September 2024 brought a real avalanche of archaeological discoveries from the area of Türkiye. In this summary, let us focus on the finds announced for the eastern and southeastern parts of the country, frequently overlooked over the much more popular Aegean and Mediterranean regions. Firstly, a massive floor mosaic of 84 square meters, which is thought to belong to the Late Roman or Early Byzantine period, was discovered in the Salkaya village of Elazığ, located in the Eastern Anatolia. Then, the traces of a settlement dating back about 6,000 years were found during excavations at Değirmenler Mound in the eastern province of Erzurum. Next, three bronze shields and a bronze helmet dedicated to Haldi, the chief god of the Urartians, were discovered during excavations at the Ayanis Castle in Van province. What's more, following restoration efforts, 3,000-year-old underground cave dwellings in the country’s eastern province of Mardin’s Midyat have been transformed into a captivating tourist attraction. Finally, archaeological excavations in Sefertepe, located in Türkiye’s Sanliurfa, have uncovered two significant decorative items – one depicting a leopard and the other featuring a vulture and a human figure.
The Myndos Gate (tr. Myndos Kapısı) is the only significant remnant of the magnificent defensive walls that protected the Carian city of Halicarnassus from invasion. Unlike the famous St. Peter's Castle, this monument located in Bodrum is rarely visited by tourists, so there is a high probability that you will have the place to yourself during your visit.
Euromos ruins, located just off the Söke-Milas road, are frequently overlooked by travellers who do not realize that an olive grove hides one of the best preserved ancient temples in Asia Minor. Meanwhile, if you just turn off the road as indicated by a signpost, you will see a magnificent view of the ancient temple of Zeus. More inquisitive tourists can also find the remains of an ancient theatre, city walls, and an agora.
Within the area of modern-day Turkey, the remains of two of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World have been preserved: the Temple of Artemis in Ephesus and the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus. Unfortunately, while visiting these places, you cannot count on such magnificent views as tourists enjoy when viewing the Pyramid of Cheops. In place of the Temple of Artemis now stands a solitary column, and where once stood the magnificent Mausoleum, there are modest ruins that do not stand out in any way. Despite this, it is worth spending a moment during your stay in Bodrum to visit this place, to reflect on the perversity of history and the transience of even the greatest achievements of humanity. Immediately after that, you should quickly move to St. Peter's Castle, to find the traces of this tomb of the Carian ruler named Mausolus reused in this mighty fortress.
Located within the fishing village of Kıyıkışlacık, the rarely visited ruins of an ancient city called Iasos picturesquely tower over the deep bay of Güllük, which belongs to the Aegean Sea. It is well worth spending some time and effort to get there. The effort will be rewarded by the joy of wandering among the remains of ancient buildings and the views from the Iasos acropolis over the blue waters of the sea.
