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Athienou (Greek: Αθηένου) is a village on the island of Cyprus. It is located in the Larnaca District. It one of only three villages located within the UN Buffer Zone, the other two being Troulloi and Pyla. Today Athienou has a population of around 5000 people and is home to Davidson College's Athienou Archaeological Project.

Vase painting from Athienou

Origin of the name

It is supported by many, that the name of the village Athienou, derived from the ancient Greek word, "Atta" (Greek: Αττα) or "Atha" (Greek: Αθθα), meaning large rock, which characterized the rocky land of the village.

Others support that the name was given by a group of Athenians (travellers from Athens), who came and settled in the village, to remember their home town.

Others resolve the name to a Lusignan called Etienne, who lived in the area, and the people who lived in the village were mentioning his house as "Etienne's Place" (Greek: "Στου Ετιένου", stou etiennou), and in later years that changed into Athienou.[2][3].

References

^ Statistical Service of the Republic of Cyprus (MS Excel), 2001 Population Census
^ "Municipality of Athienou - One of the most ancient municipalities". Municipality of Athienou. Retrieved 20 July 2008.
^ Agelarakis A., “Paleopathology and its Contributions to the Decipherment of the Human Condition in Antiquity: A Preliminary Report for the Case of two Skeletal Populations from Malloura in Cyprus”, Report of the Department of Antiquities, Cyprus, 1997: 239-250

Sculpture from Athienou

Athiainou Images : 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15

Population 4261 (2001)