View PDF version of this page

CHAPTER XXVII. NOTES ON THE TURKISH MOSQUE IN CYPRUS CALLED TEKYE. NEAR the salt lake at Larnaca is a Mosque called the Teke, which I saw for the first time in 1761. Since that date the reverence paid to it, and the buildings themselves have been steadily increasing, and on my return to the island I paid it another visit, and here append a few notes on a shrine which is acquiring a certain importance among the Turks. The word Teke, better written Tekye, is derived from the Turkish Tek, meaning quiet, alone, and bears the same meaning as our monastery, from the Greek μόνος. The building stands on the west shore of the salt lake; within it is a tomb, which was for some time considered to contain the remains of Mohammad's mother. The dervishes now teach that the tomb is that of his aunt ; but they know not her name or lineage, and both ascriptions are equally false. The Moslem call her Umm haram, bint Milhan, " Revered mother, daughter of Milhan," but this is a title rather than a name. Many suppose that she came to Cyprus when the Saracens conquered the island, and died here, but they bring no proof or evidence of their belief. What is known of the origin of the shrine I will here set down.

View PDF version of this page