Idalio
Local museum Of Ancient Idalio
The Local Museum of Ancient Idalio was founded 2007 in view of exhibiting the findings of the area of Idalio and with prospects of operating at a later stage as a Visitors Centre of the archeological site on which it stands.
Idalio is one of the most significant archeological sites in Cyprus that has yielded rich findings some of which, today, are prized exhibits in the biggest museums the world over.
Legend relates that the ancient town of Idalio was founded by the Achean hero of the Trojan war, Chalkanor, descendant of Tefkros founder of Salamina.
The earliest traces of human activity were discovered in the Agridi area and date from the 6th or 7th millennium BC. From the 18th to the 11th century BC in the middle and Later Bronze ages, various settlements developed trade contacts with neighboring regions in the Mediterranean Sea. Since then the area has been continually inhabited until the present time and developed into an urban centre. The zenith of economic and cultural development was when the Kingdom of Idalio was established, first mentioned in Assyrian written records of the 7th century BC. The kingdom flourished until mid 7th century BC when its capital was besieged and conquered by the Phoenician kings of Kition.
The museum has exhibits representing all the chronological phases of the history of Idalio, findings of older and most recent excavationsijnh the area of the ancient town, in settlements and burial grounds.
In the first hall of the museum there is information material about the history of the area and the excavations as well as photographs of all the most important findings exhibited in foreign museums.
In addition, the Protoaeolic capitals that adorned funerary monuments and the palace of Idalio are vividly represented, as well as samples of characteristic earthenware and sculpture which developed in Idalio and produced unparalleled works of artistic value.
In the second hall there are exhibits of inscriptions that bear witness of the conquest of the kingdom, part of the Phoenician administration archives funerary monuments, samples of pottery and objects of functional everyday use spanning all the ages with explanatory textsfor the significance of each period separately.
There are also exhibits of imported pottery fom attica and representative works of earthenware and sculpture. In a special part of the hall there is photographic material that together with storage jars and small objects depict the economy of Idalio as foundations for the development of a civilization that is, today, an object for research and admiration internationally.
Source: Antiquities Department – Republic of Cyprus
Address: Gianni Grouta 30, 2540 Dali
Administration: Antiquities Department – Republic of Cyprus
Working hours:
Winter Hours September 16th – April 15th: Monday – Friday: 8:30 to 16:00, Saturday and Sunday: Closed.
Summer Hours April 16-15 to September: Monday – Friday: 8:30 to 16:00, Saturday and Sunday: Closed.
The museum is closed to the public during the following holidays: January 1, January 6, Easter Sunday, March 25, Shrove Tuesday, April 1st, Holy Friday, Holy Saturday, Easter Monday, May 1st, the Holy Spirit, 15 August, 1st October, 28 October, 24, 25, 26 December.
Open All round the year.
Facilities: Ramp at the entrance for wheelchairs. There are toilets. Car park available. Transactions in cash only. For groups over 11 persons there is a 20% discount on entrance fee (2,50 Euros) if escorted by a licensed tourist guide. There are weekly as well as daily tickets (25 euros and 8 euros) 3 day special entry card (17 euros) respectively obtainable at the entrance of any museum or archaeological site under the competence of the Antiquities Department. A printed guide to the museum in Greek and English is available.
Telephone/Fax: 00357-2244818 / 00357-22527016
Website /email: www.mcw.gov.cy /mcw/da/da.nsf / antiquitiesdept@da.mcw.gov.cy
Entrance fee 2,50 Euros (free entrance for elementary and secondary students, students – should have student cards, soldiers in uniform, holders of icom card and unemployed. 50% ticket price reduction for recipients of public assistance, retired persons and members of large families).
Tickets: At the entrance of any museum or archaeological site under the competence of the Antiquities Department
Navigation map Google Earth:
View larger map