Cleaning Up!

Our first day on site for the 2014 season begins in a heatwave – it is over 35 degrees as I write this.  So we have to take it easy.  Today was all about preparation anyway, so preparing ourselves for the heat does help.

The day begins at 7am with site induction – a Workplace Health and Safety session, and a discussion on the archaeological methodology we use and the process of recording trenches as we follow.  It’s a good chance for new team members to ask questions.

Its then onto site this morning to begin clearing the area of our two trenches and retrieving tools that were stored away safely at the end of our last field season.  They haven’t been used in almost two years so will require cleaning.  We also made contact with the staff of the Paphos Museum to let them know of what work we are doing this year (and catch up on gossip!).

In the hot sun, by the time lunch came around at noon we were exhausted but well satisfied with our progress and ready to break ground tomorrow.

We will open two trenches in 2014, one will be called 14A and will be placed on the top of the cavea (seating area) continuing work started in 2012.  The  second trench (14B) will be at the south of the site, exploring the southern edge of the Roman road we have been investigating in previous seasons.

We finish the evening with a walking tour of the site, so new team members can see the archaeological evidence of the phases of useage on the site from the third century BC through to the fourth century AD, as well as the Medieval and Ottoman eras that they will get to know so well in coming days.  It’s a good chance for people to clarify our knowledge of the site and ask questions so that they feel confident with what we do know about the site (and what questions the project still has to answer!).  Then our first team dinner at a local taverna.  Yum!

Our work is only possible because of the support of the Nicholson Museum at the University of Sydney the Australian Archaeological Institute at Athens and of course the Department of Antiquities of the Republic of Cyprus for whom we are privileged to be able to explore the history of this remarkable island.  We can’t wait to keep you up to date over the next five weeks with our work.