Archaeologists found important old walls in Palaepaphos, Cyprus. They found big stone towers and a strong defensive wall. This work is done by universities from Copenhagen and Uppsala. They also found an old sanctuary from the Iron Age. Inside, they found small statues. These statues tell us about ancient religious life. They also found a Roman town with a smart water system. These discoveries change how we see Palaepaphos's past importance.
The work will continue until autumn 2025. They are studying the old walls carefully. They want to know how strong the ancient city was. Palaepaphos was already known for its palace and walls. These new walls show the city was well-planned and built. Project leaders are happy with the findings. They think it proves Palaepaphos was a strong and organized city.
Besides the walls, the team found other interesting things. The Iron Age sanctuary had small statues of horses, bulls, and a goddess. These give us clues about ancient beliefs. They also found a Roman town in some areas. This town had a complex water system. It had terraces, tanks, and pipes. This shows the people were very clever with water.
These discoveries are important for the whole area. They also studied how Roman copper mining affected the land. This connects to the city’s development. The ancient city parts were found under a thin layer of soil. This means they are well-preserved. The Cyprus government has protected the site. A fence was built to keep it safe. The time after 300 BC was thought to be quiet. However, these finds show people were still active then. This makes us understand ancient life better.