Piecing things together in Paphos
Sanctuary of Aphrodite, Kouklia; Tombs of the Kings, Paphos
Cyprus amazes me. There are so many archaeological artefacts on this island, you practically trip over them! I have to admit that my own find of these shards of pottery was no great feat. I simply looked down and there they were, right at my feet!
As for the major stonework – walls and pillars of tombs and other buildings – sure, the island is just one giant jigsaw, waiting to be pieced together. I reckon there’s enough work to keep those archaeologists busy not just for years, but for decades to come. The Tombs of the Kings site in Paphos is a case in point.
About ten tombs have been restored and are accessible to the public. There are still many more tombs on the site awaiting restoration. If they were anywhere else, they’d merit a whole interpretive centre to themselves! They partly look a little like in those pictures you see of Angkor Wat, with trees growing through the walls and roofs. I do hope they get around to restoring them soon before they are further damaged by the roots!
Talking about damage, I was appalled to hear that, in the 19th century, a former Italian diplomat basically looted the tombs of over 35,000 artefacts and sold them to the US. These artefacts were used as the basis for the founding of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. I wonder if the Cypriots will ever ask for their stuff back…
The tombs that have been restored are quite mind-blowing. It’s not surprising that they’re called Tombs of the Kings. They certainly are fit for a king, but in actual fact, were built for noblemen and women of the time. They certainly must have had some clout. And wealth.
The idea, apparently, was to recreate all the comforts of home in these tombs for the deceased to enjoy in the afterlife. Everything from fine foods and wines to washing facilities were provided for the deceased. Ew! I must admit I found that rather weird and creepy. But then again, there’s no accounting for human cultural traditions.
Not far outside Paphos, the Oldies came across yet another UNESCO World Heritage archaeological site at Kouklia. This one, the Sanctuary of Aphrodite, is just up the hill from – you’ve guessed it – Aphrodite’s Rock. I’d have preferred to have stayed on the beach by the rock, but was glad that at least I didn’t have to creep around creepy tombs this time!
Once again, there are endless artefacts simply lying around here. The shrine and other areas on the site which have been pieced together and restored are impressive.
Though I, personally, was equally impressed by the panoramic views of the coastline from this wonderful elevated site. Those ancients certainly knew how to pick their spots!
The museum in the Lusignan manor on site contains a small but fascinating collection of artefacts. Many of them were similar to the ones we had seen in the museum in Paphos, but there were some spectacular treasures here, such as a highly decorated sarcophagus, beautiful Roman glassware, and my favourite – a 13,500 year old carved limestone bathtub, complete with seat and sponge holder. Which was discovered in a tomb, of course.
A luxurious bathtub for the dead! Which makes me wonder how luxurious life for the living must have been. The lucky ducks!
