July 23, 2009
TROY AND ASSOS
Excavation works have started at ancient cities of Troy and Assos in Canakkale province. Professor Ernst Pernicka will lead this year's excavations at two or three parts of the archaeological site.
This year's digging work will continue until the first week of September. Some 50 arcaeologists from several universities in and out of Turkey will take part in excavations this year.
This year, experts will focus on trenches that helped keep chariots away from the city of Troy.
Another team of archaeologists will start the 27th of excavations at Assos. Around 30 experts from several universities such as Munich, Cottbus and Freiburg, will join Turkish team to dig the site for nearly three months this summer.
Foreign experts will study on defense system of the ancient city. Other teams will dig up the Agora, north Stoa and west Necropolis. Archaeologists will also work at the Temple of Athena which is the most important buildings of the ancient city.
Archaeologists also started excavations in the ancient city of Parion which is located in Biga town of the western province of Canakkale.
This year's excavations will be made especially at the necropolis, ancient theater, Roman villas and terrace houses.
EXCAVATIONS IN BALIKESIR
Archaeologists are trying to unearth three ancient ports and the Temple of Hadrianus, which is considered the "eight wonder of the world" by European travellers in history, in the ancient city of Kyzikos located in Erdek town of Balikesir.
First studies on Kyzikos, which dates back to 1000 B.C. started in 1950s and first planned excavations began in 1989. Excavations were suspended in 1996 due to financial problems but later resumed in 2006.
This year, a German underwater team will join the Turkish team of seven divers who are working to discover three ports in the city.
Another team of archaeologists, comprised of 63 people, are digging the Temple of Hadrianus to ascertain the size of the building that was ruined in two major earthquakes in history.
Archaeologist say the temple could not be offered to tourism before five or six years because of financial difficulties. Among the diggings removed from the excavations are parts of human and animal figures, column pulleys and several coins.
Excavations have also started in another ancient city of Daskyleion located some 30 kilometers south of Bandirma town. Daskyleion is known for having the oldest and the only Zoroastrian temple in the world.
This year's work in the ancient site will aim at discovering the main road to acropolis situated on the highest hill of the city and also unearthing the necropolis of the city.
A German team of experts will take part in this years works carried out by a Turkish team. However, archaeologists complain about the financial problems.
Burial steles, reliefs, ceramic potteries, coins, weaving looms, part of a Persian palace, holy road of the Zoroastrian religion, base of several buildings around the palace, Byzantine city walls, stone-paved courtyards and water channels, Phrygian rampart, base of the Temple of Kybele and several religious materials from the Phrygian era were found so far at the diggings.
EXCAVATIONS AT ROMAN BASILICA IN BURSA
A team of archaeologists from Turkey's Uludag University and Switzerland's University of Lausanne are working at the ancient basilica in Derecik village of Orhaneli town some 40 kilometers south of Bursa. The basilica, which was discovered accidentally by illegal excavators in 2001, dates back to late Roman Empire. Excavation teams plans to make firm the mosaic floor and expand the excavation site during this year's works.
Excavations are expected to be completed and the place is planned to be opened to tourism after restoration by 2012.
EXCAVATIONS IN TEKIRDAG
Excavations in the ancient city of Herainteikos in Tekirdag that started eight years ago will continue this year to expand boundaries of the Temple of Trak which is home to statues of Aphrodite and Eros.
Another team will continue restoration works at the Perintos basilica in Marmaraereglisi town.
EDIRNE
Archaeological excavations in Dilaverbey neighborhood of Edirne started in 2007 and have brought to light several diggings from late Roman and Ottoman era.
Experts unearthed city walls --that were built during the reign of Emperor Hadrian who was the founder of the city-- as well as Roman burial places, bowls and oil lamps dating back to 2nd century and early Ottoman-era potteries.
ENEZ
Archaeological teams of around 20 experts are digging the ancient sites in Enez town since 31 years. So far they found Byzantine wine cellars carved in rocks, amphoras that still have wine sediments, potteries, necropolises and a Roman-era mosaic villa. This year's excavations aim to clean up surroundings of chapels inside the castle of Enez.
ANCIENT CITY OF ANTANDROS
The ancient city of Antandros is located in Altinoluk town of Balikesir. This year, the ancient site will see archaeological excavations in four parts which are necropolis, terrace houses, a place discovered last year and is believed to be the ruins of city walls, and finally Roman bath.
Excavations could not reach public buildings yet, so, experts plan to focus on surface research this year.
The most valuable artifact found in Antandros is the almost-intact Roman villa which has rare wall figures remained to date in good condition. Floor and wall mosaics in five rooms of this villa are conspicuous.
The municipality of Altinoluk plans to set up a museum to exhibit diggings from the ancient city of Antandros.
