Science and Technology in Archaeology and Culture Research Center (STARC) researchers have contributed to the recently inaugurated exhibition “Cyprus Insula: History-Memory-Reality”, which will run from 4 July 2024 – 30 June 2025 and will be open daily 10:00–19:00 at the Bank of Cyprus Cultural Foundation. This exhibition marks the 50th anniversary of the Turkish invasion of Cyprus, and was inaugurated on Wednesday, July 3^rd by the President of the Republic, Dr Nikos Christodoulides.

 

The exhibition captures life in Cyprus from antiquity to the present day, conveying the unwavering message of the island’s insularity in an interactive way. Curated by Dr. Yiannis Toumazis and Demetra Ignatiou, the exhibition examines the historically unified cultural character of Cyprus, which combines elements from the island’s rich, complex and multifaceted historical past.

 

The exhibition takes its name from Codex 655, Ptolemy’s Geography (late 13th–early 14th century), which features the earliest known cartographic depiction of Cyprus, by Claudius Ptolemy in the 2nd century AD. This valuable exhibit, presented for the first time in Cyprus, has been kindly made available for the exhibition by the Holy Great Monastery of Vatopedi at Mount Athos. Part of the exhibition is dedicated to the “difficult years” of the Republic of Cyprus, from 1963–1964 to the tragic aftermath of the Turkish invasion in 1974. Through a specially designed immersive experience, viewers will have the opportunity to become acquainted with defining events of the recent history of Cyprus.

 

The CyI team created an interactive booth as part of its research on the inaccessible modern architecture heritage of the Nicosia Airport. At the exhibition, the CyI researchers will also present results from their ongoing research on the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Khirokoitia, the Armenian Monastery of Christ Antiphonitis in Kalograia, the Othello Tower in Famagusta, and the Alasia centre in Varoshia.

 

Researchers from CyI’s Virtual Environments Lab and Andreas Pittas Art Characterization Laboratories (APAC Labs) have contributed to the digital and interactive applications of the exhibition. The team includes Associate Professors Georgios Artopoulos, Nikolas Bakirtzis, and Sorin Hermon; Technical Research Specialists Nicolas Louca and Marina Faka; and Research Assistants Colter Wehmeier, Rahaf Orabi, Andriana Nikolaidou, Antonia Agapiou, and Andreani Papageorgiou.