Recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site, the Nea Paphos Archaeological Park has gained global recognition, attracting researchers and tourists alike.
To mark the milestone in 2025, a series of events is planned, including an international conference and an exhibition highlighting Polish research in Nea Paphos.
The ancient city, established in the late 4th century BCE, was a thriving hub of administration and politics under Hellenistic and later Roman rule. Its strategic position as a port city made it a center of cultural and economic exchange.
Polish archaeologists have played a crucial role in uncovering its past since 1965, when a team from the University of Warsaw’s Center for Mediterranean Archaeology began excavations under the leadership of Prof. Kazimierz Michałowski.
Their work initially focused on the villa district, an area known as Malutena.
In 2011, a second Polish expedition from Jagiellonian University in Kraków joined the research, concentrating on the Agora, the city's central public square.
In 2019, the two teams merged under the leadership of Prof. Ewdoksia Papuci-Władyka, significantly expanding the scope of the excavations.
“Professor Michałowski’s research continues to this day, making it the longest-running foreign archaeological mission in Cyprus and one of the longest Polish missions in the Mediterranean,” said Papuci-Władyka.
Over the years, Polish archaeologists have made several major discoveries. They uncovered one of the largest ancient buildings on the island—the Roman villa known as the House of Theseus, thought to have been the residence of the island’s governor.
The villa is decorated with well-preserved mosaics, as is another important find, the House of Aion, known for its high-quality floor mosaics.
The team’s research has also reshaped scholarly understanding of Nea Paphos by establishing that its Agora dates back to the Hellenistic period rather than the Roman era, as previously believed.
These discoveries contributed to the site’s inclusion on UNESCO’s World Heritage list in 1980, boosting its international profile and transforming Paphos into a major tourist destination.
"Almost every organized tour now includes a visit to the site to see the mosaics," said Papuci-Władyka. She added that, despite decades of work, there is still much to uncover: "Paphos is an archaeologist’s paradise. The site spans 55 hectares within the archaeological park, covering about three-quarters of the ancient city. It is protected from tourism and urban development, allowing us to continue our research without interference."
The favorable climate enables excavations nearly year-round, though funding limitations typically restrict dig seasons to about six weeks.
The remainder of the year is dedicated to analyzing artifacts on-site.
"For example, we collect dozens of buckets of pottery fragments daily, which must be cleaned, reconstructed, documented and published,” Papuci-Władyka explained.
Recently, Polish researchers uncovered well-preserved walls of a structure dating back to the 2nd century BCE, potentially one of the few surviving Hellenistic buildings in Paphos.
"If our findings are confirmed, this would be a major breakthrough," Papuci-Władyka said. "Most visible ancient ruins in Paphos are Roman, as frequent earthquakes led to the destruction and rebuilding of earlier structures."
A separate project nearing completion involves 3D reconstructions of Nea Paphos, created in collaboration with the Warsaw University of Technology.
The models aim to recreate the city’s layout across different historical periods.
"We hope to make these reconstructions available to the public through the Cyprus Department of Antiquities, possibly via QR codes that visitors can scan while touring the park,” said Papuci-Władyka.
To celebrate 60 years of Polish research in Paphos, several public events will take place in 2025. In June, the University of Warsaw’s Center for Mediterranean Archaeology will officially open its Research Station in Paphos, an initiative first launched in 2021.
The opening, scheduled during Poland’s presidency of the European Union, will feature a photography exhibition entitled From Malutena to the Agora, showcasing key discoveries, the archaeologists involved, and changes at the site over the decades.
The exhibition will first be displayed in Warsaw from May 15 to June 15 before moving to the southern city of Kraków and other Polish cities.
Additionally, an international conference on Nea Paphos will be held from May 20 to 23 in Warsaw and Kraków, organized by the University of Warsaw, Jagiellonian University, the Cyprus Department of Antiquities, the University of Avignon, and the HiSoMA research center in Lyon.
“This is part of a regular conference series dedicated to Paphos," Papuci-Władyka explained. "The first was held in Avignon in 2012, followed by meetings in Paphos in 2017 and Athens in 2022. Now, for the first time, it will take place in Poland."
In the autumn, tourists and residents of Paphos will have a unique opportunity to visit the excavation sites during an open day, where archaeologists and students will guide visitors through the latest discoveries in Malutena and the Agora.
(rt/gs)
Source: PAP