The Aegean Region

July 18, 2009

Archaeologists began excavations in the Aegean region, considered to be an open air museum, with the beginning of excavation season in 2009.
Many archaeologists became divers in order to discover ruins underwater in various locations such as the 6,000 years old Limantepe in Urla town of western province of Izmir.
Excavations at Limantepe continue under the leadership of Prof. Dr. Hayat Erkanal from Ankara University's Archeology Department. Most of the city of Limantepe was covered with sea water after a major earthquake in 700 B.C.
Prof. Dr. Erkanal and his team work with experts and equipment from Israel's Haifa University at Limantepe. People interested in remains of Limantepe will be able to see excavations on monitors and through the internet. Archaeologists will dive in Limantepe with cameras on their heads. A special wireless system will be utilized so that those watching the excavation could hear sounds underwater.
The residents of Limantepe conducted sea transportation in 3000 BC. It was a center of many activities and has an history of at least 6,000 years.

EXCAVATIONS AT EPHESUS ANCIENT CITY
Considered to be one of the most prominent ancient cities in the world, Ephesus has been the site of continuous excavations in the past 140 years.

Excavations at Ephesus began in 1895 with the sponsorship of the Austrian Archeology Institute. Current excavations take place under the leadership of Prof. Johannes Koder and assistance of Dr. Sabine Ladstatter, both from the Austrian Archeology Institute. Ephesus is the site in Turkey where the longest period of excavations took place. In 2009, excavations at Ephesus focus on the area where the Temple of Artemis and Ancient Theatre are located.
Dr. Sabine Ladstatter said that they found ruins of a shrine dating back to the Aydinoglu Sultanate of the late 14th century during excavations at the Temple of Artemis.
According to Dr. Ladstatter, the shrine was also used by the Ottomans in the following years.
Dr. Ladstatter said that two tombs were also discovered around the Temple of Artemis.
We do not know yet for whom the shrine was constructed for or who the two tombs belong to, Dr. Ladstatter said.
We believe that the shrine was constructed for a respectable individual, Dr. Ladstatter also said.
Josel Eitler of the Austrian Archeology Institute said that they found a stall, decorated marble stones and stone walls around the shrine built during the Aydinoglu Sultanate.
We plan to initiate a greater excavation in 2010 as part of restorations, Eitler said.

EXCAVATIONS AT SELJUK AYASULUK HILL
Excavations at the Seljuk Castle and Saint Jean Monument located at the Ayasuluk Hill continue under the leadership of Dr. Mustafa Buyukkolanci and a team of 20 people from Pamukkale University's Archeology Department.
Buyukkolanci said that excavations in 2009 at the Ayasuluk Hill will continue for four months.
"We are working on the western walls of the castle. If appropriate conditions exist, we plan to turn the Seljuk Castle into an archeological park in the next three years," Dr. Buyukkolanci said.

PROBLEM OF SCHOOL AT EXCAVATIONS IN FOCA
The excavation team in Foca town of western province of Izmir face certain difficulties while excavating at the site where 2600 years old Temple of Athena is situated.
The chaiman of the Foca Excavation Team and a Professor from the Aegean University's Archeology Department Prof. Dr. Omer Ozyigit said that they began excavations in 2009.
We are focusing on the Temple of Athena, which is one of the oldest temples of the Ion civilization, Dr. Ozyigit said.
On top of the Temple of Athena is the Cemil Midilli High School. There is a possibility to demolish the high school. We will continue excavations so that a portion of the Temple of Athena could get re-erected, Dr. Ozyigit said.
A permission to demolish the school was issued. However, the Education Department of Izmir issued such a permission with the condition that the Municipality of Izmir construct a prefabricated school close to where the high school is presently located. Our goal is to find out the base of the Temple of Athena and do restorations, Dr. Ozyigit noted.

EXCAVATIONS AT LAODIKYA ANCIENT CITY
The Laodikya Ancient City happens to be the second biggest center of civilization in Anatolia after the Ephesus Ancient City.
In excavations conducted in 2009, archaeologists discovered stairs reserved for prominent families, traders and producers in the 2nd century A.D.
The excavations at Laodikya Ancient City is led by Prof. Dr. Celal Simsek of Pamukkale University's Archeology Department.
The theatre at Laodikya is a unique one in the whole world with its stairs reserved for special people in the past. There are certain writings on the stairs. We continue to work in the region, Dr. Simsek said.
The stairs show that Laodikya was a city of textiles. We found stairs reserved for members of a textile union, Dr. Simsek said.
There are two separate theatres in the Laodikya Ancient City. One of the theatres was constructed in the 2nd century AD and was completely constructed out of marble, Dr. Simsek noted.

EXCAVATIONS AT AYDIN TRALLEIS
New season excavations at the Tralleis Ancient City began. The chairman of the excavations at Tralleis Ancient City is Dr. Rafet Dinc of Adnan Menderes University's Archeology Department.
In 2009, we will primarily conduct preservation activities. We will clean the excavation site completely and correct the portions where landslides took place, Dr. Dinc said.
So far, we have made excavations in 3-4 percent of the Tralleis Ancient City. We believe that there are extremely important artefacts that will be brought to surface in the region. We are planning to create a destination for tourists where there are stone quarries and aqueducts near Tralleis, Dr. Dinc stressed.

NYSA EXCAVATIONS
Excavations at Nysa in 2009 has not begun yet. The excavations at Nysa began for the first time in Sultanhisar town of western province of Aydin in 1990.
The Nysa excavations are led by Prof. Dr. Vedat Idil of Ankara University. There have been some delays in excavations in Nysa.
Sub-governor of Sultanhisar, Orhan Mardinli, said that excavations will soon begin in Nysa.

EXCAVATIONS OF MAGNESIA
Excavations in Magnesia, a site in Germencik town of western province of Aydin, has been continuing for the past 25 years.
Excavations in Magnesia in 2009 began under the leadership of Prof. Dr. Orhan Bingol of Ankara University's Archeology Department.
"Our excavations in the current year will focus on the stadium and Artemis Sacred Court," Dr. Bingol said.
The assistance of sponsors is essential so that this region opens to tourism, Dr. Bingol also said.

EXCAVATIONS IN KUTAHYA
Excavations in the Aizanoi Ancient City, considered to be the "Second Ephesus", in Cavdarhisar town of western province of Kutahya have been continuing since 1926 under the guidance of the German Archeology Institute.

Aizanoi is a site where Aizanitis people lived as part of the ancient Phrygia.
Aizanoi was first discovered by European travelers in 1824. Excavations in Aizanoi get conducted for six weeks every year.
To date, the best protected Temple of Zeus in Anatolia, a theatre for 20,000 people, a bath with mosaics, decorated path way, bridges and the world's first stock market have been brought to surface thanks to excavations in Aizanoi.
Most of the artefacts discovered in Aizanoi belong to the period of the Roman Empire.

WORLD'S FIRST STOCK MARKET IN AIZANOI
World's first stock market was found in Aizanoi.
Roman Emperor Dioeletianus had ordered the prices of goods to be inscribed on stone block in order to fight against inflation.
During the excavations in 1971, the stone blocks on which prices of goods were written were found. According to the stone blocks, a strong slave was worth two donkeys, while a horse was worth three slaves.
10 German and 25 Turkish archaeologists arrive in Aizanoi every August and conduct excavations for six weeks. Artefacts discovered during the excavations are on display at the Kutahya Archeology Museum.

EXCAVATIONS TO SAVE SEYITOMER HOYUK (TUMULUS) IN 4TH YEAR
The need for 15 million tonnes of coal reserves under the Seyitomer tumulus led to the beginning of excavations. Seyitomer tumulus is approximately 20 kilometers away from the western province of Kutahya.

The first excavation at Seyitomer tumulus took place in 1989.
In 2006, excavations at the Seyitomer tumulus took place under the leadership of Prof. Dr. Nejat Bilgen of the Dumlupinar University's Archeology Department.
In excavations of 2009, 12 professors, 20 students and 100 workers continue to work together.
So far, the archaeologists discovered remains and artefacts on Seyitomer tumulus from the Roman Empire period.
The tumulus has a history of 5,000 years. There were residential units found dating back to the Bronze Age, Phrygians and Romans.
The Seyitomer tumulus was the cite where oldest production of ceramics took place in Anatolia.
The tumulus was the site of a major earthquake and fire around 1,800 B.C. Archaeologists discovered many jugs, clays, ceramic casts, keresone lamps and stamps on the mound. All artefacts found are on display at the Kutahya Archeology Museum.

EXCAVATIONS IN MUGLA
Excavations in western province of Mugla continue in 2009. A total of 18 excavations are taking place within the Mugla province.
Mugla is among Turkish provinces where most of the scientific excavations are taking place.
Mugla served as the capital city for various civilizations, including the Karia and Lykia civilizations. The province has the remains of 195 ancient cities.
In 2009, excavations began at Kaunos in Koycegiz, Tlos in Fethiye, Lagina Sacred Site in Yatagan, Labranda in Milas and Pedasa in Bodrum.
Six chairmen supervise excavations in Mugla, one of them a foreigner while the others are Turks.