At about 4.5 km from the village of Pegeia, close to the fishing harbor, lie the remains of Early Christian basilicas with mosaic floors, depicting animal scenes. That region seems to have been the site of an important settlement in the Early Christian era. In fact, some Roman graves carved in rock can be found nearby.
The Basilicas of «Agios Georgios» of Pegeia are inside the archaeological site of the Greco-Roman Early Christian settlement at the coastal area of the Drepano Cap, at 15 km to the north-east of Nea Paphos. There are three independent Early Christian churches revealed through the excavations of the ”Department of Antiquities”.
Agios Georgios is a well-known place of pilgrimage in Paphos and at the west cape of Cyprus known as Drepanon, and it is the equivalent of the pilgrimage of Apostle Andrew at the eastern cape of Cyprus.
In the years 1952-1955, the Department of Antiquities of Cyprus excavated at Drepanon three Early Christian basilicas and a bath (6th c.). These excavation by the Greek Archaeological Mission (1992) revealed added constructions to basilicas A and C, correlating the buildings with the grave complexes and it demonstrated that an unfortified settlement existed there during the Roma and Early Christian era, which thrived during the time of Justinian 1st (527 – 565) and his successors and was gradually abandoned in the first half of the 7th century.
Visitors have a chance to see the dry walls, the wild vegetation, mainly wild oat and capers, while the flora at the cape is complemented by lentisks, carobs and prickly pears.
Moreover, the archaeological landscape is surrounded by plantations and fields. The mild intervention and the management of the archaeological site aim to maintain the relationship between the archaeological ruins and the natural environment.
The necropolis of the settlement is also of great archaeological interest. It is composed of monumental graves in two types, arcosoles and cases, carved inside the rock. It is developped at the edge of the steep rock above the west and northwest coast of the cape, opposite the Geronisos island, on which archaeological traces were found, dating from the Hellenistic to the Early Christian period. In fact, some of the tombs bear carved crosses and inscriptions.