Turkish Archaeological News - General

[Resource Manager]

Unearthed Hittite Artifacts in Istanbul Break New Ground

Ömer ERBİL

ISTANBUL - Radikal

Traces of the Hurrian civilization discovered in excavations in the ancient city of Bathonea in Istanbul’s Küçükçekmece river basin are being hailed as the year’s most important discovery as they provide the first ever proof that the Hittites came to Europe and civilisations’ long history

October 31, 2013

"An archaeological discovery in suburban Istanbul could soon force a rewrite in history books as new research has shown that the early Hittites actually ventured onto the European continent, having previously been assumed to have remained only in Asia.

“Istanbul has a new historic peninsula now. The first traces of the Hurrians in Istanbul shows the importance of these excavations. This is a big discovery to reach the traces of the Hittites in Europe,” said Istanbul Provincial Culture and Tourism Director Ahmet Emre Bilgili, according to daily Radikal.

“We have shed light on a dark era of Istanbul,” said Culture and Tourism Minister Ömer Çelik."

Continued

[Resource Manager]

Ancient Corridor Reveals Roman Social Life Traces

İZMİR - Hürriyet Daily News

A 40-meter corridor, giving clues about Roman social life 2,000 years ago has been unearthed in the ancient city of Metropolis. Archaeologists believe these kinds of structures were used as service corridors by servants working in Roman baths. Footprints were also discovered in the area

November 14, 2013

"Archaeological excavations in the ancient city of Metropolis, situated in İzmir, revealed a 40-meter corridor, giving clues about life 2,000 years ago.

According to a statement by Sabancı Foundation, which supports the project together with Torbalı Municipality and the Association of Metropolis Lovers (MESEDER), a 40-meter corridor was unearthed during the excavations that have been continuing in the bathing and sports sections of the site.

The brick-vaulted corridors, which had been built parallel to the northern, western and southern walls, were discovered in a well-preserved state, revealing aspects of social life 2,000 years ago."

Continued
 

[Resource Manager]

'Gate to Hell' Guardians Recovered in Turkey

NOV 18, 2013 08:20 AM ET

BY ROSSELLA LORENZI

"Archaeologists digging in Turkey have found the guardians of the "Gate to Hell" -- two unique marble statues which once warned of a deadly cave in the ancient Phrygian city of Hierapolis, near Pamukkale.

Known as Pluto's Gate -- Ploutonion in Greek, Plutonium in Latin -- the cave was celebrated as the portal to the underworld in Greco-Roman mythology and tradition. It was discovered in March by a team led by Francesco D'Andria, professor of classic archaeology at the University of Salento.

"The statues represent two mythological creatures," D'Andria told Discovery News. "One depicts a snake, a clear symbol of the underworld, the other shows Kerberos, or Cerberus, the three-headed watchdog of hell in the Greek mythology."

Continued

 

Also see:
 

New Archaeological Discoveries in Hierapolis

Posted on November 19, 2013 by Leen Ritmeyer
 
"As stated in a previous post, Francesco D’Andria, professor of classic archaeology at the University of Salento, has been excavating the cave of the Plutonium in Hierapolis. This year, he discovered two unique marble statues:
 

“The statues represent two mythological creatures,” D’Andria told Discovery News. “One depicts a snake, a clear symbol of the underworld, the other shows Kerberos, or Cerberus, the three-headed watchdog of hell in the Greek mythology.”

 

According to this article in Discovery News, the excavations also revealed that the source of the thermal springs that produce the white travertine terraces, was located in this cave.
 

The site represented an important destination for pilgrims. People watched the sacred rites from steps above the cave opening, while priests sacrificed bulls to Pluto. The ceremony included leading the animals into the cave, and dragging them out dead."

 

Continued

[Resource Manager]

Ancient City Discovered by Treasure Hunters in Central Anatolia

KIRŞEHİR - Anadolu Agency

An ancient city has been uncovered in a Kırşehir village after historical artifact smugglers excavated the area. The city dates back to the Roman era in the second century and home to important artifacts

November 18, 2013

"A bath, which was turned into a church, is being revealed during excavations in a 2,200-year-old ancient city, which was discovered by treasure hunters in the central Anatolian province of Kırşehir’s Çiçekdağı district.

The ancient city came to light in Büyük Teflek village when historical artifacts smugglers excavated the area. Dating back to the second century B.C., the ancient city has a bath as well as other artifacts.

Kırşehir Museum, Director Adnan Güçlü said that they had revealed a significant historic heritage during the excavations. He said that excavations started last year in April, adding that they would continue the excavations for two more months this year."

Continued
 

[Resource Manager]

Archaeologists Find More Than 600 Ancient Seals And Amulets In Turkey

November 18, 2013

University of Münster

"Classical scholars from the Cluster of Excellence “Religion and Politics” made an unusually large find of seals in an ancient sanctuary in Turkey. They discovered more than 600 stamp seals and cylinder seals at the sacred site of the storm and weather god Jupiter Dolichenus, 100 of which in the current year alone. “Such large amounts of seal consecrations are unheard-of in any comparable sanctuary”, said excavation director Prof. Dr. Engelbert Winter and archaeologist Dr. Michael Blömer at the end of the excavation season. In this respect, the finding of numerous pieces from the 7th to the 4th centuries B.C. close to the ancient city of Doliche is unparalleled.

“The amazingly large number proves how important seals and amulets were for the worshipping of the god to whom they were consecrated as votive offerings”, according to Classical scholar Prof. Winter. Many pieces show scenes of adoration. “Thus, they provide a surprisingly vivid and detailed insight into the faith of the time.” The stamp seals and cylinder seals as well as scarabs, made of glass, stone and quartz ceramics, were mostly crafted in a high-quality manner. Following the restoration work, the finds were handed over to the relevant museum in Gaziantep in Turkey."

Continued

[Resource Manager]

Anatolia's Oldest Parliament Unveiled in Assos at Cross Paths of Plato and Aristotle

ÇANAKKALE - Anadolu Agency

January 03, 2014

"The oldest Parliament building in the ancient era was established in the ancient city of Assos 2,400 years ago in the northwestern province of Çanakkale. The ancient city is located within the borders of the Ayvacık district. Home to Plato's second academy, Assos hosted another illustrious Greek philosopher, Aristotle, in the 4th century.

The head of the excavations in the ancient city, Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University academic Professor Nurettin Arslan said the Parliament buildings were first discovered in 5th and 6th century B.C. in Athens and democracy extended to other countries after being improved there."

Continued

[Resource Manager]

Charms to Ward off Demons Found Under Ancient Floors

By Megan Gannon, News Editor | January 10, 2014 05:49pm ET

"Residents of Sardis, an ancient city in modern-day Turkey, spent decades rebuilding after a devastating earthquake struck one night in the year A.D. 17. To ward off demons and future disasters, some locals may have sealed eggshells under their new floors as lucky charms, archaeologists found.

In the summer of 2013 archaeologists were excavating an ancient building at Sardis that was constructed after the earthquake. Underneath the floor, they found two curious containers that each held small bronze tools, an eggshell and a coin, resting just atop the remains of an earlier elite building that was destroyed during the disaster.

The objects in the odd assemblages were important in ancient rituals to keep evil forces at bay, and the archaeologists who found them believe they could be rare examples of how the earthquake affected ancient people on a personal level."

Continued

[Resource Manager]

Academics Work on Mystery of ‘Lost Church’ at the Bottom of Lake İznik

BURSA – Anadolu Agency

Archaeologists, historians and art historians are working on a church discovered off the shore of Bursa’s Lake İznik. They have found out that the structure was built under the name of St. Neophytos, a beloved Christian in the middle ages

 

January 31, 2014

"The mystery of an ancient basilica (big church), the remains of which have been discovered about 20 meters from the shore in Bursa’s Lake İznik, have begun to be unveiled. The foundations of the 600-year-old church are currently lying in water that is about 1.5 to two meters deep.

Archaeologists, historians and art historians are working on the church, which is estimated to have collapsed during an earthquake that occurred in the region in 740. They found out that this monumental structure was built in honor of St. Neophytos, who was killed aged 16 by Roman soldiers in 303 before the Edict of Milan, a proclamation that permanently established religious toleration for Christianity within the Roman Empire.

Uludağ University Head of Archaeology Department Professor Mustafa Şahin said that the basilica had been discovered while photographing the city from the air to make an inventory of the historical and cultural artifacts, and they had held repeated meetings with experts on the Eastern Rome, and examined lots of resources."

Continued

[Resource Manager]

Sardis Dig Yields Enigmatic Trove: Ritual Egg in a Pot

March 3, 2014 by Terry Devitt

"By any measure, the ancient city of Sardis — home of the fabled King Croesus, a name synonymous with gold and vast wealth, and the city where coinage was invented — is an archaeological wonder.

The ruins of Sardis, in what is now Turkey, have been a rich source of knowledge about classical antiquity from the 7th century B.C., when the city was the capital of Lydia, through later Greek and Roman occupations.

Now, however, Sardis has given up another treasure in the form of two enigmatic ritual deposits, which are proving more difficult to fathom than the coins for which the city was famous.

“The two deposits each consist of a small pot with a lid, a coin, a group of sharp metal implements and an egg, one of which is intact except for a hole carefully punched in it in antiquity,” explains Will Bruce, a classics graduate student a the University of Wisconsin-Madison who has been digging at Sardis for the past six years. Bruce made the finds last summer."

Continued

[Resource Manager]

Centuries-Old Grills of Ancient BBQ Lovers Found in Western Turkey

ÇANAKKALE - Anadolu Agency

March 25, 2014

"Pieces of grills, which date back to 2,200 years ago, have been unearthed in the ancient city of Assos in the northwestern province of Çanakkale’s Ayvacık district. The barbecues are made of earth and kiln.

The head of the excavations in the ancient city, Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University member Professor Nurettin Aslan said they had found important clues that locals in the area did not fry fish and meat, but grilled them in barbecues, cooking them in a healthier way. Among the findings are earth and kiln barbecues, their tools and cookers, Aslan said, adding, "These are small portable cookers. We see that some of them have the 'bearded Hermes' figure."

Continued

[Resource Manager]

Centuries-Old Columns Unearthed in Laodicea

DENIZLI

May 06, 2014

"Columns that are believed to be 1,500 years old have been unearthed during excavation and restoration works in the ancient city of Laodicea, a city established in 3 B.C. in the western province of Denizli.

According to information provided by the Culture and Tourism Ministry, a team led by Professor Celal Şimşek has been carrying out work since 2003 on the Laodicean Church, temple, northern agora, southern porch, eastern pool, as well as the emperor Septimius Severus Monumental Fountain. Recent works have unearthed the monumental columns that collapsed during an earthquake in 494 A.D."

Continued

[Resource Manager]

Traces of Tsunami Discovered in Gökçeada

ÇANAKKALE – Doğan News Agency

June 02, 2014

Archaeological work on the island of Gökçeada has revealed that an earthquake occurred in the region 4,700 years ago, followed by a tsunami.

Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University Geology Department Professor Doğan Perinçek said they had found the traces of the earthquake and tsunami during works between 2006 and 2008.

Gökçek made a statement June 2 after an earthquake measuring 6.5 that occurred on May 24 in the region.

He said both he and Professor Halime Hüryılmaz had found traces of an earthquake that occurred in 2680 B.C. following work in the area of Yenibademli.

Continued

[Resource Manager]

Ancient Baths Double as Schools in Laodicea

DENİZLİ – Anadolu Agency

June 11, 2014

"The western province of Denizli is home to 2,000-year-old bathes in the ancient city of Laodicea. According to the head of the Laodicea excavation, Pamukkale University head of the Archaeology Department Professor Celal Şimşek, said the ancient city had as much importance as Ephesus in terms of its trade, arts, culture and sports.

He said few of the Laodicea bathes had so far survived and the 12,000-square-meter bath in the south was the largest in Anatolia. “Bathes were prepared at noon for people to wash and later served as a school in the afternoon. They were places for young people at the same time. The bathes also hosted between 20-30 people for private meetings. The bathes were very important in that era because they were the places for meeting and education, as well as trade centers,” said Şimşek, adding the ancient city had four big bath structures and some have been slightly damaged."

Continued

[Resource Manager]

Prehistoric ‘Book Keeping’ Continued Long After Invention of Writing

An ancient token-based recording system from before the dawn of history was rendered obsolete by the birth of writing, according to popular wisdom. But now, latest excavations show that, in fact, these clay tokens were integral to administrative functions right across the Assyrian empire – millennia after this system was believed to have vanished.

"An archaeological dig in southeast Turkey has uncovered a large number of clay tokens that were used as records of trade until the advent of writing, or so it had been believed.

But the new find of tokens dates from a time when writing was commonplace – thousands of years after it was previously assumed this technology had become obsolete. Researchers compare it to the continued use of pens in the age of the word processor."

Continued

[Resource Manager]

Centuries-old Ephesus Paintings Restored with Latest Technology

İZMİR - Doğan News Agency

The fantastic mosaics and wall paintings of the Yamaç Houses in Ephesus are undergoing a new restoration that will leave the works as vivid as the day they were created back in 1 BC

July 25, 2014

"Magnificent wall paintings dating back 2,000 years in the Yamaç Houses of the ancient city of Ephesus are undergoing a restoration to return them to their original glory.

“Touching a 2,000 year-old work, and preserving it for the next 2,000 years gives you a charge,” said Hasan Savaşer, who has been working on restorations in the area for the past 23 years.

The ancient city of Ephesus is visited by nearly 2 million tourists every year. The Yamaç Houses, which were the abodes of the rich built on terraces on the skirts of Bülbül Mountain in 1 B.C., are famous for wall paintings and floor mosaics ancient city."

Continued

[Resource Manager]

FULL STORY: How 'The World's Oldest Temple' Changed History

Ertuğrul ÖZKÖK / Saffet Emre TONGUÇ

July 31, 2014

"I had started my day with a coffee as usual. I saw that word at the daily Cumhuriyet in an article written by Özgen Acar: “Wish tree.”

The article was about the great archeologist who we lost on July 20: Dr. Klaus Schmidt.

What Klaus Schmidt discovered in Göbeklitepe, I believe, has potential to change many things in the history of humanity and the history of our beliefs.

A group of archeologists from the universities of Chicago and Istanbul visited the southeastern town of Şanluıurfa in 1963. It looked like a routine visit. When they reached the hill 10 kilometers away from Şanlıurfa, they noticed a tree. The tree that was standing by itself all alone in an empty terrain was impressive. It was a mulberry tree and local people called it “the wish tree.” People have been going to the tree to make wishes since ancient times.

While the archeologists were examining the tree, one of them noticed a small hill a bit further away.

The texture of the soil was different; it was as if it was hiding something. They examined it for a while, began to dig slightly and came across some lime stones. The Chicago archeologists went back to their countries and wrote reports on their findings. They wrote that there were no noteworthy discoveries from that hill. They claimed that it was probably a Byzantium outpost and that the stones belonged to a grave stone. The file was then closed. The tree had given its first signal, but it went unnoticed."

Continued

[Resource Manager]

Excavations Restart on Ancient Wonder

İZMİR - Anadolu Agency

August 06, 2014

"Excavations are set to restart on İzmir’s Temple of Artemis, one of the most important monumental structures of the ancient age and widely considered one of the seven wonders of the world.

The head of the excavations in the ancient city of Ephesus, Professor Sabine Ladstatter, said the excavations would focus on four areas in the ancient city and that works would start on the temple, as well as a Turkish bath and the Çukuriçi tumulus, a settlement area at the southern part of the Virgin Mary Church.

The most recent excavations were made at the Temple of Artemis 20 years ago, said the professor.

“It will be a very important and exciting excavation for us. We hope that we will find data that will be able to confirm our hypotheses. We will seek answer to questions like was there a church in the area of the Temple of Artemis?” said Ladstaetter, adding that making excavations was not easy in the temple area because of the high water table."

Continued

[Resource Manager]

'Ephesus of the Black Sea’ Unearthed with Brushes

ZONGULDAK – Doğan News Agency

Excavations in Tieion, known as the ‘Ephesus of the Black Sea,’ have been carried out with digging tools and brushes and will continue for 100-150 more years, according to officials

August 08, 2014

"The ancient city of Tieion, which was established in the 7th century in the town of the Filyos district in the Black Sea province of Zonguldak, also known as the “Ephesus of the Black Sea,” has been the place of archaeological excavations for the past eight years. The ancient city covers an area of 60 hectares, with excavations so far completed in in an area covering two hectares, unearthing the ancient remains of a bath, church, temple and grave.

The excavations in Filyos that started in 2006 with the support of the Culture and Tourism Ministry and the Zonguldak Provinacial Administration, is headed by Professor Sümer Atasoy of Karabük University’s Archaeology Department, and so far the excavations have unearthed colorful pots and pans, written documents, a bath, temple port, castle, coastal walls, aqueducts, pier remains, an ancient theater, 10 graves, 6 of which are inside the church, metal coins, metal artwork, candles, glass pieces and ceramics.

Experts have estimated that that settlement in the ancient city of Tieion continued until the 13th century. This year, excavations are headed by assistant professor Şahin Yıldırım of Karabük University, along with a team of 45 people, including 20 university students, 10 workers, architects and experts in ceramics and inscriptions.

The traces of a settlement from 700 B.C. known as Kale Tepesi (Castle Hill) has also recently been discovered, which include city walls and buildings from the Archaic and Classical eras."

Continued

[Resource Manager]

Experts Get Down to ‘Puzzling’ Task at Ephesus' Yamaç Houses

İZMİR – Anadolu Agency

The Yamaç Houses in the ancient city of Ephesus are now puzzle central, as researchers look to fit together hundreds of thousands of pieces from mosaics to restore the magnificent pictures that used to adorn the abodes’ walls

August 12, 2014

"They might not be applying for a Guinness Record, but archaeologists in İzmir have got down to work on one of the world’s largest puzzles, painstakingly piecing together 120,000 shards to re-create mosaics at the Yamaç Houses in Ephesus.

“This work needs patience and attention, and it looks like the puzzle game that everyone knows. The difference is that you know the picture when you are done with a puzzle; you can do it over and over again. Here, we are trying to complete a picture that we don’t know. It is more difficult but very exciting. We don’t understand here how the time goes by. It takes months to finish a [section],” said the head of the restoration team, sculptor and restorer Sinan İlhan.

The researchers’ work has attracted interest from a growing number of visitors that come to watch the team assemble the fragments on large tables. Of the 120,000 pieces, the team has so far succeeded in fitting together 50,000 pieces in four years as part of their "puzzle restoration."

 

Continued

[Resource Manager]

Temple of Serapis in Ephesus Undergoes Restoration

 

İZMİR – Anadolu Agency

 

The temple of Serapis, built in the 2nd century AD as a devotion to the Egyptian god Serapis, is said to be the best preserved and largest temple in Anatolia, according to experts

 

Friday,September 12, 2014

 

"The temple of Serapis, which was discovered in İzmir’s ancient city of Ephesus and is estimated to have collapsed in an earthquake, will be restored to its original condition. The ancient city of Ephesus receives approximately 2 million visitors from around the world every year. 

 

Experts have said the temple, built in the 2nd century A.D. as a devotion to the Egyptian god Serapis, is the best preserved and largest temple in Anatolia. Constructed on an area of 7,700 square meters, the area of the structure is over 1,000 square meters. 

 

Built 1,800 years ago, the temple’s remains have been left scattered about due to an earthquake, still it’s reported that nearly 100 percent of the temple’s pieces are still intact."

 

Continued

[Resource Manager]

Hittite Tablet to be Deciphered with 3D

 

ÇORUM - Anadolu Agency

 

September 29, 2014

 

"A tablet found on a rock during excavations in Hattusa, the capital of the Hittite civilization in the central Anatolian province of Çorum, will be deciphered with a 3D scanning system. 

 

Assistant Professor Andreas Schachner, the head of the excavations, said the team had started working to decipher the 3,500-year-old tablet. He said that what was written on the tablet had been an object of interest to the science world, and added the writing was nearly wiped off after being exposed to bad weather conditions for millennia."

 

Continued

[Resource Manager]

Cappadocia’s Cathedral Attracts Visitors

 

AKSARAY – Anadolu Agency

 

The Selime Cathedral, high atop the Ihlara Valley, was a space of refuge and defense for Anatolia’s earliest Christians

 

October 03, 2014

 

"The Selime Cathedral in Cappadocia, where the first vocal religious ceremony was held by Christians 1,700 years ago, is attracting great attention from tourists for its historical significance. 

Facing Roman pressure in 66 A.D., the first Christians escaped to various parts of Anatolia, including the Cappadocia region. To conduct religious ceremonies secretly, they constructed a huge monastery in Selime Cathedral, which was also used against enemies. 

In accordance with the Edict of Milan in 313, the first Christians began conducting their religious ceremony openly, when the first vocal ceremony was held by the Orthodox Christians in Cappadocia."

 

Continued

[Resource Manager]

Unique Roman Relief Discovered: Depiction of Unknown god in Turkey; Relics from 2,000 years of Cult History Excavated

 

Date: November 10, 2014

 

Source: Cluster of Excellence

 

Summary: A bearded deity has been discovered with astral symbols. Archaeologists excavated the unique Roman relief depicting an unknown god in an ancient sanctuary in Turkey. According to a first assessment, the one and a half meter (five foot) high basalt stele which was used as a buttress in the wall of a monastery shows a fertility or vegetation god, as classical scholar and excavation director said.

 

"Münster archaeologists excavated a unique Roman relief depicting an unknown god in an ancient sanctuary in Turkey. According to a first assessment, the one and a half metre (five feet) high basalt stele which was used as a buttress in the wall of a monastery shows a fertility or vegetation god, as classical scholar and excavation director Prof. Dr. Engelbert Winter and archaeologist Dr. Michael Blömer of the Cluster of Excellence "Religion and Politics" said after their return from the sacred site of the god Jupiter Dolichenus close to the ancient city of Doliche in Southeast Turkey. "The image is remarkably well preserved. It provides valuable insights into the beliefs of the Romans and into the continued existence of ancient Near Eastern traditions. However, extensive research is necessary before we will be able to accurately identify the deity."

 

Continued

[Resource Manager]

Archaeologists Unearthing Treasures Just Meters from ISIL

 

GAZİANTEP - The Associated Press

 

A Turkish-Italian team has completed its fourth season of excavations in Karkamış, which is one of the most important archaeological sites in the world and located right on Turkey’s border with Syria

 

November 17, 2014

 

"Archaeology and war don’t usually mix, yet that’s been the case for years at Karkamış, an ancient city along the Turkey-Syria border where an excavation team announced its newest finds Nov. 15 just meters from territory controlled by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).

 

Karkamış, dating back more than 5,000 years, is close to the Syrian city of Jarablous, which now flies the black banner of the Islamic extremist group.

 

U.S.-led coalition aircraft flew overhead as Nicolo Marchetti, a professor of archaeology and art history of the ancient Near East at the University of Bologna, detailed the latest finds. Marchetti is the project director at Karkamış, where the Turkish military let archaeologists resume work in 2011 for the first time since its troops occupied the site about 90 years ago."

 

Continued

[Resource Manager]

Papyrus, Parchment and Paper in Old Istanbul

 

Niki Gamm

 

The ‘Sahaflar’ (used books) Bazaar has a history that stretches back into the days of New Rome, when the city was renamed Constantinople

 

November 22, 2014

 

"The “Sahaflar” (used books) Bazaar, nestled in the shadow of Beyazıt Mosque, has a long and for the most part honorable history that can be traced to Byzantine times. Although some have speculated that today’s location is the same as it was in Byzantine times, others say that it was originally in the Kapalıçarşı. Regardless of which site, it would have been very near New Rome’s Forum Tauri, later the Forum of Theodosius, a center for commercial activities throughout most of the city’s history as New Rome, Constantinople and Istanbul. 

The Byzantines used this location to sell paper and books that came in two forms - one would have been the book as a roll and the other would be a bound book known as a codex. The roll form originated in Egypt and spread throughout the Roman world. It was used primarily for secular works until approximately the 10th century, while the subjects of the bound book were usually religious. Of the latter the most important ones contained elaborate decorations, either illustrations of the stories being told in the work or as decorative headings of pages or paragraphs."

 

Continued