Unfettered development in Kyrenia is endangering ancient archeological sites, co-chairman of the bi-communal Cultural Heritage Technical Committee, Ali Tuncay has said.
The Krysokava site, east of Kyrenia castle was to be opened, after the military withdrew its unit there in 2013. According to a Cyprus Today report, it was to be cleaned up and registered as an archaeological site.
The old Krysokava quarries were used as a burial ground by the early Christians, who constructed a rock-cut cemetery and catacombs, some of which were later converted into churches and decorated with frescoes.
However, Tuncay said that the land now hosts a drainage system and is entirely overlooked by high-rise blocks, commenting: “This is not the fault of the antiquities department staff. For years and years, our people have asked politicians to provide funding to protect the site”.
The head of the Antiquities department, Fuat Azimli acknowledged the problems and welcomed any collaboration with Mr Tuncay’s committee, adding: “We will soon start work to register the site as an archaeological area, begin clean-up works and also put up information boards”.
Cyprus Today
