NICOSIA (Reuters) - The skeleton lying on the white sheet, identified only by a serial number on the wall above, is a stark reminder of years of conflict in divided Cyprus and the legacy of bitterness that remains.

Nobody knows who this man was: all they know is that he wore dark gray trousers, a pale shirt, probably lace-up shoes and pale brown socks, which remained surprisingly intact during years buried in the damp earth.

It's not much to go on.

"How many men were wearing gray trousers back then?" a researcher asked as he picked up a small piece of linen and examined it."About two-thirds of the population."

The nameless man, and scores of others like him who disappeared decades ago, offer a poignant reminder of the disputes keeping Turkish and Greek communities apart on this east Mediterranean island.

Cyprus has been divided since a Turkish invasion in 1974 which followed a brief coup by Greek Cypriot extremists seeking union with Greece.