Tag Archives: Cyprus

First domesticated cat

The oldest archaeological evidence of the domestication of the cat dates back 9,500 years. The bones of a cat were discovered in the neolithic village of Shillourokambos on Cyprus. The position of the cat in the ground was next to the bones of a human, whose similar state of preservation strongly suggests they were buried together. The discovery was made by French scientists, led by Professor Jean Guilaine of the CNRS Centre d’Anthropologie in Toulouse, France, and announced in the journal Science in April 2004.

Largest Hasapiko dance

The largest Hasapiko dance consisted of 749 dancers and was achieved by Larnaca Municipality (Cyprus) at Europe Square, Larnaca, Cyprus, on 12 December 2010. Hasapiko is a traditional Greek dance. The name comes from the word ‘butcher’ as it was said to be a dance of the members of the butchers’ guild during Byzantine times. All the participants dressed in white shirt and black trousers and danced to the popular Greek song ‘Frankosyriani’ for five minutes.

Largest key

The largest key is 5.50 metres (18 ft) tall and 2.60 metres (8 ft 6 in) wide and was produced by Georgiou Evagoras (Cyprus). It was presented and measured in Yermasoyia, Limassol, Cyprus on 20 September 2006.

Longest saliva stone

The longest saliva stone is 37 mm (1.45 in) and was removed from a 43-year-old male patient by Doctor Kyprianos Kakouris at the Evangelistria Medical Centre in Nicosia, Cyprus, on the 20 November 2006. The saliva stone weighed 3.597g and had a width of 9.7 mm. It was removed from the patient’s left submandibular salivary gland.

Oldest manufactured wine

Commandaria, the sweet dessert wine from Cyprus, is the oldest manufactured wine in the world, its origins traced as far back as 2000 BC. This wine also holds the record for the oldest "Appelation d’origine". In the year 1223, King Phillipe of France called it "The Apostle of wines" and it soon became famous all over Europe as "Commandaria", taking the name of the area where it was produced. This part of Cyprus took its name at the time of the Crusades, when in 1210 Continue reading →