I made my way to Agia Paraskevi church standing monumentally in the market square, surrounded by cafes, a municipal library and the town hall. It is a Byzantine church, built in the 9th century and features five domes in the shape of a cross with a 19th century belfry. Inside you can see frescoes which were restored in the 1970's and the images inside the church can be dated from the Lusignan period due to the style of armour worn by the knights portrayed.
My next stop- the Folk Art Museum, an impressive 18th century mansion now belonging to the Cyprus Department of Antiquities and opened as a museum in 1978. The well-known British Commodore and later Admiral Sir Sidney Smith (1764-1840) famed for his success at the siege of Acre against Bonaparte in 1799, landed in Paphos and visited Andreas Zimboulakis, an immigrant from the Ionian islands who had settled in Geroskipou. Smith was so impressed by Zimboulakis' education, knowledge of languages and cordial hospitality that he appointed him British Consular Agent at Paphos. The house eventually came to be known as 'Smith's house,' as Sir Sidney visited often. The house was used as the residence of the British Consular Agent of Paphos from 1800-1864.
In the entrance to the house and museum, pictures of islanders taken by John Thomson in 1878 are displayed as well as a picture by J.P Foscolo taken in 1909.
Among the most interesting rooms are reconstructions of traditional pastimes and ways of life. There is a reconstruction of a traditional kitchen with a fireplace and an array of pots, pans and earthenware as well as wicker baskets and gourds with crooked necks which were used to teach children how to swim. There are also reconstructions of a coppersmith's workshop and a shoemaker's workshop.
In another room there are some impressive displays of pottery, with detailed explanations of their provenance and usage and there are pictures of potters at work. The decorated pottery of Lapithos was sold all over Cyprus and was very popular with foreign visitors. Varosi, the Greek suburb of Famagusta also had a long tradition of pottery making, with creations sold all over Cyprus and exported to neighbouring countries. Varosi was renowned for its white water jugs whereas Lapithos was famous for its glazed jugs and bowls. Pottery was an indispensable part of everyday life but now only remaining in two rural centres in Cyprus- Kornos and Foini.
There was also a detailed explanation of the last scarf maker in Cyprus and the intricate method used in scarf making. It is sad that such traditions have not been carried down and the last workshops have closed their doors. Woodcarving and chest-making, also displayed at the museum have now dwindled to only a few workshops.
The history of weaving and embroidery was also explained in detail in another room of the museum and as you walked in and out of each room with beautifully arranged displays, you couldn't help but be transported to another time, a simpler time, an authentic past where people had less but I believe were happier in this wholesome way of life.
A pomegranate tree was planted in the inner courtyard of the house, a symbol of abundance and prosperity, a hope for a fruitful life.
Walking back down to the market square, I wasn't going to leave until I bought some loukoumi (Cyprus delight), freshly packed in boxes and then I sat for a while at a cafe a watched the world go by. A butterfly flitted past as I sat sipping my coffee by the market square, my mind full of new information, gathering up knowledge and memories on a beautiful blue-sky day in Geroskipou.
Sources: Cyprus Department of Antiquities
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