Ancient Cyprus — Paphos
Archaeology, trade and the earliest visible layers. A source-linked guide to Paphos.
Chronology
A UNESCO landscape
The World Heritage property joins Kato Paphos and Kouklia: Nea Paphos, the Tombs of the Kings and the sanctuary of Aphrodite at Kouklia. It is an archaeological designation, not a label for all of modern Paphos.
Aphrodite, mosaics and a Roman capital
The UNESCO World Heritage property includes Nea Paphos, the Tombs of the Kings and Palaepaphos at Kouklia. Paphos was inhabited from the Neolithic period and developed a pre-Hellenic fertility cult; Greek tradition later made Cyprus the legendary birthplace of Aphrodite. The tradition is powerful cultural memory, while the sanctuary and archaeological layers are the evidence visitors can see.
The mosaics of Nea Paphos turn Greek myths into Roman-era visual storytelling: gods, heroes and everyday life appear in domestic rooms. They do not prove the myths; they show what educated patrons chose to display. This makes Paphos an unusually clear place to see how mythology travelled through art and civic life.