Athienou

Athienou
Church of Panayia Chriseleousa
Athienou
Coordinates: 35°04′N 33°32′E / 35.067°N 33.533°E / 35.067; 33.533Coordinates: 35°04′N 33°32′E / 35.067°N 33.533°E / 35.067; 33.533
Country  Cyprus
District Larnaca District
Population (2011)[1]
 • Total 5,017
Time zone UTC+2 (EET)
 • Summer (DST) UTC+3 (EEST)
Postal code 7600
Website www.athienou.org.cy
Concise presentation of Athienou

Athienou (Greek: Αθηένου or Αθηαίνου [locally [aθiˈenu]], Turkish: Kiracıköy) is a village in Larnaca District, Cyprus. It is one of only four villages located within the United Nations Buffer Zone, the other three being Pyla, Troulloi and Deneia. Today, Athienou has a population of around 5,000 people and since 1990 has been home to Davidson College's Athienou Archaeological Project. The town's city hall includes a museum of local history and culture that was established in 2008.

Toponymy

It is considered by many, that the name of the village Athienou, derived from the ancient Greek word, "Atta" (Greek: Αττα) or "Atha" (Greek: Αθθα), meaning large rock, which characterized the rocky land of the village.

Others believe that the name was given by a group of Athenians (travellers from Athens), who came and settled in the village, to remember their home town.

According to another theory, the name derives from a Lusignan called Etienne, who lived in the area, and the people who lived in the village were mentioning his house as "Etienne's Place" (Greek: "Στου Ετιένου", stou etiennou), and in later years that changed into Athienou.[2][3]

History

It has been a settlement since Middle Bronze Age.[4]

References

  1. ↑ "C1. POPULATION ENUMERATED BY SEX, AGE, DISTRICT, MUNICIPALITY/COMMUNITY AND QUARTER (1.10.2011)", Population - Place of Residence, 2011, Statistical Service of the Republic of Cyprus, 2014-04-17, archived from the original on 2014-04-20, retrieved 2014-04-20
  2. ↑ "Municipality of Athienou - One of the most ancient municipalities". Municipality of Athienou. Archived from the original on 11 October 2008. Retrieved 20 July 2008.
  3. ↑ Agelarakis A., “Paleopathology and its Contributions to the Decipherment of the Human Condition in Antiquity: A Preliminary Report for the Case of two Skeletal Populations from Malloura in Cyprus”, Report of the Department of Antiquities, Cyprus, 1997: 239-250
  4. ↑ According to chart on the wall in exhibit room number 1 at the Larnaca District Museum


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