EuroSpeleo 2016

Cyprus caving history

Oral|Mr Bernard Chirol

Abstract

Since the late Prehistoric period Cyprus has been inhabited by mankind. At that time, dwarf fauna was living on the island and often Mediterranean caves were filled with animals bones of which Homer wrote about in the Odyssey. During the Renaissance a few books were written about the caves. Since the 19th century and during the second half of the 20th century the island has been explored mostly by the English. In 2003 in the northern part of the island, Turkish cavers from Ankara led a survey on 42 caves on or close to the Kyrenian Range.The Republic of Cyprus is currently concerned with the European project for Bat protection in caves near Akamas and the Cape Pylaregions. A French team recently conducted investigations on the whole of the island to determine the real karstic potential and an NGO was created in the north after that expedition in 2014. An European caving project is programmed to start in 2016.