Fathers of Geography – The Milesian school

Text by our correspondent from Didim, Jay Jean Jackson.

The more I research and learn about the once magnificent city of Miletus the more awestruck I become. The ancient ruins are amazing but to learn about the pioneering insights and contributions of the ancient philosophers, cartographers, mathematicians, cosmologists, and scientists who lived there, gives us an extraordinary understanding of the ancient world which makes each visit feel even more surreal.

Roman Great Harbour Monument in Miletus - the city that used to be a maritime power of antiquity
Roman Great Harbour Monument in Miletus - the city that used to be a maritime power of antiquity

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Reconstructed walls of Hattusa

This text is a fragment of a guidebook to Hattusa: "The Secrets of Hattusa".

Between 2003 and 2005, a 65-meter-long section of the fortification walls of Hattusa was rebuilt by the German Archaeological Institute (DAI). As a result, three 7 to 8-meter-high wall sections and two 12 to 13-meter-high defensive towers were reconstructed. The Japanese company JT International supported the project as a sponsor.

Reconstructed walls of Hattusa
Reconstructed walls of Hattusa

April 2025 in Turkish archaeology

April 2025 brought several significant discoveries from the area of Türkiye, many of them related to ancient burial customs. For instance, ongoing excavations at Stratonikeia unearthed a remarkable 2,000-year-old sarcophagus adorned with intricate garland motifs. During the ongoing restoration of the 540-year-old Gulbahar Hatun Mosque in Tokat, historical tomb remnants were discovered. Moreover, a group of tourists exploring an ancient Roman aqueduct in Bursa’s Iznik (Nicaea) stumbled upon an unexpected relic — a tombstone believed to date back to the Ottoman Empire. Finally, a Roman-era chamber tomb was uncovered near the Tralleis ancient city in Aydin’s Efeler district during road renovation works initiated by the local municipality.

Ancient Stratonikeia
Ancient Stratonikeia

Alacahöyük

This text is a fragment of a guidebook to Hattusa: "The Secrets of Hattusa".

Alacahöyük is a significant archaeological site bearing the traces of Neolithic and Hittite settlements. It is located in Çorum Province of Turkey, around 25 kilometres to the north of Boğazkale, where the ancient capital city of the Hittite Empire, Hattusa, was situated. Alacahöyük's Hittite name remains unknown and the connections with the cities of Arinna, Tawiniya, and Zippalanda have all been suggested.

Sphinx Gate in Alacahöyük
Sphinx Gate in Alacahöyük

Meander - a word, a maze, a river, and a puzzle

Text by our correspondent from Didim, Jay Jean Jackson.

The Büyük Menderes (Great Meander) river in Türkiye begins its 382-mile-long journey from a spring in Dinar (ancient Phrygia), twisting and curving its way through the countryside until it reaches the Aegean Sea near the Ancient city of Miletus. It was a critical water source which had contributed to the development of many ancient civilisations, including Priene, Magnesia, Myus, Tripolis etc.

Delta of the Büyük Menderes (Great Meander) river
Delta of the Büyük Menderes (Great Meander) river

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