The Department of Antiquities, in the context of the preservation and promotion of our cultural heritage, recently proceeded to the placement of information signs on the ancient tomb of the Hellenistic - Roman period, which is located on the coastal pedestrian street of Protaras, within walking distance from the famous Fig Tree Bay beach and is widely known as the "Tomb of the Queen".

With this action, visitors to the area are given the opportunity to understand the historical and archaeological significance of the monument, while enhancing the cultural identity of the place and the qualitative enrichment of the tourist experience.

The Municipality of Paralimni - Derynia welcomes the initiative of the Department of Antiquities and expresses its readiness to continue to cooperate closely with the competent state agencies for the protection, promotion and exploitation of the monuments of our region.

Tomb of the Hellenistic - Roman Period (3rd century BC - 4th century AD)

In 2010, during the construction of the coastal promenade of Protaras, an ancient tomb full of grave goods was discovered at this point. It was one of many tombs that existed in the Protaras area but the only one that was found untraceable.

The tomb is an underground chamber, which one entered by descending nine steps of a long passage carved into the natural rock. Three platforms to the right, left and front of the entrance created a continuous flat surface on which the dead were deposited. At the bottom of each of these platforms an elongated enclosure 2-2.5 metres long was opened for additional burials. The central space of the chamber was occupied by three clay sarcophagi, while a fourth was found in an elongated case to the left of the entrance. Human bones and grave goods were found inside the sarcophagi. One of the sarcophagi was decorated with red-coloured plants, perhaps garlands. Similar clay sarcophagi are used in other areas of Cyprus (mainly at sites on the northern and eastern coasts of the island) and the Eastern Mediterranean (such as in Palestine, Syria, Phoenicia and Cilicia). Wooden sarcophagi, of which only pieces of wood and copper nails have been preserved, seem to have been present on the platforms.

The dead were accompanied by clay vases of Hellenistic period (3rd-1st century BC), seals and nails, in which food and drinks were placed to accompany them on their long journey. The presence of small alabaster perfumes indicates that burial rites included the use of perfumed oil. The jewellery worn by the dead included gold earrings as well as glass beaded bracelets and faience beads. The only clay figurine found in the tomb of Protaras depicts a man dancing with his hands above his head. He is wearing Persian-style clothing. It has been suggested that figurines of this type may have represented the god Atty, the companion of the goddess Cybele.

Glass cups and other glass vessels for drinking and eating date back to the Roman period, as do clay sarcophagi. We therefore conclude that some of the burials date from the 2nd-4th centuries AD.