Mandria Mysteries...

[Dominic]

Today's blog is about a funny little place we found a few years ago while geocaching. It is also about some other relics we discovered while researching for this article. Together they demonstrate that you don't have to travel far from Paphos in order to find adventure. There are a number of mysteries here: What is the ancient monument? Why are the pill boxes so close together? Whatever happened to the Michalis Party Tavern? For more questions than answers, read on...

Read the article and chat about it below...

[JimX]

I know this tunnel fairly well, I was told by a local Cypriot resident it was made for any possible flooding, seems a reasonable reason to build it I guess.

The other pictures and monuments I have no idea personally, I will go take a better look, thanks a good blog.

[2QuarterPints]

Pure speculation as, although I have been along that stretch of coast but without taking any particular notice at the time, the close pill boxes may be as that stretch of coast is susceptible to a landing from the sea. Low level, close to the B6 which would have been the main road in "the old days" and a fast run along it in either direction as soon as any invaders came ashore. Although Paphos was only a fishing village in those days it would still have been strategically important with its large harbour and a quick capture would have been a high priority.

[PaphosAL]

Mystery is, when were they built and by whom?

By the British Army in the 50s or 60s? I don't think so... Or by the GC Government in post invasion 1974 and onwards, fearing further surprise incursions from southern shores? Something must have spooked them into introducing the still ongoing Defence Tax?

And what happened to the load of Russian SS20 missiles that RoC bought for defence? Are they still parked in Crete, as ordered by the then US Gov?

[Dominic]

The subject of pill boxes will come up again fairly soon in the blogs...

[PaphosAL]

Like

[grb]

The Ancient Monument is a renovated Medieval Olive Oil Factory. There would have been a beam through the holes in the upright stones with a heavy stone at the end to crush the olives, with the oil running down the channel into the vats. The step halfway down the vat would have been for workers cleaning or emptying the vat. The 'plug' at the bottom would collect heavier waste sinking through the oil. Some of the original ruins would have been destroyed when the building for dealing with stone was 'tacked' onto the side. A P3A group visited the site this week, and Geoff, an archeologist, gave us the above information.

[Dominic]

Excellent info, thanks!

[cyprusmax47]

Excellent info, thanks!

Some more information from the Archaeologist who did the excavation and a photo from it at the time in 1990


"The impressive finds at the site of Styllarka, with the recovery of five reservoirs in relation to the pair of monoliths and a number of weight stones, proved beyond doubt the presence of an olive press and solved a century-old problem in Cypriot archaeology. The reservoirs were used as receptacles for the product of pressing, while others for storing the oil; the depression in the center is characteristic for olive oil storage, to collect the impurities."

Max

[Ancient History]

I was lucky enough to work on this site, in the vicinity of what was thought to be an early settlement. It is possible the huge storage cisterns may have stored olive oil for onward transportation by boat. The whole area is fascinating and worth looking round.

[Dominic]

Thanks for the pic Max, and the quote. Ancient History, was there ever a tavern down there called Michalis Party or anything like that? It must have been fascinating excavating it, but hard work in the heat.

[cyprusmax47]

Thanks for the pic Max, and the quote. Ancient History, was there ever a tavern down there called Michalis Party or anything like that? It must have been fascinating excavating it, but hard work in the heat.

No idea about tavern Michalis Party, but what is perhaps worth a second visit is the fact that a ancient port at the outlet of the river Xeros supposed to be ( https://www.ancientportsantiques.com/th ... -cyprus/ng) in a distance (300-400 m) of the excavation. (next to the desalination plant) This would explain why such huge storage for oil was there, and perhaps there are more of them but not discovered....(must go)

Excavating is always very fascinating and as there are huge trees and the sea not far with a fresh breeze, no problem to work....

Max

[Ancient History]

To the best of my knowledge there was nothing in that area, let alone a taverna called Michalis Party. It is always fascinating excavating as you never quite know what you're going to find. Hard work too, but rewarding, mostly.

[Uncle D]

Thanks for this Dominic, both me, wife and dog have just been today. Those cisterns are a lot bigger than they look on the pictures, the concrete building next to it looks like a mill of some sort with large hoppers feeding into a mill.
We didnt go inside the sea defences but my guess is they may have been from the 2nd world war. Obviously the sea has risen since then and was probably up to the Cisterns way back when.

[PaphosAL]

That's a very good point, Uncle D. One that makes me renege on my previous opinion in fact. Given that Cyprus was a British Protectorate during WW2, and it's vital military strategic location, and considering the attacks that Malta came under from the Axis powers...

These sea defences around the Cyprus coast built by HMG MoD at that time now make eminent sense!

AL

[Kili01]

It wasn't particularly strategic in WWII, because this island lacks a deep water harbour. In fact Crete has a much better harhour at Souda Bay. Hence the German interest in Crete. In fact in the battle of Crete, British Naval and Army Forces arriving by sea played a pivotal role in liberating Crete from the German forces..
The s.300 missiles were I think ordered from the Russians during Tassos Papadopoulos's presidency. They were supposed to protect the Republic of Cyprus from an attack by the Turks! However when the Turks realised what the Greek Cypriots were doing, they threatened to,invade and destroy them. So the missiles were ordered to,proceed to Crete, where it was discovered that they would have insufficient range to do anything useful! I think that they have remained in Crete where they are said to have rusted....

Dee

[Maureen Paphos]

thanks grb .... I wish I could get out more and explore, I love the wee villages and their history.