Turkish Archaeological News collects the most important, interesting and inspiring news from Turkish excavation sites. Here's the review for August 2016. Have we missed anything? Let us know by using Contact tab!
August 2, 2016
Antalya's Demre opens new excavation season
Archeological works have started at the St. Nicholas Memorial Museum in the southern province of Antalya’s Demre district, as well as in the ancient city of Myra-Andriake. Source: Hürriyet Daily News
August 3, 2016
Excavations start at Soli Pompeiopolis
Excavation and restoration work has resumed at the 3,000-year-old ancient city of Soli Pompeopolis in the southern city of Mersin’s Mezitli district. Source: Hürriyet Daily News
August 4, 2016
Head of Pergamon excavations dies
Martin Bachmann, the German Archaeology Institute’s deputy Istanbul director and the head of the Pergamon excavations, died of a heart attack in Istanbul on Aug. 3. He was 52. Source: Hürriyet Daily News
Only statue of Roman emperor on display in Antalya Museum
Continuing excavation and restoration work at the ancient city of Perge in southern Antalya province has unearthed a trove of rare and priceless artifacts, including a one-of-a-kind statue of Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, who took the throne in the Roman Empire in the 2nd century. Source: Hürriyet Daily News
August 5, 2016
Fossils show Anatolian city was once like Africa
Fossils unearthed from the Çorakyerler fossil bed in the Central Anatolian province of Çankırı have revealed that the region was very similar to the African continent some 8 million years ago. Source: Hürriyet Daily News
August 6, 2016
Artifacts restored in ancient Stratonikeia
The ancient city of Stratonikeia, located in the western province of Muğla’s Yatağan district and listed on the UNESCO Temporary World Heritage List, has been undergoing excavation, restoration and conservation works for decades. Source: Hürriyet Daily News
August 7, 2016
Skeleton of ancient woman unearthed in Turkey's southwest
A 1,300-year- old skeleton of a young woman has been unearthed in the ancient city of Stratonikeia in the southwestern province of Muğla’s Yatağan district. Source: Hürriyet Daily News
August 9, 2016
Ancient temple found in Turkey's south
A 2,600-year-old temple has been unearthed during excavations in the ancient city of Soli Pompeiopolis in the southern province of Mersin. Source: Hürriyet Daily News
Work resumes in ancient Parion
The customs center in Parion, an ancient port city from the Hellenistic era located in the northwestern province of Çanakkale’s Biga district, is being unearthed this season. Source: Hürriyet Daily News
August 10, 2016
Professor dedicates his life to ancient mound in Turkey's Black Sea
Prof. Önder Bilg, who took part in the excavations at İkiztepe Mound for the first time in 1974, still continues contributing to works there even after retiring from Istanbul University in 2012. Source: Hürriyet Daily News
August 11, 2016
Ancient temple found in Turkey's Niğde
Excavations at Kınık Mound in the Central Anatolian province of Niğde have unearthed a 2,500-year-old temple from the Persian era. Source: Hürriyet Daily News
Ancient breakwater in Istanbul broken
The breakwater of the ancient Theodosius Harbor has been broken into pieces by construction equipment, against a decision by the Istanbul Protection Council for its removal with scientific methods under the inspection of experts. Source: Hürriyet Daily News
August 12, 2016
Work resumes in Patara’s basilica
Excavations have recently resumed in the ancient city of Patara, located in the southern province of Antalya’s Kaş district. This year’s work will focus on the excavation and restoration of the largest structure in the ancient city, its basilica. Source: Hürriyet Daily News
August 13, 2016
Religious center of Hittites comes to light
The 11th archaeological excavation season has recently begun in the ancient city of Nerik, recognized as the religious center of the Hittites, in the northern province of Samsun’s Vezirküprü district. Source: Hürriyet Daily News
August 15, 2016
New excavation season starts at ancient Xanthos
The new excavation season has started at the ancient city of Xantos, located near the Kaş district of Turkey’s Mediterranean province of Antalya. Source: Hürriyet Daily News
200-year-old mansion goes under restoration
Built by Süleymaniye scholar Abdullah Şerif Ağa in 1825 during the reign of Sultan Mahmud II, the Demirciler Mansion in Kocaeli province's Dilovası is being restored by the Kocaeli Metropolitan Municipality. Source: Daily Sabah
'Ephesus' of the Black Sea undergoes archaeological excavation
Known for its historical similarity with Ephesus in the Aegean region, the ancient city of Tium in the Black Sea region is now undergoing an excavation that focuses on the architectural features of the Roman times. Source: Daily Sabah
August 18, 2016
Mosaic featuring Roman zodiac uneathed in Bursa
A Roman-era "Mithras Mosaic," dating back nearly two millennia and depicting solar and astrological signs from the Roman zodiac has been discovered during archeological excavations in the Hisar region of the ancient province of Bursa. Source: Daily Sabah
August 19, 2016
Roman villa remains found in Turkey’s Düzce
Ongoing excavation works in the Prusias ad Hypium ancient city have unearthed the ruins and mosaic floor of a 3rd-4th century B.C. villa. The ancient city is located in the Aynalı village in Turkey’s Black Sea province of Düzce. Source: Hürriyet Daily News
August 20, 2016
Secret tunnel found in Hittite capital
Archaeological works in Alacahöyük, one of the most important centers of the Hittite Empire and considered Turkey’s first “national excavation field,” have unearthed a 2,300-year-old secret tunnel known as a potern. Source: Hürriyet Daily News
August 22, 2016
Ancient Poseidon mosaic found in Turkey’s Adana
Archaeological excavations in the southern Turkish province of Adana’s Yumurtalık district have unearthed a rare mosaic depicting the ancient Greek god of the sea, Poseidon. It is believed to date back to the 3rd or 4th century B.C. Source: Hürriyet Daily News
August 24, 2016
Well-preserved bath structure found
Archaeological excavations in the ancient city of Metropolis, located between the Yeniköy and Özbet neighborhoods in the Aegean city of İzmir’s Torbalı district, have unearthed one of the best-preserved brick vault structures in the world. Source: Hürriyet Daily News
Restorers prolong life of historical artifacts in labs
The Bursa Restoration and Conservation Regional Directorate Laboratory, which serves in five Turkish cities, prolongs the life of historical artifacts at museums and preserves them for future generations. Source: Hürriyet Daily News
August 26, 2016
Church floor found in city of gladiators in western Turkey
A marble church floor has been unearthed during archaeological excavations in the ancient city of Stratonikeia, known as the city of gladiators in the western Turkish province of Muğla’s Yatağan district. Source: Hürriyet Daily News
Archeologists discover 4,200 yr-old rattle in central Turkey
A 4200-year-old toy, equivalent to today's rattle, has been discovered at the Acemhöyük excavation site in Yeşilova, Aksaray. The toy dates back to the early Bronze Age. Source: Daily Sabah
August 27, 2016
Underground artifacts in Seljuk graveyard to be unearthed
Geophysical works have been continuing in the world’s largest Islamic graveyard, the Seljuk graveyard in the eastern province of Bitlis’ Ahlat district, known as the entrance gate of Anatolia. Source: Hürriyet Daily News
August 30, 2016
Drawings on inscriptions and stones from the Urartian kingdom, which ruled in the region in the 8th century B.C., are being used by artists in the eastern province of Van. The drawings are engraved on jewelry and stones. Source: Hürriyet Daily News
11th century Bible recovered in central Turkey
Police in the central city of Aksaray have confiscated an ancient Bible, believed to have been written in the 11th century, after two suspects tried to sell it. Source: Daily Sabah
2,300-year-old Hellenistic-era sepulcher unearthed in northern Turkey
A 2,300-year-old Hellenistic-era burial chamber has been unearthed at a construction site in the northern province of Samsun's Canikli district. Source: Daily Sabah
August 31, 2016
Ancient marquee to be restored
One of the rare artifacts from the Urartian era, a rock house where kings once lived in the eastern province of Iğdır’s Tuzluca district, will be restored and opened to tourism. Source: Hürriyet Daily News
