown Sacred Island" in Pegeia makes the round of the world
From
Pafos Press -
February 9, 2018


His experiences and impressions from the excavations at Geronissos in Peyia were shared by the American classical archaeologist and history professor Joan Breton Connely at a lecture at the UN.

The lecture titled "Cultural Diplomacy and Promotion" was organized at the UN headquarters under the umbrella of the Permanent Representation of Costa Rica.
Healthy diet now has a name

The ambassador of Cyprus was present there, Cornelius Korneliou.

Dr.Connelly's team started the excavations in Geronissos in 1990. The project has been going on since then and has been given, as mentioned, a special emphasis on Geronisos's unique ecological character.

The professor said: "He could not have imagined any other part of the world who could teach so much."

Geronissos or Sacred Island is located on the shores of St. George Peyia.

The excavations revealed three main periods of installation of Geronisos. These range from the holy findings of the Chalcolithic period, go to the Hellenistic Sanctuary of Apollo and end up in an early Byzantine church. Geronissos was a favorite destination for pilgrims.

Source: sigmalive.com

Max

[Kili01]

True. Dr Connelly also gave a most interesting evening lecture in Ag Georgios last summer which I and a friend attended. She told us the same thing that apparently, the island was never permanently settled, was used for religious ritual purposes at each of the three periods when it was inhabited by men and young boys.

Now unfortunately,the action of the sea is eroding the cliffs on all sides of the island, so an old church is gradually falling over the cliff.
Dee

[Bograt]

I was trying to look at this island from my place the other day, but sadly my old binoculars were not even remotely up to the task. I want to get a really good telescope, just so I can study it better. I could see many sea birds, and the steep cliffs up to it, but no particular details.

Such an intriguing place. In the recent storms, it was a beautiful sight with the sea crashing against it - not good though for the erosion issues.

[cyprusmax47]

I was trying to look at this island from my place the other day, but sadly my old binoculars were not even remotely up to the task. I want to get a really good telescope, just so I can study it better. I could see many sea birds, and the steep cliffs up to it, but no particular details.

Such an intriguing place. In the recent storms, it was a beautiful sight with the sea crashing against it - not good though for the erosion issues.

But you have to stand higher up to get a good view what is going on there.... This pic I took from above Avacas Gorge with a large zoom..



Perhaps you live near the houses in the left foreground of this pic?


Max

[Bograt]

I was trying to look at this island from my place the other day, but sadly my old binoculars were not even remotely up to the task. I want to get a really good telescope, just so I can study it better. I could see many sea birds, and the steep cliffs up to it, but no particular details.

Such an intriguing place. In the recent storms, it was a beautiful sight with the sea crashing against it - not good though for the erosion issues.

But you have to stand higher up to get a good view what is going on there.... This pic I took from above Avacas Gorge with a large zoom..



Perhaps you live near the houses in the left foreground of this pic?


Max

I'm on the border of Sea Caves and St George Max, not as far along as you were in those pictures. I'm about level with Cap St George although that is lower than me, nicely hidden behind a banana plantation . From the balcony, I see Geronisos from the left hand side. The villa is on slightly higher ground, so I hope to be able to get a good view with the right equipment.

[PaphosAL]

I was trying to look at this island from my place the other day, but sadly my old binoculars were not even remotely up to the task. I want to get a really good telescope, just so I can study it better. I could see many sea birds, and the steep cliffs up to it, but no particular details.

Such an intriguing place. In the recent storms, it was a beautiful sight with the sea crashing against it - not good though for the erosion issues.

Bograt- we need some bits of onfo about your "sad old binoculars" please.

Are they 'proper' binoculars, or small fold-ups that fit into a top pocket?
Do they have plastic lens caps, especially for the larger front optics?
Does one of the eyepiece lenses have a seperate focus adjuster?
Do they have a female screw thread underneath for tripod attachment?
What power are they? Stamped somewhere on the body, 7x50 / 8x40 - summat like that...

The first figure is magnification (which could possibly be zoom, giving two values).
The second figure after the 'x' is the diameter in mm of the front lens.

Waiting, all agog- AL

[Kili01]

I think that as Geronissos is so difficult to photograph from the main land area around St Georges area, the best photos which I have seen of it were taken by a drone. Those aerial photograhs showed the whole island site in amazing detail.
Dr Joan Connolly also has a wonderful collection of colour slides which show the top pf the island where the archaeological site, is taken most years since she first started digging there over 20 years ago. Some of these slides were used to illustrate her talk.

Dee

[PaphosAL]

Thanks, Dee, but I can't see Bograt rushing out to buy a drone, to be honest...

All I'm trying to do here is to coax Bograt into providing a bit more info on her existing pair of binoculars. As you'd be surprised at how many peeps don't really know how to set them up properly initially.

She mentioned that she was considering buying a telescope. Here, we need to remember Sir Patrick Moore's wise advice: "It is far better to buy a decent pair of binoculars, than it is to buy a cheap telescope".

To put it into perspective, a quality pair of 12x60 binoculars can be had brand new with free P&P for under £100

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Celestron-Sk ... SwhYdZyecn

A telescope for that same outlay would be an absolute pile of shite! A decent telescope (with strong tripod) would cost around £1,000 !!!

AL

[Bograt]

Well Mr Al, you may be interested to hear that because of the sad binoculars, I decided to up my game. I won't bore you with the binocular facts (partly because I can't lol) but they were fairly hefty, not fold up in a pocket type. And no, I had no clue how to set them up . Anyway, thanks to Amazon I am now in possession of a spotting scope and tripod. The scope is up to x100 magnification, thus the need for a tripod to keep it steady. A fairly serious piece of kit and I can't wait to get back to Cyprus (only been gone 5 days but missing it) to test it out.

[Bograt]

Dr Joan Connolly also has a wonderful collection of colour slides which show the top pf the island where the archaeological site, is taken most years since she first started digging there over 20 years ago. Some of these slides were used to illustrate her talk.

Dee

I hope to be able to see this lady if she does another talk, is she over every year when the dig recommences on Geronisos?

[Kili01]

Yes, Bograt, she usually comes over during the summer holday time with a party of her archaeological students from the American Uni where she teaches. But you have to watch out for the local media to announce if she has decided to give a talk. Last summer she did one special one, but that was arranged under the auspices of Pafos 2017.
You could also join a local organisation which is called the P3A which has an Archaeology Group. I am a member of it, and also get involved with some of the local excavations.

Dee

[Bograt]

Thank you for that, Dee. I'll be in Cyprus much more soon, and will look into it.