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CONSTRUCTION HISTORY
In March 2016, the Pafos District Office requested from interested parties submission of tenders for the Design and Supervision of Construction of the Project entitled “Regional Centre of Information on the Geology and Paleontology of the broader Akamas Area at Pano Arodes”.
Successful Tenderer was “Polina Antoniades – Kokkinou Architectural Office” and the relevant tender documents were signed with the owner (Community Council of Pano Arodes village) on the 26/08/2016.
The duly completed designs and construction tender documents were published on the e-procurement platform of the Cyprus Government and the construction phase of the Project was awarded to SM & S BuildOptions Ltd for the amount of 436,371,70 euro. Commencement of Construction started on 17/12/2018 and was completed successfully on 30/04/2021.
THE BEGINNING
The Akamas area, until recently isolated from the rest of the island, represents a natural paradise where nature through the centuries of isolation recovered its pristine character and beauty.
At the regional Centre an effort is made to connect this beauty with the geology and geomorphology as well as the geological processes that through the geological eons created this paradise.
The Big bang theory is a leading explanation as to how space began.
According to this theory the universe was created from a dense, hot situation 13.8 billion years ago. In one of the million galaxies that were created is our galaxy (the Milky Way) at the edge of which our solar system and planet Earth.
The age of earth is calculated by geoscientists and astrologists to be 4.6 billion years. In the beginning, earth was a hot mass which through the million years of its life, it cooled and solidified and at its surface a hard crust was created. The crust is separated into lithospheric plates which are moving continuously, colliding or separated, creating the present continents separated by oceans.
Along the zones of the lithospheric plates earthquakes are created due to the collision process.
REGIONAL TECTONIC ENVIROMENT-GENESIS OF CYPRUS
About 100 million years ago the Cyprus area and beyond, was occupied by a primordial ocean referred to as Tethys Sea which was bordered to the north by the Eurasia lithospheric Plate and to the south by the African Plate.
Over the 100 million years, through complex tectonic processes, the two lithospheric Plates moved towards each other, gradually obliterating the Tethys Sea and collided along an east-west trending front.
Prior to the collision of the two plates extensive volcanic activity occurred at the ocean floor and a submarine lava mountain (which eventually became part of today’s Troodos) was formed. The continuous thrusting movements, caused by the collision, pushed the lava mountain together with an almost intact portion of the ocean crust, above this sea level.
The lavas, the piece of the ocean crust, together with remnants of the African and the Eurasian plates were covered by younger sedimentary deposits, and eventually, all were risen above the sea level, where erosion and subsequent movements shaped the island of Cyprus as it is today. Tectonic movements continue at reduced intensity but even today earthquakes occur in Cyprus and neighbouring region.
EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN SEISMIC FRAMEWORK
The broader area of Cyprus is directly involved in the collision processes that occurred between the southward moving Eurasia plate and the northward moving African plate.
GEOLOGY OF CYPRUS
References to the complicated and interesting geology, of Cyprus and particularly to the abundance of copper, are made by Homer and Aristotelis and later, ancient philosophers and historians, such as Eratosthenes, Stravon, Dioskourides, Plinios and Galanos, who, in their works talk about the rich copper and other metal reserves of the island.
In the 20th century, systematic study of the Cyprus geology is carried out by the Cyprus Geological Survey and extensive mapping established the geological picture of the island, as well as those geological processes that shaped the island and contributed to the formation of the rich ore bodies. The uniqueness of Troodos Ophiolite as an almost intact piece of the oceanic crust is, today, the subject of research and University studies from all over the planet.
TROODOS THE DOWRY OF CYPRUS
Troodos Ophiolite, having risen from the sea created the central mountain range of the island which rises up to 2000m above the sea. The imposing slae and height of the Troodos mountains have been through the geological eons the main regulator of the temperate climate of Cyprus, which without the mountains, would have been a desert island.
The Troodos igneous rocks host rich orebodies of copper, pyrite, asbestos and smaller ore bodies of gold and silver. Exploitation of the of copper since the Early Bronze period, established Cyprus as center of copper production in antiquity times, while the mining of copper in the island has a record duration of 3000 years.
The rich forests covering the Troodos provided energy, much needed for the smelting of copper. The rivers issuing from Troodos provide the much-needed water for agriculture and enrichment of the aquifers present in the lowlands.
METALLIFEROUS
The rich metalliferous areas of the Troodos Ophiolite were identified early by the ancient miners who recognizing the significance of areas with reddish colored outcrops of highly oxidized near surface ore bodies commence the extraction of copper (and later other minerals).
In the initial stages, access to the ore bodies was achieved via narrow galleries but through experience and the development of improved mechanical means the ancient galleries were replaced by larger and safer tunnels. A large number of the ancient and more modern galleries survived and today bare witness of the over 3000 years old mining activity in Cyprus.
MAIN GEOLOGY FIELDS
Geology is the science that studies and deals with the creation and development (primarily of the crust) of the earth and deals with the rock and so formations, ores and minerals, as well as the processes through which the geological millennia shape the continents, the mountain ranges and the first appearance and evolution of the flora and fauna.
Geology also studies the earthquakes, the volcanic activity, the ground water quality and distribution, the hydrocarbons and many other subjects relevant to the geosciences. The gradual accumulation of significant amount of knowledge, and the development of research methods and specialization the modern science of geology often refered as Geosciences, includes many specialized branches which cover the broad spectrum of geoscience including the study of planets of our solar system.
Hydrogeology
Paleontology
Mineralogy
Engineering Geology
Economic Geology
Geology of Hydrocarbons
Tectonic Geology
Applied Geophysics
Environmental Geology
Historical Geology
GEOLOGICAL MAP OF AKAMAS AREA
The Akamas peninsular and its broader area is characterized by a variety of rock formations the age of which stretches from the Triassic Period to the Holocene. The older Formations of the Triassic Period belong to an allochthonous sequence of parts of the African Lithospheric Plate, transported to their present position and thrusted onto the Troodos Ophiolite, during the collision of the African and Eurasia Plates, in juxtaposition to these allochthonous formations, exposed are igneous rocks of the Troodos Ophiolite represented by Lavas, Diabase, serpentinites which were tectonically detached from the main mass of the Ophiolite and were thrusted to the west, forming today the backbone of Akamas. During an extensive period of sedimentary deposition, that started from the Upper Cretaceous Period, the allochthonous and igneous Formations were covered by a variety of rock formations such as clay, maris, chalks, limestones and calcareous sandstones as well as more recently soils.
The tectonic movements that accompanied the Plate movements and culminated during the collision of the Plates, are gradually decreasing although till today some movements occurred hence the historical and more recent earthquakes still occur.
Geology also studies the earthquakes, the volcanic activity, the ground water quality and distribution, the hydrocarbons and many other subjects relevant to the geosciences. The gradual accumulation of significant amount of knowledge, and the development of research methods and specialization the modern science of geology often refered as Geosciences, includes many specialized branches which cover the broad spectrum of geoscience including the study of planets of our solar system.
Hydrogeology
Paleontology
Mineralogy
Engineering Geology
Economic Geology
Geology of Hydrocarbons
Tectonic Geology
Applied Geophysics
Environmental Geology
Historical Geology
AUTOCHTHONOUS FORMATIONS OF AKAMAS
The deposition of the Sedimentary Succession commenced after the cessation of the strong tectonic movements that brought to the Akamas area the Allochthonous Formations of the African Plate and dismembered parts of the Troodos Ophiolite.
Both autochthonous and allochthonous outcrops are covered in most places by a thin superficial fertile soil used for agriculture.
ALLOCHTHONOUS FORMATIONS OF AKAMAS
The Allochthonous rock formations belong to Mamonia Complex sequence and are represented by strongly tectonized rock formations of Triassic-Cretaceous time-period (90-210 million years ago).
These Formations are much older than the Autochthonous rocks of Akamas and it is believed that they were created in areas south of Cyprus and were technically transported an eventually thrusted over the Troodos Ophiolite and the first Autochthonous formations represented by the montmorillonite clay of the Kannavios Formation. The sequence of the Allochthonous rocks includes folded and faulted parts of the transported rock formations that include marine sedimentary rocks, such as quartaffic sandnes, fint, chak, stones, recrystallized limestone and some metamorphic schists. Pillow lavas and serpentinites, older than those of Troodos are also encountered contributing to the extremely interesting geological puzzle that tectonism created in the Akamas area.
EARTHQUAKES
Cyprus is considered as part of the second in earthquake magnitude zone of our planet. The collision zone of the African lithospheric plate to the south and the Eurasia Plate to the north is situated approx. 60km south of the island and is referred to as the “Cyprus Arc”.
Along this Arc, the continuous movement of the two lithospheric plates result to accumulation of immense amounts of energy which when released result in earthquakes.
Earthquakes continue to affect the island and both historical references and more recently seismological records bear witness to this.
Akamas, due to its proximity to the Cyprus Arc, suffers from periodic earthquakes, the most recent being those of 1995 with 2 deaths and millions of euro damages, and of 1996.
AKAMAS TOPOGRAPHY
The variable and complex geological structure of the Akamas peninsula, the periotic uplifting of the area, marked changes of the sea level have created over the last two million years a marked topography which together with current biodiversity shaped the whole peninsular to a real paradise.
WORKS OF ART CREATED BY NATURE
The uplift of Cyprus that continues through the geological time is sometimes slow, allowing the deposition of sedimentary rocks that cover nowadays large parts of the Troodos, while periodically the uplift rate is fast and abrupt pushing the island at higher elevations.
In parallel climatic changes that relate to the recent ice age periods and the erosive action of rivers, shape up the current topography. Over the Akamas peninsula, the above processes assisted by the presence of variable rock and soil formations, each with different scale of resistance to weathering and erosion, deep gorges, waterfalls and caves are formed.
AKAMAS SPRINGS
The ragged topography with altitude ranging up to 670m above mean sea level, promotes the development of a rich flora and significant biodiversity in the Akamas area.
The annual rainfall is ranging from 450mm to 650mm and considerable part of it is captured and stored in rock formations such as chalk, calcareous sandstones and reefal lime stone. The permeability of these rocks, allows movement of the rainwater underground thus small but very important aquifers are developed, which feed small springs and water wells. During the winter months, rainwater flows also in small streams and gorges of the area.
QUARRIES & MINES
The intense tectonic history of Akamas and the limited occurrence of members of the Troodos Ophiolite, deprive the area of occurrences of copper, pyrite, asbestos and bodies, of any significance over the peninsular.
Small quantities of magnesite have been mined in the past through short and shallow galleries. Extensive outcrops of calcareous sandstones, chalks, and limestone provide good sources for the extraction of stones for houses and ancient monuments and more recently the production of crushed aggregates and sand for the needs of building industry and roads. There are old, abandoned quarries along the northern coast, where calcareous sand stone was extracted and transported by sea for the construction of ancient Marion.
FLORA
The relatively protected environment of Akamas allowed the survival of a few endemic species of flora presented here. Most of these species favor particular rock type and formations such as the igneous and in particular the serpentinite or the limestones and chalks encountered in in the gorges such as those of Avakas and Antrolikou.
TRADITIONAL ACTIVITIES
Do you know what work the stonemason does?
The stonemason is the craftsman who usually processes porcelain, limestone or marble to give the materials an original shape.
The stonemasons used handmade tools such as marteli and couspin.
Do you know how stone walls are constructed?
For the construction of the stone walls they used as a foundation bigger and flatter stones for more stability and higher, they used smaller irregularly shaped stones. The construction is done with the use of synthetic earth mortars. The gaps between the stones were filled with densely placed gravel.
Do you know what a hand mill is?
The hand mill was used to grind wheat. It consists of two circular wide stones, the “panopetra” or “Onos” and the “katopetra”.
Do you know how they used to grind wheat?
They turned the “panopetra” on the “katopetra” and ground the wheat that had meanwhile fallen on the surface of the “katopetra”. The wheat was used to make bulgur or it was mixed with milk, boiled and produced the traditional trachanas. With the same hand grinder they could grind the coarse wheat.
Did you know that the hand mill was mostly used by women?
The hand mill was usually used by women. They threw a quantity of wheat in the hole of the rotating upper stone and turned the stone with the wooden crowbar.
Do you know how to make a brick out of plinth?
Plinth was made by the “plittararies.” The soil is mixed with the straw and left in the sun to dry.
Do you know what adobe bricks are made of? Come back to find out.
The brick was the basic material of construction for houses and it was straw, the so-called “fermented kontilia” with soil and water.
Do you know how long it takes a craftsman to build an entire brick house?
A good craftsman built about 9-10 square meters per day. The construction took place daily from sunrise to sunset with a one-hour break at noon. The construction time of an average house of 50 square meters range from 20 – 25 days.
Do you know how a brick wall is made? Come back to find out.
The prepared clay is then poured into the “stitches”, wooden rectangles thus forming the bricks. The bricks are left in the sun to dry for a few days.
