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Pepper Trees in Cyprus

Pepper Trees in Cyprus

Imagine strolling through a sun-drenched village square or along a quiet coastal road in late summer. A graceful tree with feathery, weeping branches catches your eye, its small greenish-white flowers having given way to clusters of shiny pink-red berries that sparkle like strings of tiny jewels. These are the Schinus species of Cyprus – elegant South-American guests whose light, peppery fragrance and airy beauty have quietly woven themselves into the island’s everyday scenery. The Pepper Trees of the Cashew Family Schinus belongs to the Anacardiaceae family – the same remarkable group that includes pistachios (Pistacia vera), mastic trees (Pistacia lentiscus), cashews, mangoes and even sumacs. This family is known for resinous bark, compound leaves and often aromatic fruits. The genus Schinus contains about 30 species, nearly all native to South America. In Cyprus the two most common are Schinus molle (Peruvian pepper tree or false pepper tree) and Schinus terebinthifolius (Brazilian pepper tree). Locally they are called Αρτυμαθκιά (Artumathkiá – “pepper tree”) for S. molle, and Μαστισιά (Mastisiá – “mastic-like”) or Σχίνος η τερεβινθόφυλλη for S. terebinthifolius, evoking their resinous family ties. A Journey from the Andes to Cypriot Soil Both species are native to subtropical and tropical South America. Schinus molle comes from the Andes foothills of Peru, Bolivia and neighbouring countries, while S. terebinthifolius hails from Brazil, Argentina…

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The Soli Basilica Frescoes

The Soli Basilica Frescoes

The Soli Episcopal Basilica preserves rare fragments of early Christian wall painting from a period when church imagery in Cyprus was still being invented rather than standardised. Painted above the site’s famous mosaics, the fresco remains show Roman decorative habits being adapted into a new visual language for worship, before later Byzantine rules became fixed. This article explains Soli’s rise as an ecclesiastical centre, what the surviving plaster fragments suggest about the original interior, and why the basilica’s destruction ended up preserving an important artistic transition. Trade, Farmland, Copper, Harbour Ancient Soli, also known as Soloi, occupied a strategic position near fertile farmland, copper-rich foothills, and a natural harbour. This combination sustained the city for centuries, from its legendary foundation in the Archaic period through its Roman peak and into the Christian era. By Late Antiquity, Soli was no longer just a trading hub. It had become an important ecclesiastical centre, serving the surrounding region as Christianity spread across Cyprus. The basilica that rose here in the 4th century was not a modest village church. It was one of the largest early Christian complexes on the island, reflecting both wealth and confidence during a period of profound cultural change. A Basilica Built on Confidence The Soli Episcopal Basilica went through multiple phases, mirroring the development of Christian worship itself. The…

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Marine Conservation Programs

Marine Conservation Programs

Cyprus sits at the crossroads of the eastern Mediterranean Sea where diverse marine species converge. The island's coastal waters support endangered sea turtles, rare monk seals, extensive seagrass meadows, and dozens of shark and ray species. Marine conservation programs work to protect these ecosystems through scientific research, policy reform, and community engagement. These initiatives span both the government-controlled south and the Turkish-occupied north, with multiple organizations collaborating to safeguard Cyprus's marine biodiversity. A History of Marine Protection Efforts Sea turtle conservation in Cyprus began in 1971 when the government enacted legal protection for turtles and their eggs under the Fisheries Law. A comprehensive survey in 1976 and 1977 identified critical nesting beaches, particularly for green turtles in the Lara area on the west coast. The Cyprus Wildlife Society joined the effort in 1989, and by 1992, the Marine Turtle Conservation Project launched in the Turkish-occupied part of Cyprus through collaboration between the Society for the Protection of Turtles and the University of Exeter. Marine Protected Areas emerged later as conservation priorities evolved. Since 2009, five coastal MPAs have been established in the Turkish-occupied part of Cyprus, covering approximately 134 kilometers of coastline and 17,596 hectares of marine environment. A 30-year trawling ban in the north created a de facto large marine protected area, allowing ,habitats to recover compared to regions…

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