336 



Brief Survey of the Afniiities aud History of the Cyprian b'lora. 



It has already been mentioned in another connection (p. 289), that Cyprus in Antiquity, at the epoch 

 from which we have the earliest historical records, was much better forested than it is now, and that 

 the old pine-forests since then successively have been largely reduced through reckless devastation. The 

 date-palm (Phoenir (lactijltfem) which Kotschy considered to have been introduced by the Mohammedans,') 

 has already in Antiquity grown on the island; its occurrence here at so early a period is quite certain 

 throuo-h the statements of Theophbast, and its picture is often found engraved on old coins and other 



Ancient .Silver-plate from Aniathnji. (After 



Di Cesnola). 



small objects from Cyprus.-) From Cesnola we will here reproduce a di-awing of a silver-plate from 

 Amathus, where some date-palms are distinctly represented (fig. 1-43). Oberhummer and Gregory 

 (I. c. p. 167) have called attention to the fact that the date-palm on Cyprus, according to Theophrast. 

 in Antiquity as in the present time did not fully ripen its fruits, and the latter author has inferred from 

 this that the temperature on Cyprus has remained unchanged since Antiquity. In this connection, however, 

 it ought to be remembered that the date-palms, which according to Theophrast did not ripen their fruits 

 on the island, according to his own description belonged to a distinct variety, which was i. a. distinguished 

 just through this very circumstance. 



Oberhummer has drawn attention to the fact that the cypress (Cupressiis sempervlrens), which 

 is now on Cyprus an important forest-tree, has not been mentioned as growing on the island by earlier 

 authors than Wilbrand from Oldenburg, who vLsited the island in 1212.0 Although it is sti'ange that 



1) Unger n. Kotschy, Die Insel Cyperu, p. 212. 

 -) Oberhummer, Die hisel Cypern, I. p. 303. 

 3j Oberhummer, 1. c. I, pp. 2.57 — 258. 



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