Primary Source I: A reading from Cornelius van Bruyn

Cornelius van Bruyn was a Dutch traveller who visited many countries throughout his life, including Cyprus in the 17th century. In this excerpt, we hear van Bruyn mention "bones of men and animals incorporated in the rock" (i.e., fossils). "Some," he says "were human bones, others those of beasts and some teeth of surprising size." It's quite probable that van Bruyn is describing the bones of pygmy hippos and pygmy elephants. A perfect springboard into my first episode with Professor Emeritus Alan Simmons (University of Nevada) as we discuss the extinct prehistoric Cypriot fauna.