The Houses Of Aion And Theseus
It's time now to start our detailled look at the Archaeological Park, so let's begin at the beginning. Once you enter the Archaeological Park, if you keep left, the first sites you will arrive at the The Houses of Theseus and Aion. Let's take a look at their mosaics and other attractions...
This Must Be The Place

There is actually a third house here as well, belonging to Orpheus. However, in terms of viewability, that one is still very much a work in progress. So we shall concentrate on the signposted duo.
Spring Showers

In this picture the House of Theseus is the open-air area on the left, whereas the House of Aion is in the building to the right. We took these pictures after a decent rainfall. This is a good time to visit outdoor mosaics, as they will have had a good wash and look nice and clean. Also, if you are lucky, you will be able to get some nice reflection shots with puddles.
The House of Theseus owes its name to a large mosaic featuring Theseus and the Minotaur. It is the largest one of all the known public buildings in the entire Roman Cyprus, and consists of over 100 rooms, built in four wings around a large, open court. What you are looking at here is the Southern Wing. This was the Ceremonial and Administrative area of the house. The private dwellings, servant's rooms and workshops make up the rest.
Theseus Boardwalk

There is a useful information sign here too:
The House of Theseus
2nd - 6th cent. A.D.)
The area has been excavated by the Polish Archaeological Mission of Warsaw University. It is a building of palatial character, whose construction began in the 2nd century A,D and underwent many modifications. It was inhabited until the early 7th cntury A.D. According to the excavators, the building was the official seat of the proconsul, the Roman governer of Cyprus.
It expanded horizontally around a large atrium and consisted of clearly-defined official and domestic sections. The rooms were adorned with figural and geometric mosaic floors and many works of art. The principal staterooms were located in the south wing, in the centre of which an apsidal room was the reception hall. the floor of this room is decorated with a mosaic depicting the birth of Achilles. Other rooms are decorated with mosaic floors representing mythological scenes such as Theseus and the Minotaur (hence the name of the house) and Poseidon with Amphitrite.
Towards The House Of Aion

We will visit the House Of Aion towards the end of this blog. It is bigger than that building, but the interesting mosaics are contained within its walls.
The Benefit of Rain

We've visited the park on numerous occasions. In the height of summer, after a few hot winds, a lot of this walkway will be quite dusty. So it is nice to see what it looks like after a wash. In this picture the Eastern Wing is to the right, and the central square to the left.
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Paphos Archaeological Park - Summary
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eBookCyprus Road Trip 01: the Kathikas - Panagia Loop
Let me take you on a journey around the region of Paphos, Cyprus. Starting at Paphos itself, we travel to Akoursos, then Kathikas, Kritou Terra and Simou. We continue past Lasa and Kannaviou, before taking in the delights of Panagia. Getting a bit more adventurous, we visit the abandoned villages of Statos and Agios Fotios, before passing through Choulou, Letymbou and Polemi, and rejoining the main Paphos - Polis road.
The route is suitable for all types of vehicle, and requires no off-roading. The guide contains about 130 photographs including shots of all the road signs you need to pay attention to, as well as some of the highlights you may experience along the way.
There are also several maps which will help you keep your bearings.
You can do this journey in a day, or you can break it up into chunks. You can also do it in reverse, to get some completely different views. It is entirely up to you.
