Descoberta estatueta de deusa mãe em Izmir

Archaeological excavations in Yeşilova and Yassıtepe mounds in İzmir’s Bornova district have recently ended after revealing an 8,200-year-old mother goddess figurine, fishing-related net weights, various kinds of jewelry items, as well as fish fossils and numerous mussels remains.

Thanks to the excavations, the previously believed history of the city to be 5,000 years old is now estimated to be 8,500 years instead, which is a notable revelation. Some nine villages at the site were also unearthed one after the other as the result of the excavations.

Besides, many remains from thousands of years ago such as sea bream, poisonous stingrays, sea urchins, oysters and mussels were found. It turned out that the first İzmir residents consumed seafood, especially mussels, 8,500 years ago, just like today’s dwellers.

The most striking find unearthed this year during the excavations in the ancient area was the 8,200-year-old headless marble mother goddess figurine. In addition to the figurine, another find, an 8,200-year-old glass, was also brought to the cultural treasure of the country.

Apart from the above, a large number of net weights related to fishing from the same period has also drawn attention. The presence of the fishing nets affirmed that the first inhabitants of İzmir were very interested in fishing, and they hunted the prey using these nets. Various jewelry items such as medallions and pendants were also among the findings.

Zafer Derin, associate professor and excavation director, stated that this year’s excavations ended after six months of rigorous work and that they would be giving the nearly 250 findings unearthed during the excavations to the İzmir Museum Directorate.

(Source: Hürriyet Daily News)

Mosaicos romanos e bizantinos em Kazlıçesme, Istambul

Ancient mosaics, unearthed in Istanbul’s Zeytinburnu Kazlıçeşme and believed to belong to the Late Roman and early Byzantine period, have been introduced with the theme of “Four Times Four Stories One Space” at the Zeytinburnu Kazlıçeşme Cultural Center.

The Zeytinburnu Mosaics, which were found during the restoration of the historical building in Kazlıçeşme, where the Zeytinburnu Municipality was located for years, were introduced at a symposium organized by the Zeytinburnu Municipality on Oct. 22.

The opening of the symposium, where the culture, traditions and values of different times were discussed, was done by Zeytinburnu Mayor Ömer Arısoy.

Speaking at the symposium, Arısoy stated that Zeytinburnu was located on important treasures just like Istanbul.

Noting that the efforts to transform Zeytinburnu into a culture valley started in 1999, he said, “In line with the suggestions of the late architect Turgut Cansever, who knew the historical and cultural potential of the region, a cultural restoration move was undertaken to create a Culture Valley, while many works were revived, the region was reconstructed according to urbanism principles and this long-running project now blossoms.”

Speaking about the mosaics, Professor Asnu Bilban Yalçın said, “Zeytinburnu mosaics and the similar are actually material witnesses of the transition to a new order, the continuation and change of cultural production, which we define as the late Roman period.”

“The ornamentation and formulation of the magnificent flooring here show us how strongly the Roman common cultural language continues,” he added.

Pointing out the significance of the mosaics, Yalçın said, “These magnificent floor mosaics, which have been discovered as a result of a coincidence in the historical building of Zeytinburnu Municipality, will provide important information that will contribute to the historical topography, artistic and cultural accumulation of Istanbul.”

Archaeologist Nezih Başgelen said that for a biography work, they had found the notebooks of Rüstem Duyuran, one of the archaeologists of the Istanbul Archaeology Museum. Stating that Duyuran’s notebooks also include visuals, Başgelen said, “There are all stages of the emergence of the mosaic in front of the province in his notebooks.”

The area where the Zeytinburnu Mosaics are located, and the historical building that has been used as the building of the Zeytinburnu Municipality for 25 years, was actually the battlefield for a long time after the late Roman and early Byzantine period.

During the Ottoman period in the 18th century under the reign of Sultan Mahmud II, the building served as Cebehane Hospital and in 1847 as a military hospital. Later, it served as a dormitory for officers’ children, military service branch, sales place, and finally, as the building of Zeytinburnu Municipality for 25 years.

When the municipality moved to the new building, a three-year restoration process began. During the restoration, a mosaic from the Roman period, dating back to the fifth century, was found and presented to visitors under a protection glass.

However, with the possibility of finding other mosaic motifs outside the building, excavations have been continuing in the garden. The building has been opened to visitors under the name Kazlıçeşme Sanat, and after the ongoing excavations are completed, the building will serve as a mosaic museum.

(Source: Hürriyet Daily News)

Descoberta recente de artefactos pode mudar a história de Istambul

Due to the metro and railway constructions in the Beşiktaş district, Haydarpaşa and Yenikapı neighborhoods and soil removal work in the Silivri district, so many artifacts have come to light over the years that have enriched the history of Istanbul.

“In these excavations done by Istanbul Archaeology Museum, they have found so many artifacts that a new museum could be built with it,” wrote the daily in its feature.

“These artifacts date back to 6,500 B.C., the founding date of the metropolis.”

According to the daily, the oldest “kurgan” style cemetery has been found in the Canbaztepe neighborhood in the Silivri district.

Kurgan, which means “Castle” in old Turkish, is a name given to an ancient cemetery that is covered with sand and looks like a small hill.

In the kurgan, skeletons of a commander from 3,500 B.C. and a spearhead from 5,500 B.C. have been found.

Amid the railway diggings in Haydarpaşa, some city walls and building remains of the historical Khalkedon, “Land of the Blinds,” were explored.

In the metro works in the Beşiktaş district, traces of the first Turks of the metropolis have been unearthed.

“Archaeologists have found out some 80 kurgan cemeteries, axes and many pots and pans dating back to 3,500 B.C.,” wrote the daily.

In the Yenikapı neighborhood, officials came face to face with “a collection of submerged remains.”

Some 37 submerged ship remains, two canoe rows, 2,080 footprints from the ancient eras were unearthed.

Among the artifacts found, there were 1600-years-old ivory dices, 1500-years-old sandals with lines engraved, “Wear these in healthy and happy days my lady,” and 1600-years-old wooden comb with lines carved in the wood that read, “Oh Lord, please help,” in Latin.

“Officials can establish some several museums with different concepts with these artifacts,” the daily said, concluding its feature.

(Souce: Hürriyet Daily News)

Escavações em Myra-Andriake revelam 'importantes' achados

Summer excavations in the Myra-Andriake ancient site in the southern province of Antalya’s Demre district have ended, with finds from the works marked to be among the most important this year.

“We found the answers to many questions in this year’s excavations that we carried out in the orchestra. Hellenistic-era structures, architectural remains and structures were found. These finds included large amounts of earthenware and terracotta figurines, ceramic pots and oil lamps, silver and bronze metal finds and coins. For the figurines, we can say that they are the most important finds of the year,” Nevzat Çevik, an Akdeniz University Archaeology Department academic who headed the summer excavations, said.

On this 11th year of the excavations, 10 academics, seven doctoral students, four archaeologists and five archeology students from Akdeniz, Istanbul and Koç universities, along with 10 workers, had participated.

The excavations, which lasted three months, shoveled the lower rooms of the stage building of the Myra Ancient City Theater, revealing four meters of the orchestra section. The Hellenistic-era layers came to light, answering much of the anticipated question of how the Hellenistic times were like.

Noting that the excavations they carried out in the orchestra section found the answers to many questions, Çevik said: “We found Hellenistic-era structures, architectural remains, and pots. During these works and architectural studies in the orchestra, we came across a large group of finds that were scattered around a space. They were from the end of the 4th century and the beginning of the 1st century.”

Describing the figurines found and highlighting their significance, he said: “Among them were earthenware and terracotta figurines, ceramic pots and candles, silver and bronze metal finds and coins. The figurines are the most important finds of the year. It is the first time that many, very rich collections have been found together. In addition to normal life figures such as women, men, children, cavalry, there are also goddesses such as Leto, Artemis and Heracles.”

“I can say that the excavations we carried out in the Myra Ancient City Theater this summer gave one of the most important gifts of the year to Anatolian archeology,” Çevik added.

He stated they would continue with the conservation and restoration works of the site for two months in the autumn period.

(Source: Hürriyet Daily News)