Linou is a village of Nicosia district, in the geographical region of Solias, around 48 km on the south west of the capital Nicosia.On the northeast of the village and in its directorship limits, there is today the abandoned settlement Lemones.
Linou is built, on the right of the watershed Karkoti, in an average elevation of 310 meters. Linou has an average raining of about 360 millimeters.
In the area olive trees, citrus, a few vegetables (peas, and tomatoes), cereals, legumes and a few fruit trees (apple, pear, plum and medlar trees are grown.There are also great uncultivated land(weald) that are covered with wild natural plants mostly by pine trees ,’mazies’,thyme and meddler trees.
From a transport point of view Linou is connected on the north with the village Katydata (around 1 km) and on the south with the village Pano Flasou from which it is far less than half a kilometer.
The village had population fluctuation .In 1881 its residents were 214 and increased in 226 in 1891; they were decreased to 184 in 1901 but increased to 189 in 1911, to 201 in 1921 and to 252 in 1931. In 1946, the residents of Linou were 311, (272 Greek Cypriots and 39 Turkish Cypriots) who were increased to 338 in 1960 (320 Greek Cypriots and 18 Turkish Cypriots). After 1964, due to the intercommoned fights that followed the mutiny of the Turkish Cypriots, the few Turkish Cypriot residents of Linou, deserted the village and moved to nearby mixed Turkish Cypriot villages. In 1973 the residents of the village were 300(all Greek Cypriots) and were increased to 349 in 1976 but were decreased to 332 in 1982.In the last population census of 2001 the residents were 207.
The village existed with the same name in the medieval years and was a feud during the Frankish and Venice domination years. In old maps it is noted as Linu.
The name of the village, whatever the spelling (Linou or Linu) it seems to have Greek origin a thing that shows that Greeks stayed there since antiquity.
Many people write the village as Linu, etymologizing its name to be originated from Linon, the ancient tool with which the grapes were smashed in order for wine to be produced, and from the surname of the God Dionysus: Lineos, as the protector of Linou.
This surname was probably brought to Cyprus during Antiquity by the God Apollo. If we accept this explanation, we must conclude that the area of the village was perhaps the centre of wine production, having the tools and probably a worship place for the Lineou Apollo.
But again, (including the formal state maps of Cyprus today) they adapt the spelling Linou. At this case we must conclude that the name of the village was probably from Linon (flax) which was grown in Cyprus since ancient years ,for its seed and for the linen cloth production . Other people believe that the name of Linou has to do with worship, during antiquity, of Linou ,the son of Apollo and Psamathis .One of the 70 Apostles was also name Linos who celebrates on the 5 November. Linos was also called the ancient city which was built on the coast of Mysias in Propontida as Stravon mentions.
In the area people lived since ancient years since, apart from that it is characterized by its fertile ground of the Karkoti valley, there are also the mines of Skouriotissas near that was an important thing during antiquity.
G. Jeffery (1918) mentions only two churches of the village, Saint Marina and Virgin Mary,’ancient churches that were totally rebuilt’.The second church is dedicated to Virgin Mary with the surname Pantanassa.
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