HISTORY
MESOGI IN THE OLD YEARS
The village of Mesogi is situated in the Pafos District, three kilometres north of the district capital town of Pafos and by the main road which leads from Pafos to Polis Chrysochous.
As far as the origin of the name is concerned, there are several versions. According to one of them, the name was derived from the word ‘Mesaoria’, meaning in the middle of two mountains or that it is situated in the middle of two other settlements, [land (= gi) in the middle, therefore Mesogi] of Tremithousa in the west and of Mesa Chorio in the east. What is distinctive is the fact that the village used to be an administrative, communicative and educational centre of the other two villages.
A research of mine in the medieval maps of Cyprus tends to show that Mesogi did not exist as a settlement in the Medieval Period. As it seems, in its present position, there used to be two settlements named Curia and Stefano, possibly Agios Stefanos. Most likely, the settlements Curia (toponym Kourka) and Stefano were fiefs or agricultural settlements during the Venetian Period, which were for some reasons disbanded or destroyed. Towards the south, the settlement of Mesogi was created in their place. This fact is supported by some information stating that during the Venetian Period, Venetians from Syria were transferred to Pafos and most likely founded the settlement of Curia (could it be that the Frankish and Venetian families of Mesogi are relics of these Venetians?).
The suspicion for the existence of the village of Mesogi during the Venetian Period was cleared by the ascertainment that in a Venetian unpublished document of the Venetian State Record, which is possessed by the researcher Nasa Patapiou, it is stated that in a recording of the population of Cyprus in 1560 A.D, the village Messoghi existed with 18 Frank freedmen, who in contradiction to the sojourners, who were slaves, they had some freedom and rights in exchange for serving in the army. Also mentioned in the same document is the fact that the settlement Stafani had 53 Frank freedmen and the Curia settlement had two Frank freedmen.
It is known however, and this is also testified by fellow villagers who have talked with me, that north and east of the village, especially near the creek valleys, tombs of various pre Christian eras, which substantiate the existence of ancient cemeteries and therefore ancient settlements, have been excavated from time to time. From these tombs, many residents have recovered amphorae, clay jugs, stone-made tools and much more. Due to the fact that there have not been any systematic excavations by the Department of Antiquities, the tombs have not been officially registered as archaeological sites. The limited recording of archaeological sites, apart from the toponym ‘Mnimata’ (Tombs) south of the village, and the lack of scientific excavations do not assist us in defining the primary creation year of the settlement.
The detection of catacombs of the pre Christian period in several places of the village is also mentioned.
- Geology and Morphology (Topography)
Our village is built on a slope of a low palisade with a gradient towards the plain of Pafos and with a panoramic view of the sea. Northeast of the village, the altitude reaches 500 metres, the settlement is built on an altitude of 300 metres whereas in the southern boundaries of the village the altitude downgrades to 140 metres. There is a suspicion that in the primary years the village was built more south, where the relics of a cemetery were found and where there are relevant toponyms and ‘Kato Chorio’. For some reasons, possibly defensive, the village was moved towards the north, on the slopes of the mountain so that it would defend better during raids. Several centuries later (British Occupation) the village began again to expand towards the south, near or on the road artery which leads from Ktima to Polis Chrysochous.
A reason that affected the geographical location of the village was also the existence of natural springs in the north such as those of ‘Mana tou Nerou’, ‘Dkiosmides’ (also known as the Spring of Kourromenos), ‘Kalamos’ and ‘Mega Pigadi’. A distinctive feature of the existence of underground waters is also the underground chain system of wells in the form of an aqueduct that would transfer water from Mesogi to Ktima. In later years, Ktima bought one more water spring in Kato Mesogi to cover its needs.
From a geological point of view, dominant in the area are the depositions of the geological formation of Lefkara which are characterised by the presence of chalk, marl and hornstones. Also rich are the depositions of the geological formation of Pahna, which are also characterised by the presence of chalk, marl as well as sandstones. There is also the presence of the geological formation Terra which is characterised by reef limestone. The alluvions of the terraces are equally evident. It is obvious that some millions of years ago, the area used to be under the surface of the sea and that it was gradually raised upwards by tectonic movements which shrunk the solid crust, and consequently the bottom of the sea as well, this way creating the mountain region north of the village. The activity of the natural and chemical factors (rain water, wind, streams) caused corrosion to the beds of rock and throughout the years they provided us with the present landscape of the area. The geological composition of the area (limestone, sandstones) also explains the existence of quarries for sandstone that was used as a building material, lime-kilns at the northern mountainous areas, as well as of the natural springs. Developed on top of these beds of rock and with the corrosive activity of the climate and the water, were mainly lime soils, terra rosa (red soil on havaras,) retzines and some argillaceous (heavy) soils, known as Garaoi.
The landscape of the area is characterised by the existence of seasonal creeks which dismember it from the north and east towards the south, where they end up in the Pafos sea. [Argaki (creek) of Vrisouthkion which constitutes an expansion of Kalamos in the south, Argaki Stavlisma (Lestos) in the west, Argaki Garsos which constitutes the south side of the creek Klokkarka and the north side of Agios Demetris and Argaki Mana tou Nerou in the east]. Other toponyms of the village are ‘Pompela’, ‘Kozineri’, ‘Oak tree of Ktoris’, ‘Dkiosmides’, ‘Kourka’(south of Tsada), ‘Laonari’, ‘Kalamos’, ‘Agia Marina’, ‘Kamena’, ‘Aetovounos’ (Atovounos), ‘Shilaes’, ‘Agios Demetrianos’, ‘Klokkarka’, ‘Mantres’, ‘Garaoi’, ‘Despotena’, ‘Plantaes, ‘Klatsena’, ‘Spilios tou Oxinou’, Teratsos’ and many others.
Mesogi has an approximate annual rainfall of 540 mm. The climate is mild, Mediterranean, dry and healthy.
The village’s population presents a significant increase, starting from 1881 when the first official inventory of the island was held, until today. In 1881, the residents were 248, in 1901 they reached 355, in 1931 they increased to 439, in 1948 they were 546, in 1976 they increased again to 640, in 1982 they reached 752 and today, due to the enormous growth of the industrial and commercial zone, as well as of the building activity south of the village, the population exceeds 1800 hundred residents.
In the old years the village was purely agricultural. The residents mainly dealt with agriculture and live-stock breeding. The would cultivate almond trees, carob trees, olive trees, citrus fruits, vegetables (potatoes, tomatoes, cucumbers, vegetable marrows), fruits (water melons, bananas), some fruit baring trees and pulses. The cultivation which was considered a speciality for the village was the one of the hemp that was used for the production of ropes as well as the exploitation of terebinths from the self-sown terebinths which bloomed in the village.
Live stock breeding was always limited. It is distinctively mentioned that in 1985 (for which there are evidence), 87 sheep, 33 goats, 46 pigs and 4617 poultries were bred in the village. In the last few years, modern poultry farming units have been developed in the village’s area.
Generally, the village has limited fertile cultivable land and for this reason several residents of the village work in commercial shops as well as in the tourist industry of Pafos. Moreover, there were several professional craftsmen (carpenters, shoe-makers, tailors, builders etc.)
After WWII and the unemployment that developed with the return of the discharged servicemen, several residents of Mesogi worked in the mines of Amiantos and Kalavasos.
In the past years, local handicrafts have been developed. The most important of all are basketry (which continues in a limited degree up until today) and rope knitting. The ropes were made of hemp fibres which ware systematically cultivated in the fields of the village that were irrigated by the water of the spring ‘Mana tou Nerou’. More: Basketry
Women of the village also dealt with weaving (on a weaving machine called ‘Voufa’or loom) and embroidery. In a less extent, sweepers and stools were also produced and they were made of self sown plants that were abundant in the village’s area.
In the area of the village we have the old churches of Panagia Eleousa or Chrysomegiotissa, which is situated in Kato Chorio (a fact which verifies that in the past the village was built more south). We also have the chapels of Agia Eleni, of Phaneromeni, of Agia Marina and of Agios Epiphaneios in the north. Recently, the imposing church of Agios Varnavas has been built.
- Historical references in Old Mesogi from various sources
(a)In the work of great importance ‘Social and Historical Data on Population (1570-1881), Scientific Research Centre, Nicosia, 1965, Theodoros Papadopoulos remarks that in 1825, in Mesogi, there were 15 tax payers who paid 60 ‘grosia’ in total for various taxes. In 1832, the Rays bought from Mesogi 15 bushels of wheat and 8 bushels of barley.
(b) The newspaper ‘Alitheia’ of Lemessos, within two of its correspondences from Pafos, in February and March 1884, refers to an effort of many villages to be integrated to the Pafos Municipality (Ktima). This effort failed because the Turk town councillors reacted. Both sides turned to the British High Commissioner of Cyprus, whose negative reply was carried forward by the British Commandant of Pafos to the president of the community of Mesogi Mr Koudellotsouros, who was also the representative of the other villages.
(c) Thompson’s letter, dated March 4th 1884, is the following:
Today, the president of the community of Mesogi Mr Koudellotsouros received the following letter by our commandant.
‘Pafos 4th of March 84,
To the residents of the village of Konnia and of other villages.
I have been ordered to inform you that your request, in which you ask that your villages are united with the Municipal borders of Ktima, has been discussed before the High Commissioner and it appears that there are not substantial reasons for including these villages in the Municipality of Ktima.
(Sign)
Thompson
Commandant of Pafos’
The newspaper comments on the negative response of the British as follows:
‘This unexpected response made great impression to the residents of the villages and the town since they had all expected a positive answer. No one believed that his Excellency the High Commissioner would consider the reasons for the annexation of the nearby villages to the Municipality of Ktima as insufficient. Everybody believed that this unanimous will of the residents of the villages and the town, would have been applauded by the High Commissioner. Since the beginning of the British Occupation, it was the first time that the residents of some of the villages of Pafos were asking twice, through a letter, something that the new law about Municipalities had removed, which no one harms but, actually benefits everybody and that being able to enjoy it depends entirely by the will of his Excellency the High Commissioner. Yesterday, the residents of the villages in question, ignoring the fact that they would receive a reply today, grudged and desperate, sent to the respectable members of the parliament in Nicosia, through their commissioners in Ktima, a request applying for an expedition of the annexation of their villages. The commissioners posted the letter to its addressees on the same day. We hope that our Members of the Parliament will want to complete the reasons they received from the unscholarly villagers and nominate their proposal as proper and fair by judging our arguments as sufficient. Were these to happen, we are convinced that the High Commissioner will be pleased and order the annexation, this way making the residents of the villages to be annexed to the town, grateful to him.
I judge that the failure of this matter occurred mostly due to the recklessness of the villagers in choosing adequate arguments regarding the annexation of the villages and also due to the improper selection of their commissioners. Otherwise, the reason that the commissioners were not given an answer remains inexplicable to me. Had they been more careful in selecting commissioners who were not contemptible, they would have received answers. Indicated as favourable today, having received an answer, is the president of the Community of Mesogi, Koudellotsouros.
EFTHYFRON’
The first reports for the schools and teachers of Mesogi are met in the important book of Ioannis K. Peristianis “The History of the Greek Letters from the Turkish Occupation until the British Occupation (1571-1878)” and they are the following:
According to the memories of the elderly residents, ‘the educational activity in Mesogi begins in 1850. The teachers taught Collegialism, Pedagogy, Psaltery and Apostle, reading and basic writing:
- Father Kyriakos, Priest, from Stroumbi, settled in Mesogi and taught for about 10 years, until 1860.
- Father Ioannis from Tala. He settled in Mesogi and taught for about 3 years (1860-1863)
- Kyriakos Thkiakouna from Vatyli or Assia. He taught for about 6 years (1863-69)
- Ioannis Koudounas from Kissonerga. He was a scholar of the Metropolitan Bishop of Pafos Lavrentios. He taught in Mesogi for about 7 years (1869-76) and for about 12 years after the British Occupation.
The schools would either be the rooms or the fields of the teachers.
Punishments: Whipping using several means!
(Based on information given by the teacher Mr.Constantinos Athanasiades, who we thank).
With reference to the book of Loizos Philipou “The Greek Letters in Cyprus during the Turkish occupation (1571-1878)”, we are informed that in about 1860, the first teacher of the village Dora of Lemesos was the priest Hadjipapaioannis Oikonomos from Mesogi, who taught ecclesiastical letters for two years.
Based on the Education Act of 1895, a district primary school operated in Mesogi and also covered the educational needs of Tremithousa and Mesa Chorio.
In the issue of July 6th 1907 of the ‘Salamis’ newspaper, which was printed in Ammochostos, a comment was included titled ‘Fully Satisfied’ and which praises the decision of the District Court of Pafos to fine the School Committee of Mesogi with the amount of £10 for arbitrarily dismissing the teacher Achilleas A. Christodoulides. The cause of the dismissal is not mentioned.
The reports of the British Governor inform us that in the years 1923-24 the teachers Sergios Antoniades and Ioanna Christou served at the Primary School of Mesogi. Sergios Antoniades also served at the school in the school year 1924-25.
Study by Dr Andreas Sofokleous
Additional information:
- Another explanation, topographical, regarding the naming of the village is the fact that the settlement is built between the middle of the palisade of Tsada in the north and the narrow plain zone in the south. Thus, the village is middle land (mesogi) and it ended up Mesogi.
- Today, due to the fact that the water springs have dried out (‘Mana tou Nerou’ and ‘Diosmies’), tree plantations and gardens have been limited to minimum. The only ones that are abundant are carob trees, but they have also been neglected.
- As a result of the springs drying out, the plantations with hemps, which were used for making ropes, no longer exist. After all, these plantations are prohibited by law.
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