A Week in Paphos

Recently, James, one of our Archaeological Officers, went on holiday to the city Paphos in Cyprus. Here, he talks about Paphos, its archaeology and his experience visiting a settlement that has stood the test of time for over 2000 years.

I was lucky enough that before I went to Paphos I had a chat with one of my colleagues, who is Cypriot, and is currently doing his PhD part-time at the University of Sheffield on the presentation of cultural heritage within Cyprus. He enthusiastically gave me a list of archaeological sites to visit and, like any archaeologist on holiday, I spent my week racking up the miles on my pedometer – 38.2 miles to be exact!

Paphos Castle was my first destination and although it isn’t as large as the term ‘castle’ might suggest it certainly has a long history. Built on the site of an earlier Byzantine fort the current building was reconstructed by the Ottomans in 1592 AD. The Frankish-built central tower, which corresponds with the ruins of another tower to the south, is all that remains of the original fortification prior to an earthquake in 1222 AD. This tower is surrounded by a later Venetian wall which once connected the two towers. The Ottomans controlled Cyprus until 1878 when the island came under the administration of Britain. Following this the castle was no longer used for defensive purposes and was instead utilised as a salt store until 1935 when it was declared an ancient monument under the Antiquities Law.

It’s not hard to see why this location was chosen as the site for a defensive structure. Perfectly situated on a piece of land which protrudes into the sea it has commanding views over the Mediterranean to the south and west. I certainly got the impression that, when things were quiet, being part of the garrison here might not have been too bad for the Ottoman soldiers.

I stumbled across the remains of the Early Christian Basilica of Chrysopolitissa completely by accident whilst exploring (lost). It was a happy coincidence and I ended up spending over an hour at the site taking it all in. The earliest phase of the basilica was constructed at the end of the 4th century AD. It was then modified and drastically enlarged during the 6th century AD to connect it with the episcopal palace and to create an atrium surrounded by four porticoes covered with mosaic floors.

In the mid 7th century AD Paphos was raided by Arabs and an inscription on one of the pillars bearing an invocation to Allah for fallen Muslim warriors can still be seen today. The building fell into disuse and was abandoned during this period and much of the structure was quarried away until the 13th century when a church was built on the northern side of the complex.

This church contained a pillar, now known as ‘St Paul’s Pillar’, and local tradition holds that St Paul was tied to this pillar by the pagan inhabitants of Paphos who then whipped him thirty-nine times! This church was then demolished around 1500 AD when the current church of Ayia Kyriaki was constructed.

A visit to the Tombs of the Kings, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, was always a priority on my trip. Though misleading in its name as no kings are actually buried here, you could be forgiven for thinking that they were – such is the spectacular nature of these tombs.

The archaeological evidence indicates that these were, in fact, the burial places of rich citizens and state officials primarily during the Hellenistic and Ptolemaic periods on the island. Some of the tombs here are built to imitate houses, such as Tomb 3 with its peristyle atrium, and this is a practice that can also be seen in Egypt. Unfortunately, past quarrying has disturbed or destroyed a number of these tombs but archaeological excavations have still recovered a wealth of artefacts which have helped to understand the site. Frustratingly for me, most of them are located in Paphos Archaeological Museum which is currently closed for renovation!

In terms of its architectural style the funerary monument represents a crossroads of cultural, political and religious influences from a number of Hellenistic states. Indeed, when it was built it was simply the latest in a long line of cultural exchange between Hellenistic areas stretching back many centuries. Undoubtedly though, these funerary monuments would have been a serious statement of intent by the rulers of the island. Particularly in terms of the Ptolemaic era as the newly established dynasty would have been keen to cement their rule on the lands that they ‘inherited’ from Alexander the Great. What better way than to bury their elite in such a way that screams “We’re here to stay”.

Last, but certainly not least on my historical tour, was my visit to Paphos Archaeological Park. The park is massive and if you ever find yourself there then be prepared to dedicate the next three hours to exploring!

The park covers just over half of the walled city of antiquity. One of the things I found so impressive about the site wasn’t just the fact that there was lots of archaeology to see, but more that there was so much left to discover. So many tantalising earthworks cover the site that you (well, I, at least) leave the site more inquisitive than when you enter – such is the wealth of information waiting to be gained!

Perhaps the highlight from within the park, for myself at least, were the remains of the ‘House of Theseus’ which is named after the stunning mosaic depicting the duel between Theseus and the Minotaur found in one of the rooms. The building was constructed in the 2nd century AD and served as the official seat of the Roman governor of Cyprus until it was abandoned in the early 7th century AD.

I’ve only scratched the surface of the immense wealth of history and archaeology in Paphos. The cultural heritage of the city has so much to offer for tourists and anyone with an interest in archaeology. What’s even better is that the sites (in terms of their accessibility, interpretative material and maintenance) only have the potential for improvement. These places, though historic, do not exclusively belong to the pages of history. They are still ‘in use’, they still matter and I, for one, will be keeping a keen eye on how their story continues to evolve.