An essay by Turgay Uzer

As a regular visitor to the region, I have witnessed the changes in the Ephesus site and the museum over the past five decades. I remember walking over mounds of marble fragments in 1965, which turned out to be pieces of the now magnificently restored façade of the Library of Celsus! So imagine my excitement this September to see the Ephesus Museum in Selçuk after it had been closed for major renovations between 2012 and 2015. However, my anticipation turned to shock at what I saw: The new arrangement is a giant step back from the museum’s exhibition and education mission.

The most exciting archaeological news in September was, most probably, the discovery that the history of the legendary Troy is longer than previously thought. Moreover, an ancient princess’ sanctuary was found in Amasra, while the excavations at Boncuklu Höyük and Kahin Tepe revealed the secrets of the prehistoric period of Asia Minor. The archaeologists also struck gold at the Apollon Smintheion Temple in the Troad where they found 68 gold coins, dating back to the Byzantine era. Meanwhile, the ancient settlement of Hasankeyf will soon be submerged as part of a controversial dam project.

August of 2019 was a month abundant in archaeological discoveries in the area of Turkey. Possibly the most amazing one was the announcement that the ancient city of Troy may have been founded 600 years earlier than previously thought. Moreover, an excavation team was surprised when they discovered a temple in the ancient city of Priene, possibly devoted to Zeus. Archeologists digging at the Barcın Mound found that cheese, yogurt, and butter were first produced there 8,600 years ago, in the Neolithic Era. Finally, the remains of the memorial tomb of Azan, the founder of the ancient city of Aizanoi have unearthed.