Paphos Archaeological Museum
There are lots of interesting archaeological sites dotted around Paphos. When they have been excavated, their contents invariably end up in the local museums, either in Nicosia or in the Paphos Archaeological Museum, which is where we are headed in this article.
Main Entrance
You will find the museum at the top end of the B6. Starting from Kennedy Square, if you were to walk towards the Stadium, past the town hall, you would go past a number of shops and businesses before arriving at the entrance. If you are in a car, there is a carpark in the grounds, which you enter via an electronic gate.
The museum is open every day apart from Mondays and public holidays. Hours are from 9am to 4:30pm (though Google says 4:00pm).
Once inside, we were greeted by a friendly chap who said admission was free, and pointed us in the right direction. On seeing my camera he mentioned that flash photography wasn't allowed, so I bore that in mind on my adventure. You can also pick up a leaflet here which has a handy map explaining the layout of the museum.
Linear Route
Fortunately, the museum adopts the Ikea / Jumbo philosophy in that you can only go a single route through the building, so you won't miss anything. The main thing you need to know about navigating the museum comes from the leaflet available in reception:
The visitor's route follows a chronological development, each period marked by a different colour as well as thematic entites that highlight the characteristics of each period.
Epi-palaeolithic and Neolithic Periods
To be honest, I had wondered about the colours of the walls. It made some of the signs a bit of a challenge to read. It was only later when I was reading the leaflet prior to writing this blog that I realised it was because the regions are colour-coded. The first area covers from 10500-3900 BC. That over 6,500 years, which is kind of unimaginable, but tiny in comparison to the age of the Earth. It is worth remembering though, when you look at the exhibits, that during the time of Christ, these ruins will already have lain undiscovered for 6,000 odd years.
Agios Ioannis
Items are all clearly labelled in both Greek and English. For instance. item 4 (2nd row, centre) is labelled as:
Thumbnail Scrapers
Agios Ioannis/Vretsia-Roudia
Late Epi-Palaeolithic period
So you get what it is, where they found it, and how old it was. I know the site in question where they dug this up. You cannot actually get close to it, as it is in a Vulture Sanctuary on the side of a hill above a fire break. But apparently its pretty much the oldest site in Cyprus.
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Paphos Archaeological Park - Summary
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Tucked away in the lower reaches of Kissonerga, lies a site of great historical importance. Similar in appearance to the ancient village of Lemba, which is currently closed for maintenance, Kissonerga Mosfilia is a perfect way to spend half an hour if you fancy something a little different. Like most of our findings, it was a happy accident that brought us to this ancient settlement. We were avoiding a roadblock and happened to pass this sign on our way to the coast road. Brown signs often signal something interesting, so we stopped to take a look...
Akamas Geology And Paleontology Center
For years we have enjoyed exploring the countryside of Paphos, and especially rummaging through rocks looking for interesting fossils and crystals. I was delighted therefore to discover that the Akamas has its very own Geology and Paleontology Center, on the outskirts of Pano Arodes. Let me show you around...Related Pages
MapPaphos Archaeological Museum
There are lots of interesting archaeological sites dotted around Paphos. When they have been excavated, their contents invariably end up in the local museums, either in Nicosia or in the Paphos Archaeological Museum, which is where we are headed in this article.
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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.
