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Oysters, Pines and Elephants: The Story of Cyprus Fossils is the first popular book ever to be written on Cyprus fossils. It covers in simple non-scientific language many aspects of Cyprus prehistory and geological evolution of the island, the most common fossils you can find, the collecting experience and a simple glossary of the technical terminology of the subject. Oysters, Pines and Elephants: The Story of Cyprus Fossils is profusely illustrated with more than one hundred previously unseen pictures and ten original drawings.
There are three outstanding paintings specially commissioned for Oysters, Pines and Elephants: The Story of Cyprus Fossils reconstructing the prehistoric landscape and seascape based on the fossils found in Cyprus. Oysters, Pines and Elephants: The Story of Cyprus Fossils is divided into chapters devoted to different fossil types. Some chapters have information 'windows' dealing with more specialist areas of fossil collecting like fossils in caves and specific fossil sites.
Fossils are a neglected part of Cypriot natural heritage and the lack of museums, scientific studies and protection of prehistoric sites is disappointing. The author hopes with Oysters, Pines and Elephants: The Story of Cyprus Fossils to stimulate public interest and awareness for palaeontology in Cyprus.
The author has been collecting fossils for more than thirty years during which time he amassed a large collection of fossils and information on the subject. This pioneering work is the outcome of this long effort.
Roys G. Kassapis received a Commonwealth Scholarship Award in 1986, after graduating from The English School in Nicosia and went on to the University of Southampton, England where he obtained a Bachelor degree in Business Economics and Accounting. After completing his studies in 1989 he was employed by Blick Rothenberg, London, where he qualified as a Member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ACA). When he returned to Cyprus in 1992 he worked for many years in the banking and financial sectors. Since 2006 he is active in the international company services sector. Roys is married with two children and has spent a lifetime collecting fossils.
