Chapter 2 Placed in the Midst of Enemies?
Material Evidence for the Existence of Maritime Cultural Networks Connecting Fourteenth-Century Famagusta with Overseas Regions in Europe, Africa and Asia
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Abstract
In 1372, Saint Bridget of Sweden proclaimed that in one of her visions, God had revealed to her that he had placed Famagusta “In a place fitting for a faithful servant, namely in the midst of my [God’s] enemies.” Contrary to this image of lone religious outpost, historical records and material evidence preserved in the city indicate that Famagusta was far from isolated. Study of art, particularly religious architecture, sculpture and murals, as well as inscriptions and historical records, reveal the existence of an extended network of religious links that connected Famagusta’s diverse, urban society with all overseas regions surrounding Cyprus. These included Syria, Lebanon, Palestine, Cilicia, Egypt, Sinai and sub-Saharan Africa, as well as Byzantium, Rhodes and Latin Europe, particularly Italy, France and the Roman Empire. Such interregional connections served a number of important functions; on a global scale, they integrated Famagusta into the global networks of pilgrimage and trade routes. Furthermore, they positioned the city within the wider frameworks of religious and mental geographies and thus familiarized “others” with Famagusta. Maintaining them also created “channels of contact” that may have facilitated migration, cultural exchange and trade. On a local level, cultivating interregional, religious links served as a tool for maintaining the identity of different communities making up Famagusta’s urban society. They prevented nostalgia among travelers and facilitated the formation of new hybrid identities. Overall, therefore, the evidence presented herein demonstrates that religious and natural boundaries surrounding Famagusta in the 14th century were permeable. Overseas links, maintained through Famagusta’s harbor, played a central role in the shaping of the city’s diverse habitus and the everyday lives of its inhabitants.