To mark the 60th anniversary of the beginning of PCMA UW research in Nea Paphos, Cyprus, two events will be held: the scientific conference “Nea Paphos Colloquium IV” and the open-air exhibition “From Maloutena to the Agora – 60 Years of Polish Research in Cyprus”.
Expedition from the Polish Centre of Mediterranean Archaeology, University of Warsaw began its work in 1965 in Maloutena, the residential district of the ancient city, and continues to this day—making it the longest-running foreign archaeological expedition on the island. In 2019, the PCMA UW project joined forces with a team from the Institute of Archaeology, Jagiellonian University in Krakow, focused on the city’s Agora. This collaboration led to the creation of the “MA-P: Maloutena and Agora – Archaeological Project in Paphos, Cyprus”, under the direction of Prof. Ewdoksia Papuci-Władyka, who also heads the PCMA UW Research Centre in Cyprus, established in 2021.
The 60th anniversary celebrations coincide with the joint Cypriot-Polish presidency of the Council of the European Union, emphasizing Poland’s lasting contribution to archaeological research in Cyprus (read more).
Open-air Exhibition
From 16 May to 14 June, the exhibition “From Maloutena to the Agora – 60 Years of Polish Research in Cyprus” will be on view at the University of Warsaw’s Main Campus, in the courtyard in front of the Old University Library. The exhibition highlights the archaeology of Paphos—once the capital of ancient Cyprus and since the 1980s a UNESCO World Heritage site—and the history of Polish archaeological work there. It presents not only scientific findings but also a behind-the-scenes look at the everyday life of the expedition over the decades. The exhibition will also be accessible during this year’s European Night of Museums.
International Conference
The Nea Paphos Colloquium IV “From Past to Present: Reflections on Sixty Years of Research in Paphos”, will be held from 20 to 23 May. The first two days will take place in Warsaw, in the ballroom of the Tyszkiewicz-Potocki Palace (University of Warsaw Museum), featuring eight sessions with three to four 20-minute presentations each. The Warsaw portion will conclude with the official opening of the exhibition.
The remaining five sessions will be held on 22–23 May at the Jagiellonian University Library in Kraków.
The colloquium is open to all those interested in the archaeology of Cyprus and the Mediterranean region. It has been organized by the Polish Centre of Mediterranean Archaeology, University of Warsaw; the Institute of Archaeology, Jagiellonian University; the Department of Antiquities of Cyprus; the University of Avignon; and the HiSoMA research institute (ENS de Lyon).
The Warsaw events are funded by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Poland for the task: “Internationalization of the results of research conducted by archaeological research centers of the University of Warsaw” and the University of Warsaw’s “Excellence Initiative – Research Univeristy”. The Krakow part is co-financed by the Faculty of History of the Jagiellonian University Initiative of Excellence.
Another highlight of the anniversary celebrations will be the official opening of the PCAM UW Research Centre in Cyprus – more details coming soon!
