History of Vouni

History of Vouni Cyprus Usefull Information

Baffling for the ordinary visitor, but a challenge to the archaeologist, there is no historical record of the Palace of Vouni. Not even its name in antiquity has come down to us. Nevertheless, though the answer to 'Who lived here and why?' may never be known with absolute certainty, much knowledge has been pains takingly wrung from the surviving stones since the beginning of excavations by the Swedish Expedition in 1928-9. The layout of the palace is extensive and complicated. It can be divided into four periods of building, all of which probably took place during the early part of the fifth century B.C. and the following hundred years a very short space of time indeed. Vouni was certainly the residence of some local king, who is likely to have been pro-Persian in an era when the inhabitants of Cyprus were constantly rebelling against their Persian overlords. He must have been a man blessed with great wealth (without which the palace and its life could neither have been initiated nor maintained) and with a taste for luxury, exemplified by elaborate bath and hot-water systems which derive more from the oriental way of life than from the Greek. And the architects of this ambitious complex of buildings must have felt a great sense of security, because except for traces of an outer wall, no fortifications have come to light. But even so, disaster did overtake Vouni on more than one occasion. There is evidence that in the middle of the fifth century B.C. a philhellenic dynasty succeeded at Vouni. This is expressed by Greek-inspired modifications of the state apartments, and by discoveries of sculptured works of art which indisputably had been imported from the Greek mainland. This second dynasty is assumed to have occupied the palace for about seventy years, until it was destroyed by fire c. 380 B.C., probably at a time when the neighbouring city of Soli, turning to the Persian side, regained her strength and attacked the palace, which in the first place may have been built for the express purpose of keeping her in subjection.

Description of Site
Even if this site had not been so thoroughly excavated, and the foundations of the different periods of building exposed and well mapped, it would be worth visiting for its situation alone. This is one of the beautiful and atmospheric places such as are found all over the world, with little in common except a quality of magic. From the custodian's office there is a magnificent view across the sweeping Bay of Morphou and the anchorage for ore carrying ships. The headland to the west ends with the rocky island of Petra ton Limniti, where Stone-Age finds were made by the Swedes in 1930. This is another of the island-rocks said to have been hurled by the national hero Dighenis against the invading Saracens.

From the highest point on the hill of Vouni it is advisable for visitors either to follow the official plan in the guide obtainable from the custodian or to enlist his services, because the remains are intricate, and they naturally have greater impact if their function is appreciated, in conjunction with the effect of certain modifications as, for instance, when the main entrance was changed to the northeast corner, which detracted from the importance of adjoining rooms and added to the status of others. The wide flight of seven steps leading down to the Central Court makes a good vantage point from which to relate the various remains one to another. And throughout the site traces of the palace water system give a good idea of the degree of civilization achieved here in such an early age not only the domestic supplies in great cisterns under the courts but the caldarium and frigidarium used for bathing - a refinement usually attributed to Romans of a later epoch. The remains of several shrines adjoin the palace buildings, and it is not known which deities they honoured, except in the case of the Temple at the extreme top of the hill not far from the custodian's office, which is known to have been dedicated to Athena. Here was found the bronze cow which is exhibited in the Cyprus Museum. Two companion groups in relief, showing lions attacking a bull are also in museums, one in Stockholm and the other in Nicosia. The discovery of votive offerings in the three smaller rooms of the temple suggests that this was the treasury of the goddess.

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