Excavations at Fabrika Hill in Kato Paphos have revealed crucial new insights into the defensive structures and water management of ancient Nea Paphos. Led by Professor Claire Balandier of Avignon University, the French archaeological team unearthed remains of a significant Hellenistic defensive tower carved into bedrock, part of the city’s fortifications more than 2,000 years old.

Further discoveries include a complex underground water system near the ancient theatre, featuring an extended rock-cut channel, an underground storage gallery, and remnants of Roman modifications such as a well and terracotta pipes. Evidence suggests the system was damaged by an ancient earthquake, causing water leaks that likely led to its abandonment.

Additionally, archaeologists uncovered a large wall, the foundations of which remain unexplored, and explored a quarry-turned-tomb on Fabrika Hill that was used in Roman and early Byzantine periods. These findings contribute to a broader international effort to understand the urban development and defense mechanisms of ancient Nea Paphos.