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More than 100 years after the death of Cyprus' national poet, Vasilis Michaelides, scientists are once again searching for the man behind one of the island's most celebrated literary works.
A fresh excavation began on Thursday at Agios Nikolaos Cemetery in Limassol, where Michaelides is believed to have been buried after his death in 1917. During the work, investigators uncovered human bones, including part of a spinal column, which will now undergo scientific examination and DNA testing to determine whether they belong to the renowned poet.
The excavation is the second attempt to locate Michaelides' remains. A previous search carried out two years ago failed to provide a conclusive answer. This time, however, a new order from the Limassol District Court allows specialists to examine and collect samples from everything found within the grave, giving researchers a far better chance of reaching a definitive conclusion.
The work is being carried out by a team that includes an anthropologist, archaeologists and historians. Any genetic testing will follow the scientific protocols of the Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics.
The court approved the new excavation after an application by the Limassol Society of Writers "Vasilis Michaelides" together with members of the poet's family, who hope to finally settle a question that has remained unanswered for generations.
The excavation began on 9 July, the anniversary of the execution of Archbishop Kyprianos in 1821, an event that inspired Michaelides' best-known poem, The 9th of July 1821 in Nicosia, Cyprus. The work remains one of the most important pieces of Cypriot literature and helped establish Michaelides as the island's national poet.
Born in Lefkoniko in 1849, Michaelides spent most of his adult life in Limassol. His final years were marked by poverty and declining health. Unable to continue working as a municipal employee, he lived in the Limassol Poorhouse, surviving on a small allowance before dying there on 8 December 1917.
Although he received a formal funeral, his grave was never permanently secured. At the time, families were expected to purchase burial plots. If they could not, graves were commonly reopened after three years to make space for new burials. According to historical accounts, Michaelides' remains were removed and transferred to the cemetery's communal ossuary, while the exact location of his original grave gradually faded from memory.
Interest in finding the burial site returned in recent years after historical testimony pointed to a possible location near the cemetery's southern entrance. Researchers believe the latest investigation offers the strongest opportunity yet to determine whether the remains discovered belong to one of the most influential figures in Cypriot literature.
The excavation is expected to continue, with DNA results ultimately deciding whether the century-old mystery has finally been solved.
