Cyprus American Archaeological Research Institute celebrate 30 years

Thursday 29th May 2008

One might not expect a seasoned UN diplomat to be actively engaged in promoting awareness of Cyprus’ rich cultural heritage in archaeology – in fact, one might be pleasantly surprised to see such a person acting in this manner.

Gustave Feissel, former Assistant Secretary-General and Chief of Mission of the UN Operation in Cyprus, is doing just that, since his retirement from the top UN post on this divided island.

He was elected to the presidency of the Cyprus American Archaeological Research Institute, better known as CAARI, three years ago and has since then focused his attention on promoting the continued growth and impact of CAARI, making its activities better known to Cypriots and meeting the financial challenges faced by the Institute.

This year CAARI marks its 30th birthday with various events, including a gala dinner under the auspices of the President of Cyprus Demetris Christofias. Throughout these past three decades, the Institute has provided a forum for scholarly study of archaeology, history and culture in the Eastern Mediterranean. CAARI, according to Feissel, has been instrumental in the renewal of a Memorandum of Understanding between Cyprus and the US to restrict the import of Cypriot antiquities into the US, including for the first time ancient coins.

In an interview with CNA, Feissel talks about the Institute, its significance for Cyprus and US-Cyprus relations and future prospects for CAARI, in particular the completion of its library in 2009, which will provide scholars with additional tools to do their research. He also notes that close working and professional relationship between CAARI and the Department of Antiquities to protect the island’s 9,000-year-old rich heritage, and through this its history and culture.

On the contribution of CAARI to local archaeology and to relations between Cyprus and the US, Feissel said that since its founding in 1978, CAARI has grown to become a major international center in Cyprus.

“It is the only institute of its kind in Cyprus devoted to the promotion of archaeological research and related art and history. CAARI serves as a forum and focal point where Cypriot and foreign scholars meet to exchange ideas and experiences. Its world-class library is a principal source for researchers world-wide. Over one thousand researchers from Cyprus and overseas make use of the library each year,” he said.

He referred to the purchase two years ago of the Stylianou collection which, as he points out, has assured that this valuable and unique collection about Byzantine Cyprus is not broken up and remains in Cyprus.

The Institute’s residence offers researchers from overseas a place to stay while in Cyprus and over 200 researchers stay there each year, he adds.

CAARI has organised conferences, lectures and workshops serve as a primary avenue for disseminating information about Cyprus’ cultural heritage to American audiences CAARI also awards fellowships for research in Cyprus, he explains.

Asked about CAARI’s future development, its president said that CAARI is currently in yet another major phase of growth, which will take it to still a higher and brighter level.

“The expansion of our library holdings, through purchases, such as the Stylianou collection, and the increasing number of researchers using our library has made it necessary to expand our facilities. The plans to expand our library by adding three underground floors have been approved by the municipal authorities. Construction is expected to begin later this year and should be completed sometime in 2009,” he said.

This, he went on, will allow CAARI to continue to function as the strongest and most accessible archaeological research library on the island. CAARI’s archives will continue to be expanded as more and more archaeological teams give us digital copies of their field records.

Responding to questions about moves or decisions taken to meet one of CAARI’s main principles, discourage illicit trade of antiquities, Feissel said that “CAARI has been in the forefront of the successful effort to renew the Memorandum of Understanding between Cyprus and the USA restricting the import of Cypriot antiquities into the United States. For the first time, the US State Department Cultural Property Advisory Committee included ancient coins in the MOU. This renewal is a pillar of international efforts to discourage the illicit trade of antiquities.”

CAARI’s Director in Nicosia, Dr. Thomas Davis, has worked with both the US embassy and the Cyprus Government Department of Antiquities on the GOC submittal for the renewal, he added and CAARI trustees testified in person and in writing in support of the renewal at the public hearing of the US State Department Cultural Property Advisory Committee.

Since the 1974 Turkish invasion of Cyprus, hundreds of priceless artefacts have found their way to the black markets abroad and the Cyprus government has had on occasion to buy them back or claim them through the legal system in order to repatriate them. These valuable items, which reflect the country’s history, civilisation and culture, are stolen from the island’s northern Turkish occupied areas and exported illegally to markets abroad.

On exchange of information between the Department of Antiquities and CAARI about improper activities involving exportation of archaeological artefacts, Feissel explained that so far CAARI has not discovered evidence of any improper exportation.

“If we ever do so, we will of course inform the Department of Antiquities. We have informed the Department about evidence of looting that we have heard about in both north and in the government controlled area,” he said.

Asked about the Institute’s research programmes, participation in them and application of their findings, he explained that in Cyprus, it is the Department of Antiquities which decides who is eligible to conduct archaeological research, not CAARI. The individual research directors then determine who will be on their research teams.

Archaeology, he pointed out, is a public science and CAARI seeks the widest dissemination of data, although sometimes exceptions are made regarding exact site locations to discourage looting. CAARI’s library is a primary repository for archaeological site reports.

Invited to identify CAARI’s single most important activity/find/event/result, he said that CAARI’s contributions to Cypriot archaeology have been numerous.

By way of example, Feissel, mentioned the following:
The annual archaeological workshop, which CAARI organises together with the Department of Antiquities, is now in its 26th year. This is a unique event in Mediterranean archaeology.

At the workshop, all active international and local research teams report on their current discoveries, i.e. anything new since the previous workshop. Reports often include discoveries made literally the day before the session. This leads to lively interchanges amongst the scholars and helps us all to better understand what we are finding.

This workshop, he told CNA, is an excellent example of the close collaboration of Cypriot and international archaeologists. This year’s workshop will be on 21 June at 0900 hours at the Bank of Cyprus foundation headquarters at Ayia Pareskevi.

Another major contribution has been the ongoing development and expansion of our world-class library which is a principal focal point for Cypriot and foreign researchers alike, he noted.

Still another contribution of the Institute, he remarked, is the promotion of information about Cypriot archaeology in the United States.

This year’s events to mark 30 years of CAARI included, apart from the gala dinner on June 4, a dinner on 3 June hosted by the United States Ambassador for a number of Cypriot supporters of CAARI joined by some CAARI board members, a dinner on 5 June hosted by CAARI at its premises for a large number of friends of CAARI and a special private visit on 8 June for Cypriots to the important archaeological sites of Athienou and to the Royal Chapel at Pyrga.

There will also be a special 130 page issue of Near Eastern Archaeology devoted exclusively to Cyprus will cover the latest developments on Cypriot archaeology and related history written by some of the most outstanding scholars in the field. This publication will be available sometime in July.

A lecture by CAARI Director Tom Davis will take place in November at the Embassy of Cyprus in Washington DC and a gala reception at the annual ASOR conference in Boston on 21 November.

As for problems CAARI is facing in its mission, Feissel believes that funding our program remains the primary challenge for CAARI.

“As a non-profit research institute, we depend on the generosity of our many friends in Cyprus and around the world to maintain the vitality of our presence in Nicosia. The weakness of the dollar has made this task more difficult”, he said.

On a more personal note and in particular his contribution to the promotion of CAARI’s goals, he had this to say: “Since assuming the presidency of CAARI three years ago, my goals have focused on three areas: promoting the continued growth and impact of CAARI, making the activities of CAARI better know to Cypriots, and meeting the financial challenges faced by CAARI”.

Asked what the CAARI presidency means for him, as a person who has lived in Cyprus and was engaged in its problems, he noted that “I have been involved with Cyprus since 1984 and have grown very attached to Cyprus and its people. I am delighted to have this opportunity to renew my contacts and to make a contribution in promoting awareness of Cyprus’ rich cultural heritage in archaeology and related art and history.”

CAARI, founded in 1978, is an American non-profit organisation registered in Cyprus as an overseas company. Its primary goal is to protect and preserve the archaeological sites in Cyprus through excavations, discouragement of illicit trade and dissemination of information to the Department of Antiquities about any improper activities involving excavation or exportation of archaeological artefacts.

It’s Director in Nicosia Dr Thomas Davis reports to a board of trustees, composed largely by US citizens, who provide substantive, financial and administrative directions. The board of trustees comprises distinguished persons with academic, government, international organisations, business, finance and high tech experience.

The Institute has a huge collection of historical and contemporary maps of Cyprus, over 270, and an even bigger collection of maps of the Eastern Mediterranean – over 500. It also has an artefact collection, with over 14,000 items catalogued, which serves as an excellent teaching and research tool. In addition to that, CAARI scholars have access to many scholarly resources in Nicosia, including the Cyprus Archaeological Museum, the Department of Antiquities, the Republic’s archives, the AG Leventis Foundation and other local museum.

Gustave Feissel has a fifteen-year long involvement in the Cyprus problem; he conducted negotiations. He was elected president of CAARI in April 2005. From July 2002 to April 2005, he was the Treasurer of the Institute and has been a member of the Board of Trustees since July 2000.

Source: CNA