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Cyprus
and archaeology go together like milk and honey. Little
else is as evocative of a past by turns turbulent and
romantic as the ancient ruins, which encompass theatres,
temples and sanctuaries, tombs and entire towns. From
Neolithic sites or Roman mosaics, Cyprus is an open-air
museum to behold. To fully chronicle our 10,000 years
of history would take more Web pages than we could count,
but consider just a few of the highlights.
The
Neolithic settlement of Choirokoitia, 32 kilometres
from Larnaka and 48 kilometres south of Lefkosia, has
been part of the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List
since 1998. The ruins are of an Aceramic village, with
a vast assemblage of circular stone dwellings and instantly
recognizable “wall,” almost 185 metres from
start to finish, that splits the site into two sections.
The apparently communal construction points to a high
level of social cohesion and organization.
With
its grand, instantly recognizable Greco-Roman theatre
built into the side of a bluff overlooking the Mediterranean
Sea, the site of Kourion is simply spectacular. Its
riches include the House of Eustolios, its extensive
Roman mosaics visible from covered walkways, the Early
Christian Basilica, the ancient Forum, the Nymphaeum,
the public baths and House of Gladiators.
According
to the ancient Greek historian Herodotus, the town of
Kourion was founded by Achaean colonists from Argos,
in Greece. The original theatre was a much smaller one,
that has been dated to the 2nd century BC. It was remodeled
during the second half of the 1st century AD, when Roman
Emperor Nero reigned.
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The
first Roman theatre was badly damaged in an earthquake
in AD 77, but was reconstructed and enlarged to its
present dimensions toward the beginning of the reign
of Emperor Trajan (98-117).
The
Sanctuary of Apollo Ylatis (5th century BC), behind
Kourion, is one of the largest, most significant historic
religious sites in Cyprus. Apollo was a god of beauty,
music, woodlands, prophecy and archery, and protector
of trees, flocks and herds - and of Kourion itself.
The site spreads out over 15,000 square metres.
Pafos
has been designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO
since 1980. In addition to being a delightful town,
one part of it, Kato Pafos (the lower town near the
harbour) is home to the remains of the ancient city
of Nea Pafos, now an Archaeological Park which contains
among others the magnificent Roman mosaics in the Houses
of Dionysos, Theseus, Orpheus and Aion.
Ongoing
Excavations
The Cyprus Department of Antiquities oversees excavations
on the island, many of which are carried out by the
archaeological departments of leading American and European
universities. Its activities extend to the conservation
of artifacts, maintenance of ancient monuments, and
more. Most of the sites on the island are open to the
public and district museums in all towns as well as
those attached to sites help put the excavations in
their historical context. The Cyprus Museum in Lefkosia
(Nicosia) houses the most extensive collection of Cypriot
antiquities in Cyprus. Exhibits at the Cypriot Gallery
of the Metropolitan Museum in New York feature many
valuable artifacts essentially plundered from the island;
the British Museum, the Louvre and other famous Museums
exhibit superb collections of Cypriot artifacts.
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