February 2021 in Turkish archaeology

Theodosian Walls of Constantinople
Theodosian Walls of Constantinople

February 2021 was the month of some amazing archaeological discoveries in the area of Turkey. Roman bath ruins were found in Hıdırlık Tower excavations in Antalya while Roman period ruins were unearthed in the parking lot works in Pazarkapı location of Ortahisar district of Trabzon. Sadly, the millennia-old burial tumuli of the Lydian kings became threatened by the treasure hunters in Bintepe area near Sardis. Finally, the comprehensive restoration project was announced for the Theodosian Walls in Istanbul.

Turkish Archaeological News collects the most important, interesting and inspiring news from Turkish excavation sites. Here's the review for February 2021. Have we missed anything? Let us know by using Contact tab!

February 1, 2021

Artworks at Zeugma Mosaic Museum under control of experts

The unique mosaics in the Zeugma Mosaic Museum, one of the world’s largest mosaic museums located in Turkey’s southeastern province of Gaziantep, are being cleaned by an expert team with the utmost care and precision to protect them for future generations. Source: Hürriyet Daily News

Recently, two Lydian tumuli were destroyed by treasure hunters using construction equipment in the area known as Bintepe (literally "A Thousand Hills"), in Manisa Province of Turkey. There are 115 tumuli of various sizes, where Lydian nobles and royal family members were buried in the 7th and the 6th centuries BCE. Source: Anadolu Ajansı

February 2, 2021

Bergama ancient city in digital world

The German Archeology Institute, which works in the ancient city of Bergama, a site on the UNESCO World Heritage List, mapped the 12.5-square-kilometer area on a digital platform. Findings and tumuli of the last 30 years in the region were placed on the map and information on all archaeological structures was made available for interactive use. Maps on the website of the institute are available in Turkish, German and English. Source: Hürriyet Daily News

February 3, 2021

Underwater research reveals secrets of submerged Kibatos Castle

The history of the submerged Kibatos Castle, which was discovered in the Sea of Marmara in 2019 at a depth of about 3 meters (10 feet), is being brought to light through comprehensive research by underwater archaeologists. Source: Daily Sabah

February 8, 2021

Troy Museum giving opportunity to watch artifact restoration works live

Located at the entrance of the ancient city of Troy in the northwestern province of Çanakkale, which dates back to 5,000 years, the Troy Museum will offer its visitors an opportunity to watch the restoration and conservation works of ancient artifacts live within the scope of a new project. Source: Hürriyet Daily News

February 9, 2021

Ancient city of Patara gains popularity after 2020 marked ‘Year of Patara’

Patara, a 2,000-year-old ancient city in the southern province of Antalya’s Kaş district, which has traces of human life dating back to 6,000 years and was once the capital of the Lycian Union, has been drawing the attention of tourists to the region even more after the year 2020 was marked as the “Year of Patara.” Source: Hürriyet Daily News

February 10, 2021

Marble flooring of Stratonikeia church meticulously restored

Archaeologists have been working on the colorful marble floor plates of the 1,550-year-old Byzantine church in the ancient city of Stratonikeia to restore them to their spellbinding, former condition. Source: Daily Sabah

Ottoman pasha’s heirs awarded ownership of castle in Trabzon

Güzelhisar Castle, built by the Genoese in the 13th century in the northeastern province of Trabzon, has become the property of the grandchildren of Ottoman Pasha Üçüncüzade Ömer this week as the result of a court decision. Source: Daily Sabah

February 11, 2021

King graves under threat of destruction

Located in Turkey’s western province of Manisa, the 2,700-year-old Bintepeler Tumuli, known to be the graves of Lydian kings, were plundered by treasure hunters, destroying the graves with construction equipment to quite an extent. Source: Hürriyet Daily News

February 12, 2021

Arena similar to Rome’s Colosseum discovered in western Turkey

Archaeologists have unearthed an “arena,” or rather, an amphitheater, resembling Rome’s world-famous Colosseum, in Turkey's western province of Aydın. Authorities say the structure, which is mostly buried underground, is a unique example of Eastern Roman architecture in Turkey. Source: Daily Sabah

2,600-year-old ancient perfume bottles go on display for 1st time

The Izmir Archaeological Museum is showcasing the containers called “Attic Red-Figure Squat Lekythoi” until the end of February as part of its project “You will see what you could not see.” The priceless artifacts are on display at the museum for a month. Source: Daily Sabah

February 15, 2021

Orthodox church in Black Sea region plundered by treasure hunters

The 14th-century Hutura Hagios Monastery Church, considered one of the three holy churches of Orthodox Christianity in the Black Sea region, has been plundered by treasure hunters, a local historian said on Feb. 14. Source: Hürriyet Daily News

February 16, 2021

Museum takes visitors to world of toys

The Game and Toy Museum in the southeastern province of Gaziantep, which hosts thousands of local and foreign tourists throughout the year with its historical buildings and museums, takes its visitors on an intercultural journey with toys from many countries. Source: Hürriyet Daily News

February 17, 2021

Turkey’s ancient city of Uzuncaburç to be revived

The ancient city of Uzuncaburç in the southern province of Mersin, one of the preserved structures of the Hellenistic period, will be restored in a specially designed project to reflect its 2,300-year history. Source: Hürriyet Daily News

February 18, 2021

Sunken historical ship emerges from Turkey's Lake Van

As the waters of Lake Van, Turkey's largest lake located in the eponymous eastern province, have been receding recently, many historical artifacts have been revealed. Among the latest findings in the lake are the remains of a ship that sank many years ago. Source: Daily Sabah

February 20, 2021

2,050-year-old columns rise again in sanctuary

Unearthed columns in the 3,000-year-old Lagina Hecate Sanctuary, once a center of paganism in southwestern Turkey, have been restored and have risen again. Source: Hürriyet Daily News

February 22, 2021

Digital library gathers millions of pages of Ottoman documents

An online digital library project, “WikiLala,” which aims to bring together and digitize all the printed texts from the Ottoman Empire since the introduction of the printing press, has been shedding new light on the empire’s history and culture. Source: Hürriyet Daily News

February 24, 2021

İzmir seeks World Heritage status for four zones

The Aegean province of İzmir, Turkey’s third largest by population, is seeking World Heritage status for four zones to be inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List: The Historical Port City, Birgi village, Gediz Delta and the Foça, Çandarlı and Çeşme castles. Source: Hürriyet Daily News

February 25, 2021

Hungary returns 412 smuggled artifacts to Turkey

Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, who was in Budapest Thursday for a meeting with his Hungarian counterpart Peter Szijjarto, was handed 412 artifacts the country seized from a smuggler six years ago. Source: Daily Sabah

Istanbul land walls are being restored

Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Cultural Heritage Department has initiated restoration work for 21 bastions that are in danger of collapse from the land walls in the city. IMM President Ekrem İmamoğlu examined the bastions near Belgradkapı, where work was started with the members of the scientific board and bureaucrats. Source: Arkeolojik Haber

Roman bath ruins found in Hıdırlık Tower excavations in Antalya

Archaeological excavations around the 2nd century Hıdırlık Tower in Antalya yielded the remains of a Roman bath. Source: Arkeolojik Haber

Roman Period ruins found in parking lot construction in Trabzon

Roman Period ruins have been unearthed in the parking lot works carried out by the Metropolitan Municipality in Pazarkapı location of Ortahisar district of Trabzon. Source: Arkeolojik Haber

February 27, 2021

Istanbul Cinema Museum opens its doors

Following a restoration project, a historical theater in Istanbul and a cinema museum opened their doors to visitors on Feb. 28 with the participation of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Source: Hürriyet Daily News