Lempa ( el, Λέμπα, tr, Lemba) is a village in
Cyprus
Cyprus ; tr, Kıbrıs (), officially the Republic of Cyprus,, , lit: Republic of Cyprus is an island country located south of the Anatolian Peninsula in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Its continental position is disputed; while it is geo ...
located approximately 4 km (2.5 mi) north of the town of
Paphos
Paphos ( el, Πάφος ; tr, Baf) is a coastal city in southwest Cyprus and the capital of Paphos District. In classical antiquity, two locations were called Paphos: Old Paphos, today known as Kouklia, and New Paphos.
The current city of Pap ...
. It is sometimes written as ''Lemba,'' which is also closer to the correct pronunciation. Neighbouring villages are
Empa
The Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (Empa, German acronym for ''Eidgenössische Materialprüfungs- und Forschungsanstalt'') is an interdisciplinary Swiss research institute for applied materials sciences and tech ...
,
Kissonerga
Kissonerga is a village in South West Cyprus, about 8 km north of Paphos, in a region notable for the cultivation of banana plantations, an area known as the Ktima Lowlands. In 1980 the population of the village was 700 people.Robertson, Ian ...
and
Chlorakas
Chloraka ( gr, Χλώρακα) is a village in the Paphos District of Cyprus, north of Paphos. The town is host to Akritas Chlorakas, a Cypriot First Division
The Cypriot First Division ( el, Πρωτάθλημα Α΄ Κατηγορίας) ...
.
The village is located on top of an escarpment overlooking the
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa, and on the ea ...
, and is set in one of the most fertile parts of Cyprus. The area produces citrus, olives, tomatoes and market-garden vegetables, and is one of the few parts of Europe where commercial banana production is possible.
![Cypriot Cruciform Figurines in Cyprus Museum](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ac/Cypriot_Cruciform_Figurines_in_Cyprus_Museum.JPG)
The village is one of the most ancient in Cyprus, and since 1976 has been the site of ongoing
archaeological
Archaeology or archeology is the scientific study of human activity through the recovery and analysis of material culture. The archaeological record consists of artifacts, architecture, biofacts or ecofacts, sites, and cultural landscap ...
excavations by the School of Archaeology at the
University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh ( sco, University o Edinburgh, gd, Oilthigh Dhùn Èideann; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in post-nominals) is a public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Granted a royal charter by King James VI in 15 ...
. Lempa is believed to have been first settled in the Chalcolithic Period (c. 3800–2500 BC), and a number of cruciform female figurines, carved in stone, from this period have been found. In 1982, the Lemba Experimental Village was established as an archaeological project to recreate a Chalcolithic village and use it to undertake a number of historic activities, including use of building materials, pyrotechnology, pottery firing and prehistoric cooking methods. With the cooperation of the Cyprus Department of Antiquities, as well as the mayor and villagers of Lempa, the project has developed into an important visitor attraction as well as being for research into many aspects of
experimental archaeology
Experimental archaeology (also called experiment archaeology) is a field of study which attempts to generate and test archaeological hypotheses, usually by replicating or approximating the feasibility of ancient cultures performing various tasks ...
.
Lempa appears to have been occupied for most of the human history of Cyprus, and much later archaeological remains, including pottery fragments and coins from the
Mediaeval
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire a ...
period have been found there.
In 1958, after the intercommunal fights, the majority of Lempa villagers had to flee to Afania Village. And in 1959 the Lempa villagers has returned their houses right before the British Colonial Government agreed to establish Cyprus Republic.
In more recent times, Lempa was until 1963 a
Turkish
Turkish may refer to:
*a Turkic language spoken by the Turks
* of or about Turkey
** Turkish language
*** Turkish alphabet
** Turkish people, a Turkic ethnic group and nation
*** Turkish citizen, a citizen of Turkey
*** Turkish communities and mi ...
village, but following intercommunal violence on 2 January 1964 the Turkish population abandoned Lempa and settled in Paphos town. Following the
Turkish invasion of Cyprus
The Turkish invasion of Cyprus began on 20 July 1974 and progressed in two phases over the following month. Taking place upon a background of Cypriot intercommunal violence, intercommunal violence between Greek Cypriots, Greek and Turkish ...
in 1974, the Turkish population moved to the north of Cyprus to primary
Morphou
Morphou ( el, Μόρφου; tr, Omorfo or ) is a town in the northwestern part of Cyprus, under the ''de facto'' control of Northern Cyprus. It is the administrative center of the Güzelyurt District of Northern Cyprus. Having been a predominantl ...
,
North Nicosia
North Nicosia or Northern Nicosia ( tr, Kuzey Lefkoşa ; el, Βόρεια Λευκωσία) is the capital and largest city of the ''de facto'' state of Northern Cyprus. It is the northern part of the divided city of Nicosia, and is governed b ...
,
Famagusta
Famagusta ( , ; el, Αμμόχωστος, Ammóchostos, ; tr, Gazimağusa or ) is a city on the east coast of Geography of Cyprus, Cyprus. It is located east of Nicosia District, Nicosia and possesses the deepest harbour of the island. Duri ...
and
Kyrenia
Kyrenia ( el, Κερύνεια ; tr, Girne ) is a city on the northern coast of Cyprus, noted for its historic harbour and castle. It is under the ''de facto'' control of Northern Cyprus.
While there is evidence showing that the wider region ...
and the village was fully abandoned except for a small number of Greek refugees. It was then resettled by displaced Greek Cypriots from the north.
In 1981, Lempa became home to the
Cyprus College of Art
The Cyprus College of Art (CyCA) is an artists' studio group, located in the village of Lempa, Cyprus, Lempa on the west coast of Cyprus. It was founded in 1969 by the artist Stass Paraskos; the current director is the Cyprus-based artist Margaret ...
. Under the leadership of the Cypriot artist
Stass Paraskos
Stass Paraskos ( el, Στας Παράσκος; 17 March 1933 – 4 March 2014) was an artist from Cyprus, although much of his life was spent teaching and working in England.
Early life
Paraskos was born in Anaphotia, a village near the city ...
, the College renovated the former school building for use as artists' studios. The first artist to use the building was the British painter
Euan Uglow
Euan Ernest Richard Uglow (10 March 1932 – 31 August 2000) was a British painter. He is best known for his nude and still life paintings, such as ''German Girl'' and ''Skull''.
Biography
Euan Uglow was born in 1932 in London. As a child, he l ...
. Following the College a number of other artists have moved into the village which has since become an internationally known
artists' colony
An art colony, also known as an artists' colony, can be defined two ways. Its most liberal description refers to the organic congregation of artists in towns, villages and rural areas, often drawn by areas of natural beauty, the prior existence o ...
.
As a consequence of the artists, archaeologists and art college in Lempa the Government of Cyprus announced in 2008 that the village was to receive major funding to become a 'Cultural Village'. This project would see improvements to the facilities of both the archaeological site and college, and new facilities for visitors to Lempa. However this has proven controversial as to date the Cypriot government has not started on the development.
[Michael Paraskos, 'Uncivil Service' in ''Cyprus Weekly'' (Cyprus newspaper), 11 February 2011, p.22]
References
Lemba (Zypern) 1.jpg, rechts
Lemba (Zypern) 3.jpg, miniatur
Lemba (Zypern) 2.jpg, miniatur
External links
*
{{Authority control
Communities in Paphos District
Prehistoric Cyprus
Archaeological sites in Cyprus