January 2017 in Turkish archaeology

Submitted by Iza on Tue, 01/31/2017 - 19:08

Turkish Archaeological News collects the most important, interesting and inspiring news from Turkish excavation sites. Here's the review for January 2017. Have we missed anything? Let us know by using Contact tab!

Selçuk

Submitted by Iza on Mon, 01/30/2017 - 10:37

Selçuk is a charming town located near Kuşadası, in the central part of the Aegean coast. Crowds of tourists flock here to see one of the greatest archeological sites in Turkey - the ruins of the ancient city of Ephesus. However, few adventurers stop here for a longer time. Because of this, the town has retained its relaxed lifestyle. In the morning farmers still pass the town center in their tractors, taking their wives to work in the fields.

Karakabaklı

Submitted by Iza on Mon, 01/23/2017 - 18:02

Karakabaklı was an agricultural settlement that developed in the Taurus mountains, in the region of Cilicia. It flourished in the late-Roman and early Byzantine periods. The most impressive buildings that can be seen during a visit to Karakabaklı are: a two-storey villa, two basilicas, two monumental gates, and a well-preserved fragment of a Roman road.

Zeus Temple in Silifke

Submitted by Iza on Wed, 01/18/2017 - 09:03

In the centre of Silifke, there are modest remains of an ancient temple. Most likely, it was dedicated to Zeus, known in the Roman pantheon as Jupiter. Now, the ruins are known as the Temple of Storks because these birds have built a nest on top of the only standing column of the building.

Diocaesarea

Submitted by Iza on Sun, 01/15/2017 - 19:11

Among the innumerable places of historical interest, located in the Taurus Mountains in the vicinity of Silifke, Diocesarea seems to be the most significant, and at the same time - the most beautiful one. The remains of an important religious sanctuary stand on the grounds of the humble village of Uzuncaburç. In the ancient times, it was the centre of worship of Zeus Olbios. It attracted pilgrims from afar and remained in the custody of the inhabitants of the nearby town of Olba. The meaning of Diocaesarea sanctuary can be likened to the role the temple in Didyma served in relation to the city of Miletus, or the oracle in Claros - for the residents of the Ionian colonies on the coast of the Aegean Sea.