Kyrenia Pass

The artist is representing the well known Kyrenia Pass also known as the Pass of St. Catherine or the Bogaz Pass. Much has been written about this intriguing Pass in travelogues. The huge rock defines the turning point from the mountain towards the sea exactly at the point where anyone travelling would have the first glimpse of the latter. It is worth noting that for centuries this was the connecting route between Nicosia and Kyrenia. Robbers always lurked in this narrow pathway amongst mountains making it a most unsafe passage for travellers. At the end of the nineteenth century, the Scot George Ludovic Houston built a police station at the beginning of the pass towards Nicosia to combat the robbers. Palm trees can be seen even today framing the road. The figures depicted in the drawing are most interesting: In the foreground, the artist portrays an islander who is not a Cypriot but probably one of the many Greek islanders who visited and worked in Kyrenia. Sponge divers from Kalymnos and fishermen from Symi and Rhodes were among them. The origins of the figure are revealed by the headdress which is that of a sailor as well as the shoes which are those of the Greek mainland, most commonly known as tsarouchia. A peasant walks behind him with his overloaded donkey. His headdress and wide pantaloons attest to his Moslem origins. Further back, a female figure bearing a heavy load on her shoulder and wearing a headscarf must be a Christian. She is followed by a child who is trying to catch up with her. A closer inspection of the drawing reveals that the artist originally attempted to include a male figure next to the woman but finally decided against it.