March 2022 brought the discovery of a Rhodes shipwreck from the 3rd century CE in the depths of the Gulf of Fethiye and a 2,500-year-old graffiti featuring 21 ships in the basement of the civil basilica of the Agora of Smyrna. Moreover, eighty percent of the restoration work of the Imperial Harem section of Topkapı Palace in Istanbul was announced and the new project of the restoration of the Serpent Column that stands on the Hippodrome of the Constantinople was initiated.
Turkish Archaeological News collects the most important, interesting and inspiring news from Turkish excavation sites. Here's the review for March. Have we missed anything? Let us know by using Contact tab!
March 5, 2022
“Last Rhodes shipwreck” of Roman period found in Turkey’s Fethiye
A Rhodes shipwreck from the third century A.D. was discovered in the depths of the Gulf of Fethiye as part of the Turkish Shipwreck Inventory Project: Blue Heritage (TUBEP). The underwater cultural legacy of the Fethiye coast has been mapped by researchers from Dokuz Eylül University (DEU) Marine Sciences and Technology Institute as part of the Turkish Shipwreck Inventory Project, which is financed by the Presidency of Strategy and Budget. Source: Arkeonews
March 8, 2022
Two museums exchange collections in Istanbul, İzmir
An exhibition titled “Nature, Gardens, Fantasies,” which shows the relationship between nature and humans through the works compiled from the Arkas Collection is on display at Istanbul’s Elgiz Museum. A selection from the Elgiz Collection presenting the theme of “Myths and Dreams” will also be displayed at the Arkas Art Center in İzmir as of March 26 within the scope of a collaboration between the two art centers. Source: Hürriyet Daily News
March 9, 2022
2,500-year-old ship graffiti sails back to Turkey's Izmir history
A 2,500-year-old graffiti featuring 21 ships, which was found in the basement of the civil basilica of the Agora of Smyrna, sheds light on the history of western Turkey's Izmir. Source: Daily Sabah
March 14, 2022
Topkapı Palace's harem set to unveil restored sections for visitors
Eighty percent of the restoration work of the Imperial Harem (Harem-i Hümayun) section of Topkapı Palace, one of the most famous landmarks of Istanbul that once housed Ottoman sultans while the city was the capital of the empire, has been completed. Source: Daily Sabah
March 18, 2022
Digs at Turkey’s Seyitömer mound reveals thousands of artworks
Approximately 14,500 artifacts have been unearthed during rescue excavations carried out over 33 years at Seyitömer Mound in Turkey's western Kütahya province, Provincial Culture and Tourism Director Zekeriya Ünal said. Source: Daily Sabah
March 20, 2022
New research provides new insights into how the inhabitants of the “oldest city in the world” in Çatalhöyük (Turkey) buried their dead. Their bones were partially painted, excavated several times, and reburied. The findings provide insight into the burial rituals of a fascinating society that lived 9000 years ago. Source: Arkeonews
March 22, 2022
Ruins of ancient harbor revealed in Datça
Ruins of a 2,000-year-old harbor in the ancient city of Burgaz in Muğla’s Datça district have appeared as the sea receded. Almost all of the storage areas, where wine, oil and agricultural products were kept, can be seen now in the ancient harbor. Source: Hürriyet Daily News
March 27, 2022
Farmer discovers rare Hittite-era bracelet in Turkey's Çorum
A man plowing his farm in Turkey’s central Çorum province discovered a rare 3,300-year-old ancient bracelet from the Hittite era. Source: Daily Sabah
March 28, 2022
Cats and babies: Thousand-year-old mummies in Turkey’s Aksaray
Cat, baby and adult mummies in Aksaray, the gateway to Cappadocia with its historical cultural riches and known as the first settlement of Central Anatolia, have been enchanting visitors at a museum where they are on display. Source: Daily Sabah
March 29, 2022
Mother goddess Cybele's stele from Ephesus to be displayed in Izmir
A 2,200-year-old marble stele unearthed in the ancient city of Ephesus in the Selçuk district of western Izmir province is now on display for the public for the first time since its discovery. The stele depicts the “mother goddess” Cybele, who was believed to be the ancient Greek symbol and protector of abundance and fertility. Source: Daily Sabah
March 30, 2022
Istanbul's 2,500-year-old Serpent Column under restoration
Restoration and conservation works have started for the 2,500-year-old Serpent Column, one of the oldest structures of Istanbul in the famous Sultanahmet square. The restoration work is expected to be completed within one month following the completion of the repair of the cracks on the column, cleaning of dye stains and landscaping. Source: Daily Sabah
