ABSTRACT
The British period in Cyprus was extremely important for the medieval and renaissance monuments of the island. Contrary to the Ottoman period which preceded it, there now arose an increasing interest in Cyprus’s ancient monuments, leading scholars and travellers to produce many books and articles. The British government itself also demonstrated a willingness to assist with the maintenance and restoration of monuments, not least in the historic city of Famagusta. This study incorporates the years from 1878, as a prelude, to the vital period from 1935-1956 when the principal programmes of restoration were undertaken. Though the conservation practices were handled as professionally (financially and technically) as possible, and although all the restoration works were photographed in detail, they were not sufficiently published. Two reports of the Department of Antiquities, Cyprus, dated 1936 and 1951, offer only tantalizing summaries of the activities in Famagusta in 1936 and between 1937 and 1939.
