Conference “Nea Paphos. 50 years of Polish excavations 1965

The fiftieth anniversary of Polish archaeological research in Nea Paphos on Cyprus will be marked with a conference “Nea Paphos. 50 years of Polish excavations 1965–2015” organized by the Institute of Mediterranean and Oriental Cultures PAS in cooperation with the Polish Centre of Mediterranean Archaeology, UW.
Several papers will be presented in four thematic sessions by specialists working with the PCMA UW mission and the Paphos Agora Project from the Jagiellonian University. The presentations will concern research on residential architecture of the city in the Hellenistic and Roman period, ceramological and numismatic studies as well as reports on conservation activities.
Saturday, 21 November 2015, 10:00 am; Pałac Staszica, ul Nowy Świat 72, Warsaw, room 022 (ground floor).
Conference program (in Polish)

Polish archaeologists on Cyprus
Polish excavations in Nea Paphos, the ancient capital of Cyprus and a UNESCO World Heritage site, started in 1965 and were first directed by prof. Kazimierz Michałowski. Since then, a PCMA UW mission has been continuing research at the site in cooperation with the Institute of Mediterranean and Oriental Cultures, Polish Academy of Sciences (formerly Research Center for Mediterranean Archaeology PAS), the Institute of Archaeology UW, Institute of Archaeology, Jagiellonian University, and Wrocław University of Technology. In 2011 the Paphos Agora Project from the Jagiellonian University began excavations in the ancient Paphos marketplace.
Excavations brought to light luxurious residential and administrative buildings with magnificent art pieces — sculptures, mosaics and wall paintings. They were in use for over a millennium, from the 4th century BC to the 7th century AD. Investigations of the ancient town square brought evidence of the Agora’s existence already in the Hellenistic period, and hint at the possible presence of a temple in the middle of the square.
Anniversary exhibition in the Cyprus Museum
Exhibition on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of Polish archaeological work in Nea Paphos was held in Nicosia. Close to 250 artifacts from Polish excavations representing the history of Paphos, residential and public districts, official and private cults, symbols of authority, the Paphos mint, building decoration — architectural styles, painting and mosaic floors, water in the service of the inhabitants and everyday life.

The exhibition was co-organized by the Polish Centre of Mediterranean Archaeology (PCMA), University of Warsaw and the Department of Antiquities of the Republic of Cyprus. It will run until 30 November 2015. Afterwards it is planned to find permanent home in the site museum in Paphos.