Hero or God Comes to Nea Paphos

A bust of a young man with curly hair and a conical cap was unearthed during excavations at the Early Roman House in Nea Paphos, Cyprus. The discovery sparks debate over its identification, with strong evidence suggesting it could represent one of the Dioskouroi (divine twins) or Attis, a figure from Phrygian mythology. While both theories are compelling, the study does not conclusively resolve the ambiguity, highlighting the interpretative challenges in ancient iconography.

Daszewski, W. A. (2013). Hero or God Comes to Nea Paphos. Studies in Ancient Art and Civilisation, 17, 227–234. https://doi.org/10.12797/saac.17.2013.17.19