Stadium in Ephesus

Submitted by Iza on Fri, 09/25/2020 - 16:37

The stadium of Ephesus is located just to the south of the Vedius Gymnasium, in a depression near the Pion Hill. This was the place where celebrations of all kinds were held, including sports events, chariot races, and gladiatorial combats. Most probably, the first stadium in this location was erected in the Hellenistic times by king Lysimachus in 3rd century BCE. To create the stadium, an artificial cavity was dug into the ground, covering the area of 3.3 hectares. The surviving traces, the dimensions, and the elongated form of the structure allowed its early identification as a stadium, oriented along the east-west axis. This Hellenistic structure was rather simple with just a flat running track and earthen banks where the spectators could sit, situated at the southern side. It was then used for religious ceremonies and sports activities.

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

Octagon in Ephesus

Submitted by Iza on Mon, 09/21/2020 - 09:29

Next to the Hellenistic Heroon, stands another burial monument of Ephesus, known as the Octagon. Dating back to the late 1st century BCE, this building was a monumental eight-sided mausoleum, around 13 meters high, originally surrounded by a Corinthian colonnade, standing on a square base with the sides 9 meters long. It was covered, most possibly, with a steep pyramidal roof, a novel architectural solution. All visible parts were made of white marble.

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

Octagon fragments, Ephesos Museum, Vienna

Schliemann's Trench in Troy

Submitted by Iza on Tue, 09/15/2020 - 16:15

Schliemann's Trench is a reminder of the actions of the famous Heinrich Schliemann, frequently dubbed the discoverer of Troy. In search of the castle of King Priam described by Homer in the Iliad, Schliemann made a huge trench in Hisarlık mound, 40 meters wide and 17 meters deep, oriented along the north-south axis. It was dug through the centre of the mound between 1871 and 1873 as the test-trench reaching bedrock.

This text is a fragment of a guidebook to Troy "The Secrets of Troy (TAN Travel Guide)".

Hellenistic Heroon in Ephesus

Submitted by Iza on Wed, 09/02/2020 - 10:13

The visitors starting their walk down Curetes Street from the Triodos Square encounter a group of buildings lining the street to the south. The proximity to the so-called Hadrian's Gate and the monumental staircase that possibly was the Altar of Artemis signifies their importance. This group consists of three structures, from the west to the east: the Hellenistic Heroon, the Octagon, and the Hexagon. In their background, there is the so-called Terrace House II, the built-up residential area on the northern slope of Bülbüldağ Hill.

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

August 2020 in Turkish archaeology

Submitted by Iza on Tue, 09/01/2020 - 11:18

August of 2020 brought the conversion of yet another museum (and previously a historical Church of the Holy Saviour in Chora) into a mosque in Turkey's biggest city, Istanbul. The archaeological excavations revealed a Byzantine granary in the ancient city of Amorium and a statue in Perge, believed to have belonged to a female benefactor from one of the aristocratic families of this ancient city. Moreover, the excavation teams reached the inner walls of a memorial tomb of the ancient Greek didactic poet Aratus in Soli (Pompeiopolis) and a Roman bathhouse and gymnasium in Smyrna.