Panionium

Submitted by Iza on Sun, 12/04/2016 - 15:57

Panionium (Panionion) was an Ionian sanctuary dedicated to Poseidon Helikonios, and, at the same time, the Ionian League meeting place. This unusual site was located on the northern slopes of Mount Mykale (tr. Samsun Dağı or Dilek Dağı), opposite the island of Samos, about 100 km south of Smyrna (now Izmir). Mykale Massif forms Dilek Peninsula, which is a part of the Aegean Sea coast of Asia Minor. On the southern side of the mountain, the Ionian city of Priene was situated. Its residents were responsible for the sanctuary of Panionium and for the organization of games (panegyris) called the Panionia.

November 2016 in Turkish archaeology

Submitted by Iza on Thu, 12/01/2016 - 10:46

Turkish Archaeological News collects the most important, interesting and inspiring news from Turkish excavation sites. Here's the review for November 2016. Have we missed anything? Let us know by using Contact tab!

Sarıkale in Hattusa

Submitted by Iza on Mon, 11/28/2016 - 09:20

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

The great rock, known as Sarıkale, i.e. the Yellow Fortress, is hard to miss in Hattusa. It is a 60-meter-high rock with a characteristic shape where a fortress guarding the capital city was standing in the Hittite times. The was erected, most likely, at the turn of the 14th and the 13th centuries BCE. Some theories claim that Sarıkale served as a religious location, and more precisely - as a place of worship of the dead.

Royal Citadel in Hattusa

Submitted by Iza on Fri, 11/25/2016 - 09:56

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

The Royal Citadel (tr. Kral Saray), also known as the Great Castle (tr. Büyükkale), was, as its name suggests, the seat of the Hittite kings. Because of its location, at the highest point of the Old Town, it offers stunning views of the whole area of Hattusa but also the valley in the north where the modern Turkish village of Boğazkale is situated.

Museum in Ürgüp

Submitted by Iza on Thu, 11/24/2016 - 10:12

The museum in Ürgüp is one of the biggest disappointments that we experienced in Cappadocia. This tiny museum is neglected and underfunded. The prevailing atmosphere of perpetual boredom discourages the visitors from taking a closer look at the exhibits. We realize that most tourists do not come to Cappadocia because of the sudden desire to visit museums but to admire beautiful landscapes of the region. However, with such a significant tourist traffic, the lamentable state of this institution seems strange, just like in the case of Kayseri Museum. Why do local authorities not take advantage of the opportunity to attract the attention of visitors coming to Cappadocia and to interest them in the rich history of the region?