THE latest archaeological finds show that the residents of Paphos were affluent and had artistic tendencies, the department of antiquities said on Friday, after the recent discovery of a set of tombs in the town’s centre.
The find comes at a time when Paphos prepares to host the European culture capital next year, with a long list of events covering all disciplines of art, suggesting that this love for the arts has been in the genes of the local for centuries.
“The six ancient tombs revealed valuable findings,” Efstathios Raptou from the antiquities department said.
One of the six tombs found very near the town hall is quite large and contains frescoes comparable to those at the Tombs of the Kings in Kato Paphos, he explained, adding “we have to take care to make appropriate arrangements so the grave can be seen by the public.”
While two tombs belonging to the Greco-Roman period were looted, in another tomb located near the municipal library, vessels from the Hellenistic period were identified.
In fact, the entire Paphos area up to Anavargos is built on an ancient cemetery, the officer added.
A number of significant buildings have been built on the cemetery in the 1930s and 40s when sophisticated tools for the detection of antiques and the relevant expertise did not exist, Raptou added.
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