Thursday 5 October – Time for the tombs

We set out by car this morning for the Tombs of the Kings.  This necropolis is just north of Kato Paphos and dates back to the 4^th century BC.  It was the burial place of aristocrats and high officials up to the 3^rd century AD – but no kings (the name comes from the magnificence of the tombs). The tombs have been carved out of solid rock and you can only marvel at the time and effort that must have been put in to creating them.  Some are man-made tombs running off existing caves, or carved into above-ground rock, while others are ornately carved into the bedrock, working from ground-level down, with Doric columns and frescoed walls.  Some emulate the homes of the living, with separate rooms spreading over and amounting to, in one case, almost 400 square metres.  It is possible to climb down stairs into the main, colonnaded atrium then step into other rooms containing the niches for the tombs.  In one case, archaeologists have identified eighteen separate burials within the tomb. Archaeological work has confirmed that the bodies were buried with costly good, including jewellery. Most of the tombs are apparently very similar to those found in Alexandria (Egypt), demonstrating the close ties between the two cities during the Hellenistic period.  The entire site probably covers ten hectares – and we trudged over almost all of it in the searing heat.  And it seems even the resident pigeons have earmarked their own tombs.

Then back into our air-conditioned car and a drive across Paphos to the Agia Paraskevi, one of the loveliest little churches in Paphos, dating back to the 9th century, with extant frescoes from the 15^th century.  Unfortunately no photos were allowed inside.  After spending some time here we made our way back to our apartment for lunch on the terrace, then indulged in another walk along the seashore at Kato Paphos before returning for a well-earned rest.

Tomorrow: we leave Paphos and head east along the coastline, stopping at the ancient sites of Kourion and Limassol before reaching our accommodation in the little village of Kalavasos.