​Another great week of digging with trench supervisor Kerry Grant, trainee trench supervisor Taryn Gooley and our team up on the hill at the Paphos Theatre dig. This is my first season and Paphos and in fact, my first dig so it has been wonderful to learn from the experts here.
 
Friday afternoon is the time of the weekly directors tour of the site, allowing everyone a chance to see the great archaeology found in the other trenches. These tours and talks by the other teams illustrate the dynamism of the site. As the dig progresses more is revealed and the thoughts and theories of last week about the archaeology are either proved or thrown out as the earth goes down.
 
Friday night arrived, a time to wash the dirt off, and relax. Unnaturally bright coloured drinks served the purpose at a waterhole oddly called Baywatch.
 
The weekend has bought a chance to visit other close by archaeological sites. The medieval Castle of Lemesos, in use from the early Christian period (324-650 AD) to the Ottoman period (1570-1878) has a museum that has a great range of pottery on display. The collection contains restored vessels with decoration and iconography that is helpful in recognising pottery on the Pathos Theatre site.
Another medieval castle at Kolosso, first built in 1210 AD has intact wall paintings with Christian iconography. Little window niches in the castle offer a chance to sit in contemplation just as those of the past did.   
 
Palaepaphos is an extraordinary site because of its age. The temple of Aphrodite dates from 1200 BC and the Aphrodite cult stone has survived and is in the museum. The stone is massive. It is dark and shiny where many hands over millennia have stroked it in prayer to the Paphian Aphrodite. 
 
The Paphos Theatre is part of the larger World Heritage listed Kato Paphos Archaeological complex that dates from the Hellenistic period to the Ottoman Period. Within the archaeological park are surviving mosaic floors of elite Roman houses. Some are large-scale artworks depicting gods, animal scenes and geometric patterns rendered from tiny tesserae. The subtle hues of these combine to create and the overall impression of floors softer than silk carpets.
 
Back to the dig tomorrow, with more knowledge and in so much more awe of our spectacular site. 

Karen Dye
Excavator   

Today’s weather continues the summer Mediterranean diet of blue sky, comfortably hot with a gentle breeze.
 
This is my second season at Paphos.  Although I largely work in Australian Indigenous archaeology, Paphos provides the chance for different challenges and excavation methods together with the opportunity for a classical education.
 
My trench is excavating a nineteenth century wall built over a partly excavated Roman road.  Once completed, we’ll record, and then demolish to reveal a further section of the road.  Aside from large amounts of pottery, small levels of bone and glass we’ve uncovered a Roman marble capitol, in quite reasonable condition, complete with the traditional carved acanthus leaves, symbolic in the Mediterranean world for immortality.  Also located three sections of a Hellenistic period architrave, one including the maker’s mark, carved into separate limestone blocks.
 
Moving a rock today revealed some Cypriot wildlife.  A young snake, about 40cm. quickly wriggled away. Very colourful markings and I suspect it is what’s known as a Coin Snake, because of its distinctive circular marking.  Apparently it’s very adept at climbing walls.  Cyprus has several varieties of snake, many very colourful, however only a few are regarded as poisonous.  The Coin Snake, which grows to about 1.7m., is not venomous, but can certainly inflict a painful bite.  Cyprus’ most dangerous snake is the Blunt - Nosed Viper, which largely inhabits the north of the island.  Can be up to 1.5m. with a potentially deadly bite.
 
Aside from archaeological activity, I’m continuing research for my Master’s thesis with the working title The Variety and Quality of Cypriot Ice Creams and Sorbets.  Currently working my way through 44 varieties at my favourite shop. Given the complexity of the task, I suspect at least one further season will be necessary.

Hugh Watt
Excavator

A general day digging involves a 7.00 am start. Some arise at 05.50, some 6.50am. The mob moves off at 6.55 for a brisk 37-second walk to the site, which, by the afternoon, becomes a 2-minute slow moving scramble. Five trench groups part their way; ours take the high road to watch the above sunrise.
 
Trench photographs are taken and the trench supervisor allocates the morning work; picks and shovel, trowel and plastic scoops? After two and half interesting, engaging yet sweating work we break for breakfast. Each day a separate digger helps Fiona prepare the smorgasbord of delights: fresh bread, meats, salads, cereal and fruit. Messages delivered and we return to the trenches.
 
Intermittently, and when needed, we are tutored in the fine arts of dirt removal. Today’s lesson was Archaeological Methodology Conventions. By this time the sun is overhead and pounding, generally “up top” there is a breeze, which takes the edge off. We have a quick break at 11.30am and finally some shade, a few biscuits and a seat. Some stories are swapped and …
 
“Once more onto the cavea.” The final hour takes us to a final clearance and a clean. Store the tools and another smorgasbord waits. Generally, the afternoon ends with “Pot-washing”. From 2 pm we gather to soak and scrub the potshards or sort them to their respective eras, Hellenistic, Roman, Medieval (Sgraffito), Ottoman, modern, and plastics? Then breaking them down to fine ware, courseware or cookware. Finally examining them to see if they are diagnostic or non-diagnostic.
 
Sophocles, Aeschylus and Euripides would be proud of the day’s efforts!
 
The evening may require a quick trip to the new Mall or the weekend trip to the many varied spots around Cyprus; perhaps a trip to Cyprus Museum in Nicosia for some serious study. 

​Another day,
                       another sunrise,
                                            new knowledge and the setting sun.


Scott Mudge
​History Teacher and Digger

The team visited Pafos District Archaeological Museum on Friday afternoon to see the exhibitions and get a sense of the fabrics and shapes that we are discovering on site.

​A good chance to see some old friends and remind ourselves of the rich cultural heritage of Paphos.

​Tonight is our first pot-luck dinner for the Paphos 2016 season, so as I write I'm getting wafts of roast veggies and keftedes from each room as we try to figure out how the ovens work and hope that the food is getting cooked, or at least not charred to a crisp. This is my first time digging in Paphos and I have found the restaurants in city interesting. Japanese, Thai and Chinese are some cuisines that I did not expect to see, and then there are the little Cypriot gems that you find as you're going for a wander. My parents came to visit me here for a few days and we found a little family run place that we couldn't stop going back to! Although I'm sure tonight's dishes will trump (no relation to Donald) any restaurant in Cyprus.
 
It was really lovely to have my parents visit me in Paphos. I've been on a couple of other excavations overseas and sent many emails to them, explaining what I was getting up to so it was really amazing to have them here so they could see exactly where I was digging, who I was digging with and how it all worked. They came and visited me on site at the Theatre and I attempted to remember at least some of the information that Craig had relayed the day before, and I hope I sounded as convincing as the Segway tour guides who stop by the site every day (although we usually have to bite our tongues as not all of their facts are correct!). My parents had a bit of a wander around the site and, conveniently, took some photos of me and other trench members sitting down and staring at a wall (I swear we were drawing a section!) . One of the best things about them visiting, besides their lovely presence, was that they had a car, yay! We drove around one day and visited Aphrodite's beautiful birth place. Memories include squeezing past half naked Russians in a very narrow pedestrian underpass and struggling over the pebbled beach (it was still very beautiful!). We also drove to Kourion to see the restored theatre which was very impressive (although I may be biased in saying that our Paphos one is better). Another day we headed to Polis and had some unbelievably fresh and delicious sea bream, and then we drove off into the Troodos Mountains and marvelled at the amazing scenery Cyprus has to offer. 
 
What I really did love about mum and dad visiting though was that they got to see what I really love doing - digging a big hole somewhere in the Mediterranean. They also got to meet all the amazing people I get to do it with. Everyone has been so welcoming, and having a relatively small team of about 20-25 people means that we all get to chat and get to know one another. There are some familiar faces from Zagora, which is a site I was on a couple of years ago, so it's been really fun sharing stories from there as well as hearing many more from other wonderful sites around the world! This season I'm in trench 16 D, which is down the bottom of the theatre and we're digging down looking for the Roman road (and coming across huge rock tumble and a modern wall!). Not only is the fact that we're looking for a Roman road really cool, but I get to do it with Adam Carr as my trench supervisor who was also with me in Zagora, which brings back good memories and lots of stories - including the nickname 'Blanket' which I got on a particularly cold morning on the mini bus to site and is catching on here as quickly as it did there.
 
So one week in and I'm having a really brilliant time! The smell of cooking food is growing stronger, I'm sending mum and dad regular updates on the trench and my muscles are not as sore as I  thought they would be (again I swear I've been doing much more than staring at a wall!).
 
Claire Vincent
 
Photo: The team having dinner on site

The Sydney University Paphos Theatre Archaeological excavations has often been described by those in the know as the “Club Med” of archaeological field schools and its really not hard to see why.
​
The view from the top of the Cavea (theatre seating) is one of the best in Nea Paphos, and the sunsets from this area are nothing short of spectacular. Those of us lucky enough (or unlucky depending on how much you like climbing stairs) to be working in the trenches at the top of the Cavea get to dig to this backdrop (when we aren’t heads down, bottoms up toiling away in the soil).

Although the people working in the trenches at the bottom of the Cavea don’t get the sweeping harbour views (and being from Sydney we know how sought after harbour views are) they do get the pleasure of looking at the theatre complex which has been gradually uncovered by the University of Sydney over the past 21 years.

The scenery of the Paphos Theatre site could almost make anyone forget the sweltering heat, the aching muscles, and sore knees which are part and parcel of being a field archaeologist. The wonders of the UNESCO world heritage listed archaeological park is located to the west of our site stretching out to meet the ocean, while the modern city of Nea Paphos, interspersed with ancient catacombs, churches, and ruins extend to the north, south and east.
​
The crystal clear waters of the Mediterranean are little more than a hop skip and a jump from the theatre site. Students and supervisors alike wander down after a long day of digging to wash off the layer of dirt that has built up over the day.
 
This year I am supervising Trench 16A, a slightly daunting task, however the beauty of participating in a field school is that you are always learning from, and sharing your knowledge with others.  The primary aims for 16A are to extend north from the edge of Trench 14A (excavated in the 2014 season), which is located at the top of the Cavea, in order to reveal more of the architectural features, uncovered during the 2014 season. Some of the features we are hoping to gain more information about are the medieval walls, and the possible Roman platform identified in 2014. We will also be continuing the excavations within the boundaries Trench 14A in order to find out more about the features which may be below the possible Roman platform.
 
While it is only day three of digging we have already uncovered walls, pot fragments, pits, ancient building rubble, coins, and many other features throughout the trenches. If all this information still isn’t enough to tempt to into the world of archaeology, and in particular the Paphos Theater Project, we also have kittens* on site!
 
*Presence of kittens cannot be guaranteed for every season.

Tarry Gooley
​Senior Field Archaeologist

Pot washing.

It is an essential part of the archaeological process.  Obviously all finds are dirty when they are excavated, so it is important that all ceramic sherds are washed thoroughly, irrespective of age and findspot to enable further study.  We cannot analyse fabric, determine chronology of the finds and start the sorting process if they remain dirty.

It is important that ceramic and other finds which can be washed are separate from small finds, glass, metal, and decorated ceramics that require more specialised cleaning and conservation before the buckets are filled.  It is also important that the students clean all sides of the sherd they have.  And before you ask, no, no-one has invented a washing machine for sherds.  Yet.

Although we will have the assistance of some local volunteers to help us with pot washing in coming weeks, it is important for the team to get some experience of this first step in the finds process.  It is a great way to get to know the types of finds coming out of the deposit you are working in and will help with you analysis of the deposit.  

So the team set to work today under the shade of nearby trees cleaning the finds from the first two days of excavation, and leaving them to dry before the preliminary sherd count and sort can take place for each deposit.  There will be many more to follow!

​Back in Paphos again, for our first excavation season since 2014, and our 17th season overall since 1995.  21 years, and some of the team were here for that first season (a little greyer now), remembering a time before blogs, before social media and when contact with family and friends from Australia was expensive and short phone calls and postage collected from Pafos Museum!
 
But enough time for reminiscing – we have work to do!  After a site induction and guided tour yesterday the team are ready to get cracking, so today was a day dedicated to unpacking tools and equipment, cleaning up the site, laying out our new trenches and breaking topsoil for the first time this year.  Its very exciting.
 
We have three trenches open by the end of the day and you will read a lot more about them in coming days and weeks as various members of the team add to the blog and let you know their thoughts and impressions of the progress of the season and the work they are doing.  Trenches 16A and 16B are located at the rear of the cavea of the theatre and are both exploring a building we uncovered in previous years that we suspect is a post-medieval industrial building.
 
Trench 16C is located on the very south west of our site and is underneath a former house that the team used to live in when we first started working at the site.  We are hoping to find more evidence of the urban layout of the Roman town, including our road which we have been investigating over the past few years.

As always we are only able to work in Paphos because of the wonderful support of our colleagues at the Department of Antiquities.  We look forward to sharing our adventures at the site in coming weeks on this blog. Hope you can join us!
 
Craig Barker
Director