The highly anticipated second episode of the EXCALIBUR Chronicles is now live on the project’s YouTube channel! In this release, we travel to the northern Necropolis of Paphos, Cyprus, to explore the spectacular Tombs of the Kings, a fascinating burial site dating back to approximately 300 BC.

As one of EXCALIBUR’s four Pilot Sites, this location perfectly highlights the project’s mission: bridging cutting-edge technology with traditional archaeology to revolutionize the preservation, restoration, and presentation of burial heritage.

Expert Insights from the Field

Filmed during a recent pilot visit, this episode features exclusive interviews with leading experts driving the EXCALIBUR project forward:

• Chrysanthos Pissarides (Architect, Monuments Conservator & President of Cyprus ICOMOS): Outlines the mission to safeguard cultural heritage. He stresses the importance of promoting monuments to ensure visitor accessibility and secure conservation funding, detailing how ICOMOS contributes vital research and technology to the project.
• Sophocles Hadjisavvas (Archaeologist): Shares deep historical insights from his 1977–1990 excavations. He describes the cemetery’s architectural spectrum—from ordinary chambers to elite peristyle tombs—and shares evidence indicating that the last King of Cyprus, Ptolemy of Cyprus, rests in Tomb 8.
• Konstantinos Roussos (Eratosthenes Center of Excellence – ECoE): Addresses modern threats to cultural heritage, such as climate change and urban expansion. He explains how ECoE utilizes Earth observation techniques and risk assessment methodologies to achieve sustainable site protection.
• George Leventis (Eratosthenes Center of Excellence – ECoE): Elaborates on the development of specialized toolkits that use satellite imagery and data fusion to monitor site risks. These technological contributions focus on two pilot sites: the Tombs of the Kings in Paphos and the Tomb of the Egyptian in Sardinia.

Watch Now

Discover how modern science is stepping in to protect our ancient past: