Agios Chariton is a small Turkish community in the occupied part of the Ammochostos district. It lies 37 kilometres north-west of Ammochostos, at an elevation of 320 metres, on the southern slopes of the Pentadaktylos. To the north its land reaches the peak of Palia Vrysi, on the ridge.¹ In the 1960 census it had 119 inhabitants, all of them Turks.

Name

It took its name from Saint Chariton, to whom its church was dedicated. The British architect George Jeffery, who recorded the historic monuments of Cyprus in the early 20th century, identifies the village with the “St. Carita” of the old map of Cyprus.² The official gazetteer of Cyprus writes “Agios Chariton” and records the same name for a locality and for the community’s forest; on its land it also notes the place-names Argaki, Mazera and Trachonas.³

Churches and monasteries

The 2009 list of churches in the occupied areas of the Church of Cyprus records the parish church of Agios Chariton, which was demolished during the years of Turkish rule.

Economy and society

According to the Great Cyprian Encyclopaedia, the inhabitants grew mainly cereals and carob trees, without irrigation. The village is almost surrounded by forests, and much of its land was uncultivated. Until 1974 the road to Kiados, and from there to Marathovounos and the Mesaoria, was not asphalted.⁴

Population

According to the Great Cyprian Encyclopaedia, the village had 32 inhabitants in 1881, 36 in 1891, 56 in 1901, 59 in 1911 and 62 in 1921.⁵ In 1931 Agios Chariton had 61 inhabitants, all Muslims, and in 1946 114, all Muslims (the 1931 and 1946 censuses recorded religion only). In 1960 it had 119 inhabitants, all Turks, and in 1973 around 130 Turks (estimate).