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Third season of JU excavations on Cyprus completed

Emperor Claudius Gothicus' coin, 268-270 AD

The researchers from the Department of Classical Archaeology of the JU Institute of Archaeology have completed the third season of excavations in Paphos, which aim at the exploration of the Agora of ancient city Nea Paphos, the capital of Cyprus in the Hellenistic and Roman periods.

The exploration works were conducted between August 12 and September 20. The team led by Professor Ewdoksia Papuci-Władyka comprised nearly 40 persons, including the staff of the Institute, doctoral students, graduate and undergraduate students and volunteers.

Thanks to the preservation work performed by the member of the Institute's staff Dr hab. Marcin Biborski, the relics found during the previous seasons were restored to their original beauty. These items include scales with an acorn-shaped weight, a rectangle-shaped lead weight with an officer's name, which proves the existence of the Roman agora at the excavation site, bronze jugs, and a unique Roman iron sword. The cleaning of coins was especially important, as they – together with pottery – play a key role in determining the chronology of uncovered architecture and other finds.

The archaeologists were accompanied by two geodesists from the AGH University of Science and Technology. They took measurements and processed the data, performed photogrammetry and helped to create the digital elevation model of the site (DEM). It is to be integrated with the Geographic Information System, which will lead to the creation of a complete database and a 3D reconstruction of the excavated structures.

The excavations were carried out in two trenches: Trench II, which has been researched ever since the first season and is located in the central part of the eastern portico of the Agora, by the entrance to the square from the east, and Trench III, opened in 2013. It is situated next to the southern portico of the Agora, and north of it.

This year, new rooms were discovered in Trench II. According to Professor Ewdoksia Papuci-Władyka, they had been most likely shops (tabernae) situated by the eastern entrance to the Roman Agora. Other architectural structures, dating from the Hellenistic period (late 4th century BC onwards) and the Roman Period (until early 2nd century AD) were also discovered.

As far as the new trench is concerned, the archaeologists were looking for older structures than the Roman Agora. Ten walls, fragments of two floors and other architectural structures were uncovered. It has been indicated that they had functioned in the Hellenistic period. As for now, the archaeologists have been unable to assess whether the structures in question had been connected with the Hellenistic Agora that they have been looking for. In order to answer this question, the exploration of Trench III is be continued in the following season.

After the termination of the fieldwork, photos were taken from above by the so-called quadrocopter, equipped with digital camera. Preliminary results of this procedure are very promising and the experiment will be continued with a larger machine – a hexacopter.

The data gathered during the exploration will be analysed and elaborated on in Krakow. A preliminary report based on this research is planned to be published in Report of the Department of Antiquities, Cyprus.

Adapted from: "PAP - Nauka w Polsce", Paphos Agora Project Website

Published Date: 14.01.2014
Published by: Łukasz Wspaniały
Uniwersytet Jagielloński