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the sowing of seeds, the planting of the vines,
the gathering of the grapes, the picking of ol-
ives or carobs, and the processing of the prod-
ucts that nature provided.
History that is often overlooked
The history of the island is imprinted on all these
elements, but not in the way that historians or
chroniclers usually relate it: the intangible cul-
tural heritage bears witness to the micro-history
of the land and brings to light aspects of the idi-
osyncrasy and the deepest essence of the people,
which are often overlooked.
Many of these elements still play an important
role in the lives of the Cypriots, but their impor-
tance is gradually waning as a result of globali-
sation and mass cultural production. One factor
that has kept these elements alive has been their
ability to adapt to the changing situations and
to respond to the needs of the people who were
essentially the bearers of the intangible cultural
heritage. From that point of view, the sustain-
ability of the intangible cultural heritage is even
more closely linked to the people than the World
Heritage Monuments, bearing in mind that ele-
ments of intangible cultural heritage survive
only as long as the people who are their living
exponents exist. For this reason it is important
to ensure that the torch of creativity and empiri-
cal knowledge of the intangible cultural heritage
will continue to be passed from generation to
generation.
Through its work, the Cyprus National Commis-
sion for UNESCO aims to contribute to the pro-
motion of the cultural heritage of Cyprus, tangi-
ble and intangible. We hope that this publication
will generate further research into folk culture,
raise awareness among younger generations and
encourage them to engage more systematically
with these elements.
Making talaria with sklinitzia: © Ministry of Agricutlrue,
Natural Resources nad Environment Archive
Embroidered cloth from Phoiti: © Cyprus Handicraft Service
Archive, Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism