Archaeological excavations reveal new data on ancient Nea Paphos

The 2026 excavation season at Fabrika Hill in Kato Paphos has concluded, led by Professor Claire Balandier of the University of Avignon in collaboration with the French School at Athens and the Cyprus Department of Antiquities. Archaeologists identified a large square structure carved into the bedrock near the church of Ayios Agapitikos as the northeast tower of the ancient city’s Hellenistic defensive wall. Evidence suggests that tower stones were either removed during the Roman period or reused in the construction of a later church built on the site. Further findings include a three-meter-high wall and an expanded rock-cut water channel system near the ancient theatre that dates back to the Hellenistic era. Researchers also examined the northwest gate, uncovering the bases of flanking towers and completing a comprehensive topographic map of the city walls. The project aims to synthesize these new findings with historical data from the 1980s, including studies on Hellenistic and Roman ceramics conducted by Professor Jolanta Młynarczyk. Financial support for the research was provided by the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, the French School at Athens, the CNRS, the University of Avignon, and the Municipality of Paphos.