154 years of excavations in ancient city of Sardis

Monday, August 4, 2008

Sibel Aksu & Turgay Duyar
MANİSA - Anatolia News Agency

Excavations on the 5000-year-old former capital of the ancient kingdom of Lydia Sardis, which began 154 years ago, are still ongoing today, revealing so many new ancient artifacts that researchers predict they could easily continue working for another 50 years.

Known as the �Queen of Asia,� the ancient city of Sardis, located in the province of Manisa, had its era of prosperity during the Persian and Roman periods. Excavations, which were originally led by the Prussian Consul Ludwig Spiegelthal from 1854 until World War I, were ongoing until 1958.

The first large-scale archaeological excavations in Sardis were directed by Howard Crosby Butler from Princeton University from 1910 to 1914, unearthing more than 1,000 Lydian tombs. After Butler's death in 1921, professor George Hanfman and professor Crawford H. Greenewalt led the research for Harvard and Cornell universities.

Over 50 years of excavations unearthed the Temple of Artemis and one of the country's most impressive ancient synagogues, which was part of a large bath-gymnasium complex that was in use for 450 to 500 years.

Speaking to the Anatolian news agency, professor Nicholas Dunlop said the excavations had unearthed many Roman and Persian ruins, adding that the Roman bath-gymnasium complex had been restored.

Dunlop said the most important finding was the walls of the Lydian city, adding that it was the biggest monument of that period. �We did not expect such a big remain. Excavations are still being held under these walls. We are planning to have more information about the age of the ruins.�

HOUSE UNDER THEATER RUINS

Saying the excavations have uncovered many houses from the Roman period, Dunlop said one such find was a Lydian house under the ruins of a theater. �We have found a variety of houses that we did not expect. We realized there were no theaters before Roman and Hellenistic period, but we have found the hillside houses made of soils. Stone floors, pillars, potteries have been found and handed to the Manisa Museum. It was very enriching to find the Lydian houses as they proved the Lydians to be a very rich society.�

Dunlop said that golden and silver coins, or sikke, found during excavations, were first used in trade in Sardis and added that those coins are very rare. �As far as we understood, even with the smallest golden coin three sheep could have been bought. During the excavations a sikke was found near a skeleton of a soldier. In those times people were keeping their sikkes in their mouths as there were no pockets whatsoever.�

STUDIES ON CHANGING ROUTES

Dunlop said the routes of some new highways have had to be changed due to the excavations. �These roads are as old as the Silk Road. There is a Roman street right under the road, covering a Lydian road. Our studies will carry on all these routes.�

Saying they have paid extra attention to the grain of the findings, Dunlop said this year the team plans to investigate the area of the Roman theater and city walls. Though in the last 50 years many things have been found, archeologists are likely to continue finding valuable artifacts for another 50. �It is as if we have just started the excavations. There are still many places to investigate, as many things are still ambiguous. So we have a lot to do,� said Dunlop.

An off-road vehicle that has been used since 1979 and a crane brought to the region from the United States in 1910 are now like antique ornaments in the city.

Manisa Culture and Tourism Director Erdinç Karaköse said Sardis is an important city in terms of its historical beauties. It is also a place where the first money was used and the Temple of Artemis is located.

Saying excavations should be finished soon to make Manisa a new attraction, Karaköse explained that when all works are done the city would attract international attention. �We have more projects in the city but the most important one is to highlight the times when money was first used. I believe this project will increase the number of tourists.�

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