Replica of Aphrodite of Lefkolla welcomed to Paralimni

Paralimni, Cyprus. A replica of the ancient Aphrodite of Lefkolla has been officially welcomed to Paralimni, offering the area an opportunity to reconnect with its ancient roots, Deputy Minister of Culture Clea Papaellinas said.

The original marble head remains at the Neues Museum in Berlin, where it has been held for more than a century and a half.

Official ceremony

Speaking at an official ceremony in Protaras on Sunday, Papaellinas described the event as an important moment of symbolic value and substantial significance for Cyprus.

She stressed that the object brought to Paralimni was a replica, rather than the original archaeological find.

“We are not celebrating a return today in the narrow sense of the word,” Papaellinas said. “We are, however, celebrating something equally substantial: the return of the knowledge, memory and identity of a place to the place itself.”

Research and cooperation

The replica was brought to the area following research by Paralimni-Dherynia municipality and cooperation with the Neues Museum and Humboldt University of Berlin.

Papaellinas said the initiative extended beyond the physical object by allowing residents to see an archaeological find originating from their own area.

“It is a reminder that ancient Lefkolla is not an abstract reference in history books, but part of the land on which Paralimni is built today,” she said.

Ancient significance

According to Papaellinas, the head provides evidence of the importance of the Paralimni area in antiquity.

The goddess is depicted wearing a turreted crown, a feature also found on coins issued by kings of ancient Salamis.

Papaellinas said this indicated that Lefkolla, in the area of present-day Paralimni, was not on the margins of the ancient Cypriot world but formed a recognisable and significant part of the territory of the kingdom of Salamis.