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Pergamos, or Pergama, was a Turkish Cypriot village located in the Larnaca district until 1960. Since the boundaries and districts changed in 1974, it is now situated in the northern part of the divide and located in the new Famagusta district.(of the Turkish Cypriots /of the north ) . It is located only four kilometers north of Pyla/Pile, almost entirely surrounded by the Sovereign British Areas (S.B.A). The meaning of the name is obscure. Some claim that the village was name after ancient Pergamon in Anatolia. Turkish Cypriots changed the name to Beyarmudu in 1958, literally meaning “lord’s pear.” 

 

As can be seen from the chart above, in the Ottoman census of 1831, Muslims (Turkish Cypriots) constituted the only inhabitants of the village. It seems that Pergamos also became a temporary home for a group of Dukhobors (a Russian sect expelled by the Czar) in 1898-9, at which time the village had almost 100 local residents. Throughout the British period, the village was solely inhabited by Turkish Cypriots, apart from the above-mentioned Russian refugees and a small number of Greek Cypriots who appear in the records for short periods of time. The village’s population increased considerably, from 243 in 1921 to 826 in 1960.

Displacement:

From its original population no one was displaced; however, the village served as a reception centre for many displaced Turkish Cypriots in 1964. From 1964 to 1974, it was administratively part of the Turkish Cypriot enclave of Larnaca. The majority of displaced persons staying in Pergamos during this period came from villages such as Lefkara(362), Anafotida(349) and Salina/Tuzla. Political geographer Richard Patrick estimated the village’s population at 1,100 in 1971 (it was 826 in 1960). He also claimed that there were 153 displaced Turkish Cypriots living in Pergamos in that year.

Current Inhabitants:

Currently the village is mainly inhabited by its original villagers. There are also some Turkish Cypriots who were displaced and located to Pergamos during the 1960s who have remained since then in the village. A handful of Turkish families from Turkey also chose to move to the village after 1975 as part of the agricultural work force, and they gradually settled there. Recently some Turkish Cypriot returnees from England have also chosen to build homes and settle in Pergamos/Beyarmudu. The 2006 Turkish Cypriot census puts the population at 3,403, marking its transformation from village to small town. Due to the town’s proximity to the SBA, many people who reside in Pergamos/Beyarmudu work in the British bases. The proximity to the bases also had a positive impact on population growth, as Turkish Cypriots from other parts of the island moved to the town in order to benefit from job opportunities. Residents of Pergamos/Beyarmuda have also profited from the town’s proximity to the Pyla/Pile checkpoint, which was always partially open, and its limited opportunities for trade. The 2003 opening of the Green Line and placement of one of the crossing-points in the village has further contributed to the town’s economic and demographic improvement through increased trade across the divide.   

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Websites:

• http://www.cyprus-village.com/ (for the villages)
• http://news.karpasha.com/
• http://human-rights-archaeology.blogspot.com/
• http://kypros.org/Occupied_Cyprus/ (for the villages in the north)