Theophilus Mogabgab of Famagusta: a “Saracen architect” in British colonial Cyprus

Abstract

Theophilus Mogabgab joined the new Department of Antiquities of Cyprus in 1935 with responsibility for Famagusta. George Jeffery, the island’s Curator of Ancient Monuments, had previously rejected him as a possible successor for being unqualified (Mogabgab was essentially autodidact). It was Mogabgab’s deep knowledge and enthusiasm for preserving Famagusta – inspired by his Syrian family’s claim of Crusader origins – and his surveying skills that secured his employment. Little known family records throw light on Mogabgab’s origins, his uneven career, his difficult professional relationships, and the fate of his valuable rare book and antiques collections. Distinctive for their ethnic and religious status, the Mogabgabs were anglophile ‘outsiders’ during their 100 years’ presence in Cyprus that was terminated by the events of 1974.