Crop of Cyprus

Thanks to complex historical destiny Cyprus became centre of various crops and civilisations, each of them has brought in the investment in formation of original national shape of Cyprus. Here it is possible to see the rests of settlements of the Stone Age, Greek gimnasii and temples, the Roman country houses and theatres, the byzantian temples and monasteries, locks of crusaders and the Venetian strong holds, gothic cathedrals and Turkish mosques.

The researches of archeologists carried out on Cyprus have allowed to discover variety of settlements of the first inhabitants of island during a neolith epoch. Most ancient of them (6800 year B.C.) is in 60  km jugo-to the west Nicosia, nearby to modern village Hirokitija. On abundant of finds the settlement is the most unique monument of an epoch of a neolith. Here it is revealed over hundred uleobraznyh dwellings with a pencil-point roofing.

The Rich stuff for life studying on Cyprus in a bronze age (2600-1000 B.C.) is detected at digging of numerous necropolises. The most interesting monument of an epoch of bronze - necropolis Vunus (III millenary B.C.) at settlement Bellapajs in the north of Cyprus. Necropolis tombs represent the round chambers cut in a rock.

To the season of serotinal bronze (1600-1000 B.C.) refer to variety of finds at modern settlement Engomi, nearby to Famagusta. Here the significant part of site of ancient settlement Engomi were capital of Cyprus in XVI-XII centuries B.C. and wearing name Alasija is dug out.

Near the modern settlement Vuni in a northwest part of island is dug out one of the most interesting architectural complexes of antique Cyprus - a palace of the middle of I millenary B.C., the season of struggle of Cypriotes against the persian tsars. The palace consists of front doors and berthing spaces, the lobby, several sanctuaries, kitchen rooms, baths, pantries and the big yard, from three parties surrounded with the colonnade of porticoes.

In the island southwest, at village Kuklja where Old Pathos - capital of Cyprus in V century B.C. placed - the well-known sanctuary of the Aphrodite is revealed. However, from this monument of the Cyprian sacral architecture ruins of the bases and separate architectural fragments were saved only. Oof of the Pathos which has attained the best blossoming in the Roman season, country house Dionisa (III century of our era) visually shows. It is the big complex of the Roman urban country house. The country house has gained the name thanks to the dazzling low-ground mosaics detected in it representing scenes from life of Greek god Dionisa.

Nearby to Pafossky port dwelling Teseja - the rests of the bases of the big palace which had enfilades of spacious inhabited and smart rooms which floors have been decorated by mosaic panels from slices of a diversicolorous stone has been detected. The dwelling is named on the dazzling mosaic which has gained wide popularity representing scramble Teseja with a Minotaur.

In several kilometres to the east of Old Pathos the rests of a sanctuary of Apollo Gilata (VIII century B.C.) are detected. Here there were cult buildings framed with the colonnade, rooms for pilgrims and palestra in which sports meets in honour of Apollo were spent.

In two kilometres to the east from Apollo's sanctuary at marine coast ruins Kuriona, one of the most ancient Cyprian cities are dug out. Life has begun here during a Mycenaean epoch, but the city has attained blossoming in the Roman season. Theatre Kuriona containing 3500 spectators was saved. Here every summer representations of antique tragedies and comedies are arranged.

Numerous monuments of an ancient art are detected in Salamine which in IV-VII centuries of our era was capital of Cyprus, and in I millenary B.C. - the large centre of the Cyprian trade with the East. In Salamine scientists refer to some structures already to rannehristianskomu a time. Here, in particular, the bases of the most ancient on Cyprus a Christian basilica of IV century and St. Ekaterina's tomb in the Salaminsky necropolis are dug out.