60 years of Polish research in Nea Paphos: a summary of anniversary events in Poland

To mark the 60th anniversary of archaeological research in Nea Paphos, Cyprus, initiated by the Polish Centre of Mediterranean Archaeology, University of Warsaw (PCMA UW), and the 15th anniversary of the Jagiellonian University’s involvement in the site, two major events were organized: the international conference Nea Paphos Colloquium IV and the outdoor jubilee exhibition: From Maloutena to the Agora – 60 Years of Polish Research in Cyprus.

The fourth edition of the “Nea Paphos Colloquium” was held on 20–21 May 2025 in Warsaw and continued on 22–23 May in Kraków. The conference focused on the latest archaeological research results from the ancient capital of Cyprus and brought together researchers from Poland and abroad, representing institutions engaged in work at the site.

The Warsaw part of the conference was inaugurated by the University of Warsaw Vice-Rector for Research, Prof. Zygmunt Lalak, the Mayor of Pafos, Mr. Phedonas Phedonos, and Prof. Artur Obłuski, Director of the PCMA UW. At the opening session, Prof. Ewdoksia Papuci-Władyka, head of the PCMA UW Research Centre in Cyprus and director of the Nea Paphos excavation project, addressed the participants.

The Kraków sessions, hosted at the Jagiellonian Library, were opened by Prof. Jarosław Bodzek, Director of the Institute of Archaeology, Jagiellonian University, and Dr. Mariusz Drzewiecki, Deputy Director of the PCMA UW. The events were concluded with a summary by Prof. Ewdoksia Papuci-Władyka.

Among the research presented during the conference were results from the interdisciplinary project “MA-P Maloutena and Agora in the layout of Paphos: modelling the cityscape of the Hellenistic and Roman capital of Cyprus”. The project aims to reconstruct the architectural layout of ancient Nea Paphos through collaboration among experts from the Jagiellonian University (project leader), Warsaw University of Technology, Wrocław University of Science and Technology, the University of Hamburg, and the PCMA UW. One of the project’s outcomes has been the development of 3D reconstructions of the city across different historical periods.

Some of these 3D visualizations are featured in the outdoor exhibition “From Maloutena to the Agora – 60 Years of Polish Research in Cyprus”, which opened on 21 May following the conclusion of the Warsaw part of the conference. The exhibition, located in the courtyard of the Old Library on the University of Warsaw’s Main Campus, was officially opened by Prof. Adam Niewiadomski, UW Vice-Rector for Legal and Doctoral Affairs. The exhibition presents both the scientific achievements and the everyday life of the archaeological expeditions in Nea Paphos over the past six decades.

As part of the anniversary celebrations, a meeting was also held on 28 May 2025 at the University of Warsaw with His Excellency Nicos P. Nicolaou, the Ambassador of the Republic of Cyprus in the Republic of Poland. During a visit to the University’s Main Campus, Ambassador Nicolaou, accompanied by Dr. Paweł Lech of the PCMA UW, toured the outdoor exhibition and expressed his appreciation for the long-standing Polish-Cypriot academic cooperation. He also extended his gratitude to Prof. Ewdoksia Papuci-Władyka and Prof. Artur Obłuski for their contributions to this collaboration.

The exhibition will remain on display until 14 June 2025 — all are warmly invited to visit.

The jubilee events were made possible with the support of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education under the initiative “Internationalization of the results of research conducted by archaeological research centers of the University of Warsaw” and the “Excellence Initiative – Research University” program (activity IV.3.1) at the University of Warsaw, as well as the “Excellence Initiative – Research University” program at the Jagiellonian University. The City of Kraków was a partner of the Kraków edition of the conference.