The games people played

Submitted by Iza on Thu, 08/14/2025 - 13:11

Text by our correspondent from Didim, Jay Jean Jackson.

There are many ancient archaeological sites which have graffito carvings etched into the stone floors. I have seen them in many places, Miletus, the Sacred Road, the Temple of Apollo, and Ephesus to name a few and I suspect they would also be present in most Ancient Greek cities. I have always been curious to learn about these, what are they for or what do they mean?

Ajax and Achilles pass the time, Athenian storage jar, about 530-520 BCE, from Chiusi in Italy, now in the British Museum in London. Photo by Izabela Miszczak

A night at the Temple

Submitted by Iza on Wed, 08/06/2025 - 12:05

Text and photos by our correspondent from Didim, Jay Jean Jackson.

As the Temple of Apollo in Didyma lights up for night visits for the first time after extensive work, so does the head of Medusa. With a light shining in her face she looks less than amused and who can blame her. I certainly cannot as I observe the unsympathetic additions that just do not echo this beautiful and sacred ancient site. The concrete pathways, the gravel, the metal fencing, and new ticket booth are eyesores against the elegant beauty of this treasure from the past and that is not the only problem.

July 2025 in Turkish archaeology

Submitted by Iza on Sat, 08/02/2025 - 11:08

July 2025 brought some excellent news concerning the archaeological discoveries made in the area of Türkiye. Major inroads were made into the better understanding of the earliest history of the region, for instance the archaeological excavations in Uluköy Cave, located in Mardin’s Kızıltepe district in southeastern Türkiye, revealed evidence of human presence dating back 400,000 years. Moreover, a 12,000-year-old architectural model, believed to be the oldest house model ever discovered, has been unearthed at Çayönü Hill in Diyarbakır, Türkiye, and is now on public display at the Diyarbakır Museum. Finally, the ancient city of Sardis and the Bin Tepe (Thousand Hills) Lydian Tumuli in western Türkiye have been officially added to UNESCO’s World Heritage List, following a unanimous decision during the 47th session of the World Heritage Committee, held in Paris on July 6.

Remains of the Temple of Artemis in Sardes, with the acropolis visible in the background

Agora of Smyrna

Submitted by Iza on Thu, 07/17/2025 - 17:54

In ancient times, the word agora meant two types of places: the political centre of a city, where the buildings belonging to the public sphere were located and where important matters of city policy were discussed, or the centre of trade and services. The Agora of Smyrna, the remains of which can be visited in Izmir, belonged to the first of these categories.

June 2025 in Turkish archaeology

Submitted by Iza on Tue, 07/01/2025 - 08:29

June 2025 saw the reopening of several museums in the area of Türkiye, including the Trabzon Museum, also known as the Kostaki Mansion, and the Manisa Museum. One of the biggest archaeological discoveries announced in June was the find of a major archaeological structure in the ancient city of Gordion thought to belong to a member of the Phrygian royal family. Numerous archaeological sites welcomed visitors after sunset as part of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism's new "night museum" initiative, including famous Ephesus and Topkapı Palace. Finally, Ünye Castle, one of the most significant historical landmarks on the Black Sea is now open to visitors following recently completed restoration works.