Primary Source XVIII: Friar Francesco Suriano’s Observations on the Cats of Cyprus 1484

If you have ever visited Cyprus, you would have certainly noticed the abundance of cats on the island. On his way to Jaffa in 1484, the Venetian Friar, Francesco Suriano, noticed the same thing. His observations on the number of cats on the island is a perfect springboard in introducing my next month's guest: Dr. Jean-Denis Vigne, esteemed paleozoologist and Emeritus Director of Research at the Natural History Museum in Paris. His digs in Cyprus have changed our understanding of prehistory on the island and it is his work at Shillourokambos that revealed the earliest evidence of tamed cats. Please join me next month as I interview Dr. Vigne and discuss Cyprus and the first cats!

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