©The Archaeological Settlements of Turkey - TAY Project

Aphrodisias - Pekmez

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Aphrodisias - Pekmez
Type:
 Mound
Altitude:
 500 m
Region:
 Aegean
Province:
 Aydin
District:
 Karacasu
Village:
 Geyre
Investigation Method:
 Excavation
Period:
 Roman Hellenistic Classical Archaic Orientalizing Geometric Protogeometric

     

Location: It lies about 13 km east of the Karasu District; east-southeast of the Aydin Province. The ancient city of Aphrodisias includes both Acropolis Tepesi (Höyük) and Pekmez Höyük and the settlement of Kuskalesi Mevkii dating from the EBA [Joukowsky 1986:19;482-483].
Geography and Environment: The prehistoric settlements located in the ancient city date the history of this city back to the fifth and fourth millennia BC. The Geyre Stream; a branch of the Menderes River (the Meandros); irrigates the Geyre plains. The alluvium soil brought by this stream formed a fertile land around the settlements. The area is rich in water. Pekmez Höyük /Tepe; located on the south of Acropolis Tepe; measures 13 m in height and 125 m in diameter [Joukowsky 1986:19; 1989:225]. It was named by K. Erim.
History: Surveys conducted at Pekmez to the east of the acropolis revealed that the history of the city dated nearly back to 5800 BC [Erim 1986:77]. According to the analyses; the city had been in interaction with the Aegean Islands and the obsidian centers in the Central Anatolia since 4000 BC. A close relationship and some similarities with Troy are observed from 3000 BC. And; the megaron type of houses are typical of the Western Anatolia and Aegean Regions [Erim 1986:78]. According to Stephanus; Aphrodisias was first founded by Pelasgians and Leleges as Lelegonpolis; and then the name changed to Megale Polis and Apo Ninou Ninoe; where the latter is similar to the name of the city of Nineveh in Mesopotamia. It is most likely that the Assyrians brought their cult of Ishtar; the Mesopotamian goddess of love and war (Astarte) to the city during that period. This assumption is supported by references to the cult of Zeus Nineudios in the inscriptions uncovered in Aphrodisias. In addition; depictions of Ninus and his wife Semiramis in Roman clothing were found on a relief dating to the second half of the 3rd century BC. Probably during the same period; the Late Hellenistic Period; the settlement was associated with the Greek goddess; Aphrodite. Thus; it was proposed that the name Aphrodisias might have been the Greek version of Ninoe. In the 2nd century BC.; the status of the settlement rises to a city. It served like a sanctuary until that date. It is supposed that the settlement included only buildings related with the temple; and the people working in the surrounding fields other than the priests working for the temple. Most probably the cult existed here since time immemmorial; which is likely to be evident by the small idols discovered during the excavations and dated to the prehistoric ages. It is suggested that the Romans; who started to take the control in Anatolia from the 2nd-1st century BC; might have played a role in associating the sanctuary with Aphrodite and naming the settlement as Aphrodisias. In response to a oracle made in Delphoi; in 82 BC; the Roman general Sulla presented a golden crown for Aphrodite and a labrys (double-headed axe) for the city of Aphrodisias. The name of Aphrodisias is found in the bronze and silver coins of the late 2nd century and the early 1st century BC. Majority of them share the name of Plasara; the city with whom they signed a sympoliteia agreement. One of the inscriptions on the northern wall of the stage building of theater refer to a golden sculpture of Eros given to Aphrodisias by Julius Caesar. As already known; the Caesar's family claimed descent from the goddess Venus. It is clear by such a present that the city established good relationship with the Roman Emperor through the goddess of the city. Labineus who had supported Caesar's murderers; Brutus and Cassius; attacked the city with the help of Parthians; and destroyed the sanctuary. Labineus was defeated by Antonius in 39 BC. According to a senatorial decree sent by Marcus Antonius to Aphrodisias between 39 and 35 BC; Aphrodisias and the neighbouring town of Plarasa were exempted from taxes; and the Temple of Aphrodite was vested with the right of sanctuary just like the Temple of Artemis in Ephesus. G. Iulius Zoilos played a significant role in the internal affairs of Aphrodisias during 30 BC as he was a local. The city reached to a period of prosperity during the Roman Empire. Being part of a joint province with Phrygia in 250 AD; Aphrodisias became the capital of the Caria Province following the administrative improvements during the period of Diocletianus. With the introduction of Christianity; Aphrodisias became the seat of the metropolitan bishop of Caria in 4th century AD. During the 7th century AD; phrases of Aphrodisia in the inscriptions were destroyed as they were reminding polytheist religions. From that date; the city was renamed as Stauropolis. Although this name can be found in many inscriptions; the city was recalled as "Caria" as it was the capital of the Caria Province. It has been suggested that its present name; Geyre is also derived from Caria [Erim 1986:27-30; 32-34; 80; Bean 2000:235-236].
Research and Excavation: It was visited by Laborde in 1826; Texier in 1835; Fellows in 1840; Seiff in 1871-72; Davis in 1872; Deschamps in 1894 and Gaudin in 1904 [Madran 1989: 229-233]. During the excavations of the ancient city of Aphrodisias under K. Erim since years 1960; the excavations and surveys were conducted both at Pekmez Höyük and Acropolis Höyük in order to find out the pre-Hellenistic remains of the city under the leadership of the same scientist by J. Bordaz in 1962; S. Page in 1966; B. Kadish between 1967-72; R. Marchese between 1973-74 and finally by M.S. Joukowski between 1975-83. The studies of M.S. Joukowski were mainly concerned with the evaluation of materials rather than the excavation. Two small trenches were opened at Pekmez Höyük while seven at Acropolis. In the meantime; EBA materials were found at Kuskalesi Mevkii located within the territory of the ancient city. The excavations both at Pekmez and Acropolis were realized through soundings due to the remains of the following Classical Period. Besides the studies carried out by M.S. Joukowski; the information is obtained only through the preliminary reports of the previous excavations. Following 1992; the excavation has been directed by R.R. Smith; and mainly concerned with the illumination of the Roman Period of the city.
Stratigraphy:
Small Finds:
Remains: The area within the walls measures approximately 60 acres [Erim 1986:52]. The hill where the theater was built is the acropolis of the city. The city developed around the acropolis. The most prosperous time of the city was during the Roman Period. During the transformation from a developed Roman city to a Byzantinian one, she achieved to have maintained its typical Roman characteristics. The skills of Aphrodisian sculptors, marble-carvers and architectures started to disappear from 6th century AD [Erim 1986:70-71]. City Wall: The city wall is approximately 3.5 km long, with a nearly rounded shape. There are four main gates and several towers piercing the wall. Among the re-used material employed for the wall are architectural, sculptural and epigraphic fragments. It is assumed that the construction of the present wall started during the second half of the 3rd century AD, going through several renovation and construction phases. Based on the inscriptions, however, it is known that there was a systematic construction starting from the mid 4th century AD When taking this into consideration, it can be assumed that the stone blocks of the buildings collapsed during the earthquakes in 350-360 AD were used for the construction of the city wall. Although there is no trace of an earlier city wall, it has been predicted that there might have been a defense system in and around the acropolis during the Hellenistic Period. It is assumed that some of the foundations observed on the eastern slope where the theater is located might have belonged to an earlier city wall rather than the theater building. An opposite view proposes that the city was relying on its holliness not to have a city wall. Research in 2002, consisted of cleaning and documentation of the northwest section of the walls, between West Gate and the Stadium, and of limited excavation at the West Gate (Trench Wall 1) and on the outside of the wall (Trench Wall 2), app. 50 m north of the West Gate. Trench Wall 1 was dug through the West Gate itself, and revealed three successive road surface. The lowest surface, contemporary with the construction of the gate, lies at an elevation of 517.16 m asl, and shows that the gate opening was originally 3.52 m high and 2.46 m wide - very close to a proportion of 10 to 7 (units of 0.352 m). Trench Wall 2 showed that the wall stands to a height of 9.5 m at this location, its highest preserved point, and rests on foundations 1.62 m deep. There was no trace of a ditch of any other defensive work on the exterior of the wall [Smith - Ratte 2004:387]. In 2003, a 3 by 5 m trench (Wall 3) was dug up against the inside of the northwest city wall, directly opposite a similar trench dug up against the outside of the wall in 2002 (Wall 2). The trench revealed the foundation of the wall at 517.34 m asl, 1.5 m below the apparent ancient ground level. Pottery from foundation levels corroborates the mid-4th century date of the fortifications attested by the insriptions on the northwest and northeast gates [Ratte - Smith 2005:331]. Research in 2004 included documentation of the standing remains of the wall and continued study of the blocks built into the wall. Monument-like reliefs were observed on the walls which have funerary characteristics [Smith - Ratte 2006:19]. Tetrapylon Street: In 2008 B. Yıldırım started excavating parts of the main roads of the city for expanding the travel experiences of the visitors. The excavation that covers a field longer than 90 m. on the North-South road and planned to last long years continued during 2009. This road starts from Tetrapylon and reaches to Sebasteion entrance. Four trenches have opened in a field of 21 by 21 m. Debris walled rooms are encountered in Trench Nave 09.beneath the Ottoman Period. These rooms extend in the same parallel with the paved Roman road. Various spolia constitute a wall that is parallel to the West side of Trenches Nave 09.1 and Nave 09.3 (in which a well is located) at a deeper layer towards West. Pieces of spolia include intact columns, column bases and most importantly a scripted lento stone from 1st Century AC dedicated to Zeus Spaloksios. The excavations are more intense in the field above the road. A paved road is excavated in the South end which covers a field of 45 square meters. Late Roman Period cornice blocks and bi-directional columns are encountered in the North end. A second paye, three columns bases and remains of head pieces from the "Eros paye heads" series as well as some glass mosaic pieces are found in the East portico. The spolia wall rests on a more important room with walls in the South edge of Nave 09.3 in the South end under the late period walls. The Northeast corner of this room stands on the floor of the road and spolia blocks exist on its basement and in its corner as well as irregular debris pieces between the blocks. The excavations carried out in Trench Nave 09.4 have unearthed a structure within the portico in Nave 08.4, inside marble covers, glass wall mosaics, and a thick layer of wreck. This structure contains white square floor tiles reused from a disturbed context as well as baked bricks above and below the reused layer [Smith 2011:257-258]. Among the most important finds recovered during the 2010 campaign, there are four figured pilaster capitals [Smith-Ögüs 2012:25]. Among the findings recovered during the 2011 studies, there are 3 bronze doorknob, a pilaster capital with figure and a statue with himation the size of which is bigger than the human size [Smith-Uzun 2013:75]. During the 2012 campaign, fallen columns, bases and capitals belonging to the second storey of the portico in the Street were exposed. These remains are dated to the Late Antiquity. In addition, two large sized headless statues were found [Smith-Ögüs 2014:306]. : The conservation and restoration studies were carried out in 2015. It is observed that the structure is in danger of demolition due to the stones taken for spolia purposes and the pressure of the soil in the back section. Since the stones were damaged in this area, they were replaced with the new ones and the left section of the façade was repaired. The studies concentrated on the area between the propylon and agora and the area between the stone structure in the west of the street and sebasteion propylon. The important finds recovered from these areas are the high-quality marble statues [Smith-Ögüs 2017:19-22]. Stoa: It is bordered by a plastered wall on the east and a colonnade which separates itself from the street on the west. In the colonnade, from north to south, there are three in situ column bases with high postaments and a pier, to the south, there are three spolia columns placed on the stylobate. The rubble layers found in three trenches are consistent and include brick, roof tile, marble floor tile, wall coating, painted wall plaster and tessera pieces belonging to the wall mosaic. First rubble layer was found 70 cm above the street. Underneath this layer, another layer with roof tiles and bricks mixed with dark, carbonated soil was discovered. This shows that the demolition was occurred due to fire. Four pilaster capitals in high quality were unearthed. The capital found in Trench Nave 10.1 bears a depiction of a putto holding an animal. The depictions of other three are: a young hunter holding a lagobolon, a walking putto and a young male with his lamb. The capitals are dated to the end of 4th century AD and the beginning of 5th century AD. Small finds and pottery recovered from the trenches of Stoa point out that this area was densely used during 5th and 6th centuries AD [Smith-Ögüs 2012:26]. Gates: The western gate is known as "the Gate of Antiocheia". The votive inscription on the outer surface of the gate reads "Dedicated to the health, safety, fortune, success and immortality of the Emperor Constantinus III". The northern gate is located to the east of the Stadium, with two inscriptions on the inner surface. The upper one is most probably related with the construction of the city wall while the lower one provides information about the restoration of the gate, referring to the name of the city, Stauropolis. The eastern gate has three arches, which are dated to the 2nd century AD based on an inscription on the inner part of them. The southern leaf of the gate is decorated with plant motifs and human heads [Erim 1986:51-54; Bean 2000:240-241]. In 2007, a final season of intensive investigation and recording was devoted to the mid-fourth century city wall. The blocks of a lavishly decorated and isncribed tomb re-used in the SE Gate were drawn and the tomb was reconstructed in an axonometric drawing. New drawings were made of the important inscribed dedications on the lintels of the NW Gate and of the NE Gate. The remaining east and north-east section of the wall circuit was vigorously cleaned and then drawn at 1:100. This completes the documentation of the 3.5 km wall circuit [Smith 2009:328]. Agora: Agora is located at the center of the city, to the south of odeon and north of the Portico of Tiberius. It is surrounded by galleries with columns. The Gate of Agora: It is nearly 200 m away from the Hadrianic Baths to the eastern side of the Portico of Tiberius. It is a monumental gate or a propylon with a large façade. Following the earthquakes in the 4th century AD, it was converted into a fountain structure in the 5th century AD The main idea here was to collect the flood waters from the east into a pool. The outer surface of the pool wall was decorated with relief panels borrowed from a neighbouring building. The 5th century AD is indicated with a reference to Flavius Ampelis in one of the inscriptions [Erim 1986:125-126]. The researchers believe that the propylon is not a part of the agora, but another building, which should have been lying to the east of the propylon. The size of the propylon, although its function has not been elucidated yet, highlights the significance of the monument. Analysis of architectural fragments revealed that it is a two-story structure, and has at least eight niches or aedicules as well as an Aphrodisian style of frieze. An inscription on the first story reads that the propylon was dedicated to Aphrodite, the Divine Augusti, and the People. It was noticed that this and the propylon in Sebasteion are similar in many respects. Big pedestals of Nerva and Hadrianus with inscriptions, a monumental sculpture of Antoninus Pius, and sculptures of various significant local officers indicate that the propylon provided a passage to a very significant building, even something related with the imperial cult [Erim 1986:126-128]. Based on the inscriptions, it was built in the 2nd century AD, destroyed by the earthquake in the 4th century AD, and then converted into a fountain in the 5th century AD. It is still unclear if it is a propylon specific to the agora [Erim 1986:125]. Two new trenches were dug in 2002; one as part of the continuing investigation of the results of a geophysical survey of the Agora carried out in 1998. and one in the area between the Agora and the Sebasteion, or sanctuary of the imperial cult, directly to the east. The goal of the first trench was to reveal the feature represented by the cluster of black spots on the geophysical survey map. Excavation showed that these black spots were not honorific statues or exedrae, but rather fragments of the entablature of the south stoa. These blocks were not, however, lying where they had fallen when the portico was destroyed; rather, they had been carefully buried in stone-lined pits. Apparently part of the stoa had been damaged beyond rapeir, by earthquake or fire, for example, and the decision had been made to bury the debris on the spot, retehr than to try to clear it away. Coin evidence suggests that this took place in the fourth or fifth century AD. The second trench was dug at the southeast corner of the Agora ended in monumental arched entranceways. A wall built across one of the these entranceways in the medieval period yielded a headless statue, possibly from the Sebasteion [Smith - Ratte 2004:388]. North Agora: Excavation was carried out in two areas in the North Agora in the southeast corner of the agora, to continue investigation of the east end of the south stoa and of the area between the agora and the Sebasteion (NAg 03.1), and in the southwest corner (NAg 03.2) to continue investigation of the large rectangular sstructure first discovered by geophysical survey in 1998. Trench NAg 03.1 Excavation in this area in 2002 had shown that the two aisles of the south stoa of the Agora terminate in two large arched entranceways aligned with the back wall of the single colonnaded east stoa. The main goals of the excavation in 2003 were to delimit the confines of the space entered through these two large arches, and to dig deeper around the arches themselves. In pursuit of the first objective a series of 2 m wide trenches was dug to expose the north and east walls and the interior supports of what turned out to be a large room bisected on its east-west axis by an inner colonnade whiich continues the line (and the interaxial spacing of 5.7 m) of the inner colonnade of the stoa. The room is 13.25 m wide (north-south) and its northand south walls are aligned with the outer colonnade and back wall of the stoa, respectively. The walls are however considerably wider than those of the stoa proper -- 1.2 as opposed to 0.9 m -- because they rose to a much greater height. The room is 17.27 m deep (east-west), and its east wall is blank (no doorways) so that it could only be entered via the portico to the west. The inner colonnade of the room had two columns both of whose bases are preserved. The bases were raised 1.3 m above the floor level on large blocks of marble. Excavation in front of the east face of the eastern block revealed an anathyrosis jointsuggesting that a solid parapet-like wall ran between this column and the east wall of the room. It is uncertain whether this wall continued between the columns. The space between the western column and the central pier between the two arches of the entrance was apparently left clearas the east face of the pier is smoothly dressed. The bases are considerably larger than those of the inner colonnade of the stoa (the plinths are 1.28 m square and the lower toruses are 1.085 m in diameter; the bases are 0.31 m high) and would have supported columns approximately 8.8 m high (measuring from bottom of base to top of capital). The maximum height of the room at the end of stoa would thus have been over 10 m and its roofline would have been over 3 m above that of the rest of the stoa (whose inner colonnade is 6.85 m high). This room is architecturally comparable with the "chalcidica" of a Roman Basilica and of the basilical stoa of the upper Agora at Ephesus [Smith - Ratte 2005:333]. The North Agora was the main focus of fieldwork at Aphrodisias in 2004. Excavations were carried out in three areas: a large marble-lined courtyard or pool in the southwest corner of the square; the area of the doorway in the center of the east side; and the southeast corner of the Agora. Trench NAg 04.1. The sunken court or pool in the southwest corner of the Agora was first detected by a geophysical survey in 1998. Excavations carried out in 2000 and 2003 had revealed the south and east edges of the court, showing that it is 26.66x19.66 m in dimensions, 2.5 m deep (below the ancient ground level, elevation 514.2 m asl), and lined and paved with marble slabs. In 2004 the floor of the court was uncovered over a much larger area than before -- in 3 - 3.5 m wide strips along the entire east side and half of the south side, and in a 4 by 13 m wide trench running from the south side to the center of the court. Of interest are numerous mason's marks, including both marks indicating the positions of blocks. In spite of these excavations however the function of the structure remains uncertain. Trench NAg 04.2. Several columns are still standing at the east corner of the Agora as is a doorway in the center of the back wall of the east stoa (opposite the Sebasteion). Continued excavation at a room found inside the trench in 2000, showed that this room is very large; at least 12.5 m east-west x 15 m north-south, and was repaved with marble at a later period. Trench NAg 04.3. Best preserved corner of the Agora is its southeast corner where seven columns of the outer colonnade of the south stoa and two columns of the east stoa remain standing to their full height. Excavation in earlier seasons had shown that the south stoa terminates in a large enclosed room which projects 18 m beyond the back wall of the east stoa. The main purpose of Trench NAg 04.3 was to excavate this room down to floor level. As revealed the room is a split-level space (as already shown by probes dug in 2003), divided into north and south halves by two columns aligned with the inner colonnade of the south stoa. The north side of the room had the same floor level as the stoas of the Agora (516.8 m asl). THe floor on the south side of the room was raised up 1.3 m. The columns of the inner colonnade were also raised up on large reused marble wall blocks, so that their bases are level with the floor on the south side. Centered between the columns is a stairway built of reused marble blocks. Both halves of the room have similar opus sectile pavements, extremely well preserved on the north. The present state of the room thus reflects some very substantial renovations, probably carried out in the late Roman Period. Most notable is the treatment of the central columns, which must have been completely dismantled together with the roof they supported (perhaps after being damaged in an earthquake or fire), before being reerected in their current positions. [Smith - Ratte 2006:21-22]. In 2010, a trench measuring 6x10 m was excavated by K. Lee. The trench is located the corner where the North Agora and the Tetrastyle Court intersect. Although, the Tetrastyle court was added later on to Hadrian Baths, this trench yielded an earlier structure which was built at the same time with the North Agora, in other words Tiberius Period. Among the finds recovered from the trench, there are 17 rubbed out coins, a coin dated to after the Ancient Periodand some marble fragments. These marble fragments are: the upper part of a leg of a male statue, a hip fragment of a female statue with drapery and a neck fragment which is to be installed to an ideal female figure with long hair [Smith-Ögüs 2012:29-30]. In 2011, the connection between North Agora and Tetrastil Courtyard in Hadrianus Baths wad investigated by opening a trench with a dimension of 6x8 m. The earliest levels were exposed on the north of the trench and Late Hellenistic wares were found next to the foundation of the north of Tetrastil Courtyard. These foundations were built in the same period with the wall extending on the north-south direction on the east of Tetrastil Courtyard and on the west of Agora. On the east of the trench, a stairs with four steps and a large doorstone were found. The floor pavement under the steps in the west stoa of North Agora built with thin marbles and is probably dated to 1st century AD., the period the stoa was built. Remains of thin pink brick were found on this pavement. Related to these remains, a Late Antiquity statue head leaning against the south of the stairs and the back wall of the stoa. This head is dated to 500 AD. and this date indicates the period which the area was not in use anymore. 39 coins were found near the head [Smith-Uzun 2013:76-77]. In 2012, the studies carried out in two trenches that were opened in the west of the pool in South Agora in previous years. One of the trenches (SAg 12.1) is located inside the pool and the other one is (SAg 12.2) between the pool and north stoa. The excavations yielded a fragment of a marble pilaster capital with Eros depiction. In Trench SAg 12.1, the layers that were made in order to raise the floor around the pool in the Late Antiquity were removed. Two thin and long flower beds were determined inside the Roman layers. The thin layer of alluvion on the floor of the pool yielded floral remains. These remains, which look alike palm tree, support the idea that the South Agora could be the "Garden of Palms" as it was mentioned in the incription on the Gate of Agora [Smith-Ögüs 2014:305]. Tetrastoon: It lies to the east of the theater and north of the theater baths. The excavations yielded information about the ruins from the 4th century AD, however no information is available about the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD. It was constructed as an open area with a stone paved square-plan, and stylobates on four sides, and it is surrounded by galleries consisting of columns with high pedestals. Some of these columns are in situ while some had been used as re-used material for the castle of the 7th century AD. All of the columns are in Corinthian order, each one with a diverse style. It can be assumed that they were gathered from a neighbouring building. The excavations on the eastern part of the building revealed stone plates from a street to the east. In almost midst of the construction, there is an about 6 m wide rounded platform. The terracotta pipe standing in the middle is an indication of a fountain structure. To the northeast lies a big round altar, which was decorated with garland and undefinable figures. Based on the lines and several letters, it is assumed that it was used as a sundial. One of the two sculptures which have fallen in front of the western gallery, depicts Flavius Palmatus, the governor of the Asian District. The statue of a man wearing toga and holding a mappa in his right hand and a sceptre in his left hand is dated to the 5th century AD. The other statue represents a young man from the 1st century AD, probably a prince of the Constantinus Dynasty. He is in a melancholic mood, wearing a diadem on his head, which is not available anymore. The soundings performed did not reveal any clues about the earlier phases of the building. Most probably they were removed away as all buildings from this phase were heavily destroyed after the earthquakes. It is believed that the tetrastoon functioned as agora. According to researchers, a temporary market building was arranged until the actual agora was restored. Based on a inscription on a round pedestal of a statue uncovered among the re-used material at the wall of the 7th century castle, the founder of the tetrastoon was the Carian Governor Antonius Tatianus [Erim 1986:88-91]. Basilica: There are two basilicas in the city, one to the east of the Nymphaeum in the theater bath, and the other to the south of tetrastoon. It lies in the north-south direction. It consists of a main nave and two lateral naves. The naves are divided by Corynthian columns in local bluish grey marble. The rooms formed by the short parapets on the lateral naves were probably used as magazines. The floor was paved with large marble plates. The top of the middle nave is open. However, the top of the room formed by two props is closed. The pilasters were decorated with spiral style figures specific to Aphrodisias. A similar decoration is observed in the Hadrian's Bath. Although the function of this room decorated with black and grey marble is unknown, it is assumed that one or a couple of statues stood inside. The statue was removed in the 4th century AD, and a door was added to the north of the basilica allowing access to the south gallery of the tetrastoon. This way the basilica became an extension of the tetrastoon. The building so called the "Grand Basilica" is located to the south of the Tiberius Portico, near Hadrian's Bath. It consists of a main nave and two side naves. It lies in the north-south direction. It is approximately 100 m long. The researches revealed many inscribed blocks. Those inscriptions include Emperor Diocletian's famous edict on the maximum prices in 301 AD, and they are related with the debt payments of the people and individuals and the Roman economy. The intercolumniation at upper story of the eastern nave are decorated with relief panels, which include figures of Ninos, and his wife Semiramis as well as Apollo, Pegasus, Bellerophonte and Gordios among others. It is believed that the depiction of the mythical Phrygian King, Gordios indicated the significance of Phrygia and Caria, which became a joint district in the second half of 3rd century AD, and even of Aphrodisias. The reliefs are dated to the 3rd century AD based on their style. The fact that the basilica was enlarged by some modifications and ornamented with reliefs shows the significance of the city as the capital of the new joint state and as an administrative center. It is likely that the basilica was first constructed during the late 1st century AD, but probably lost its significance during the second half of the 3rd century AD [Erim 1986:93-94, 98-100]. In 2005 NYU research team carried out an active program of archaeological excavation, documentation and restoration at Aphrodisias. New excavation was carried out in the Sebasteion and Civil Basilica. In the basilica a deep trench was dug in the grand hall at the south end of the building in order to clarify its complicated architectural disposition. A great quantity of collapsed architectural blocks and revetment was recovered and allowed reconstruction of the chamber's elaborate marble-faced interior with a three storied engaged order [Smith-Ratté 2008:63]. Civil Basilica: The architecture research of Civil Basilica which is a tall and rectangular building (approximately 30 by 140 m.) is carried out by P. Stinson. The building's entrance is from South Agora (Late 1st Century AC) and the excavation continued on the unexcavated fields in the South end of the hall. A colossal in situ paye and blocks of an arc is excavated in a 12 by 8 m trench opened in 2008. Another large trench (SWC 12) is opened adjacent to the mentioned one in order to unearth the area where the arced entrance has opened. The room which is entered from the East via stairs is unearthed in this trench. The room is similar to the exedra which has an elevated basement. A small trench (SWC 14) is opened in Trench SWC 12 digging deeper down for reaching the ground level and for collecting ceramics from the time when the basilica was constructed. Analysing the ceramics obtained from the earlier drills carried out in the basilica it is determined that the South Hall was not later than the Nero Period. Another small drill was opened (BAS 09.1) in the North of the Basilica for researching the foundation of the Blue Horse monument and for determining the links between the monument and the stylobate of internal columns of Basilica. The rear part of the base of the monument is in situ in the North end of the nave. This base is sitting on a low foundation made of debris and reused flat stones which are laid on the ground. The material of ceramic is similar to the material found under the floor of Basilica. And two late oil lamps are also found which suggest that the base was constructed during the Late Antique Period [Smith 2011:258-259]. The 2010 excavations were carried out for identifying the opening on the eastern outer wall. Three phases were discovered on the east entrance. The first phase belongs to the same period with the construction date of the Basilica. The holes opened for the left wing of the original door were found on an in situ doorstep. In the second phase, the door was removed to the east probably because of the renovations of the east wall. The doorstep of the new door was lifted by stairs with a few steps. The partly preserved first step was formed with reused fluted column and it sit upon the original doorstep. Reused blocks indicate that the new door was built in 4th century AD or later. In the third phase, the door was covered with a roughly built wall. In this wall, a fragment of a large female statue with drapery and two Corinthian capitals which one of them belong to the Basilica were used. In the other trench excavated by S. Caruso, the marble flooring of the middle nave of the Basilica were exposed. The foundation of the west colonnade of the nave was examined in another trench. A trench was opened for studying the foundations of the colonnade as well. The upper part of the foundation wall was formed with small and tidy blocks with mortar, while the lower part was built with dry stone blocks. Under the nave floor, a baked clay basin used for extinguishing the lime was seen. Sherds of a quality vessel thought to belong to a date no later than early 1st century AD was found in the basin. The stratigraphy of this trench contains three layers: (I) Pink mortar, marble fragments and the slab bottom with stone deposit; (II) the fill consists of dark brown clay soil where the Basilica was constructed on; (III) the bedrock where the platform consists of natural layers with several colors was built. Among the finds recovered from the fill of the platform, there are Hellenistic - Early Roman potsherds, a stone spindle whorl and a silver Rhodes coin belonging to Hellenistic Period [Smith-Ögüs 2012:27-29]. Bouleuterion: Research on the Bouleuterion, situated in the center of the city on the north side of the Agora, consisted of continued study of the architectural remains of the stage building by L. Bier, combined with limited excavation designed to investigate its building history. The extand building is a structure of the late second century AD [Smith - Ratte 2004:388]. [Smith - Ratte 2005:332-333]. Excavation in the Bouleterion consisted of a pair of trenches dug beneath one of the radial vaults of the building, in search of the remains of earlier structures. The area chosen for examination is the vault of the west side of the building which leads to a doorway just south of the round Hellenistic tomb northwest of the bouleterion. The trenches are a 2 m by 6.8 m cut, extending from the inner edge of the vault to the circulation corridor that runs around the perimeter of the building, separated by a 0.50 m baulk from a 1.5 m wide trench that extends through the door and up against the Hellenistic tomb (the baulk between the trenches was later removed the elevation before excavation was 517.6 m asl). The only architectural feature revealed was the west end of an unmortared rubble foundation in the area of the circulation corridor. Only two courses of the foundation survive, bedded on disturbed soil. The foundation is aligned with the city grid and is 2.2 m wide N_S. Its west edge is aligned with a change in construcion technique in the stage building of the Bouleterion, which initially suggested to the excavator, Lonny Bier, that it may be a remnant of an earlier Bouleterion building. The east edge of the foundation was not revealed however and it may also be the base of a small square or rectangular monument [Smith - Ratte 2005:332-333]. The building is datable by its architectural and sculptural decoration to the late second century AD, approximately two centuries after the initial construction of the Agora. It has long been assumed that the extant building replaced an earlier Bouleterion on the same site, and in recent excavations have been carried out in a number of places to test this idea, in the area of the stage, in the orchestra, and beneath the radial supporting vaults [Smith - Ratte 2006:19]. In 2015, the architectural blocks of the Bouleuterion scene building, which spread towards the north agora, were moved to the vaulted storerooms [Smith-Ögüs 2017:19]. Odeion: It is located to the south of the Temple of Aphrodite. To the immediate south lies the Bishop's Palace. There are 9 rows of seat in the cavea, divided into 5 sections. There are interconnected rooms under and behind the cavea, which, along with the external semi-circular edges of the building, indicates that it was a two-story building. The total capacity is around 1700 people. The floor of the orchestra is paved with red slates and white, dark blue marble fragments in opus sectile, which does not reach to the cavea. There are stairs descending from the stage building and the cavea to the orchestra. Besides, it is observed that the last seating row in the cavea was removed, which were probably for modifications undertaken to control leakage of the subterranean waters. Various statues stood in the aediculae in the stage building, including symbolic figures of poets, philosophers, high ranking officials, and others related to the city. The pedestals supporting the aediculae are ornamented with reliefs. Behind the stage corridor rises a gallery with a Corinthian colonnade inside, and an Ionic collonade outside. Two statues were found in this gallery, one depicting L. Ant. Dometinus Diogenes, and the other, his wife Claudia Antonia Tatiana. Both wore head decorations representing the cult of Aphrodite. The odeion is dated to the late 1st or 2nd century AD based on the architectural ornaments. It was found that wine and olive oil production was performed around the Odeion during the Late Roman and Early Byzantine Periods [Erim 1986:62-64]. Theater: It is located to the west of Tetrastoon, and northwest of the Theater Bath. The horseshoe-shaped cavea is divided into two or three sections via diazomata. Under the well preserved diazoma there are 27 tiers of seats, which were divided into 11 cunei. It probably has a capacity of around 8000 people. Inscriptions revealed that the orchestra and the stage building underwent several modifications during the second half of the 2nd century AD. The two or three lowest rows of the cavea were removed in order to increase the depth of the orchestra, and the stage was partly reorganized. A balustrade armed with iron or wood, along with a parapet was installed at the end of the seating rows in order to protect the spectators during the gladiatorial games, wrestling bouts, and animal baiting. The prohedria, center of the front row in the cavea was allocated for the high ranking people. A canal was opened on the floor of the orchestra to facilitate the discharge of accumulating water. The stage building was enlarged by the addition of a pulpitum (logeion) in front of the façade. There is a section below the pulpitum to be used during the gladiatorial games to store materials and keep the animals so called "via venatorum" consisting of corridors and galleries. There is an access to the orchestra through a door [Erim 1986:80]. The stage building consists of six vaulted, mid-sized rooms. Four of them open into the corridor supported by the proscenium columns, and the other two lead into the barrel vaulted tunnel. The inscriptions found at the entrances of the gates indicate that the rooms were used to store actors' equipments and material. The frontal walls of these rooms have the traces of the Late Hellenistic masonry. The rear sections and vaults were possibly built during the restorations in the Late Roman and Early Byzantine Periods, which may have been related with the earthquakes in the second half of the 4th century AD. Most of the Doric semi-columns belonging to the proscenium-logeion were found in situ. The architrave inscriptions revealed that logeion and proscenium were dedicated to Aphrodite and Demos (people) by G. Julius Zoilos, who played an important role for Aphrodisias as a native in the 30s BC. Therefore, it is appropriate to date at least the stage building to that period. In addition, the lack of any referral to Augustus in the inscriptions indicates a date earlier than 27 BC [Erim 1986:80-82]. It is believed that proscenium and logeion forming the scaenae frons were possibly built during the renovations in the 2nd century AD. The façade decorated with picture panels between the Doric columns should have been equally levelled with the orchestra before. Among the monuments decorating the proscenium are Nike and some delicately carved plant ornaments (acroters). Sculptural and architectural fragments were found in the pulpitum and in the debris that filled the corridor behind the row of columns in the proscenium-logeion. Among the statues is a bust of Aphrodite dedicated by Theodoros, and the statue of a young man. An inscription found nearby records that the statue represents the people of Aphrodisias. Out of a group of three statues, it is proposed that two of them depict Melpomene while the third one represents a poet, Apollo or Dionysus. It is assumed that this group was used to decorate the stage niches. Besides, it is likely that the statue of Emperor Domitianus, and a Polyklietian statue of an athlete uncovered in the vicinity were also used for the same purpose. Also found are statues of two boxers on the northern and southern edges of the pulpitum as well as in the orchestra pit, which most probably stood on the entrance of the parodoi during the Late 2nd or 3rd century. The conservation studies were conducted on top of the theater in 2015. The earth terraces were carefully excavated and the angle of the hill was fixed at 45-degree. During the excavations, a naked male marble statuette measuring 6 cm was found [Smith-Ögüs 2017:18-19]. Archive Wall: There are inscriptions in Greek on the north parodos wall, which have valuable information about the history of Aphrodisias and the Asia Minor. Most of them are in letter format dating to the first half of the 3rd century AD. The inscriptions at southeastern corner of the stage building record the events that took place from the Late Republic Period and the Second Triumvirate as well as letters received from Senatus Consultum de Aphrodisiensibus and Traianus, Hadrianus, Commodus, Septimius Severus, Caracalla, Severus Alexander and Gordian III. The theater was also used during the Byzantine Period. It went through a series of repair works following the earthquakes in the 4th century AD. Chapel-like structures were added to both ends of the stage corridor of the proscenium-logeion. Also found is a head, probably of the Archangel Michael based on the inscriptions and fragments of fresco wings that were uncovered from the northern chapel. The fresco is dated to the 6th century AD based on its style [Erim 1986:84]. Fragments of contemporary pictures were also found at the intercolumnation of the proscenium. The multiple-story cavea of the theater possibly collapsed following an earthquake in the 7th century AD. The destroyed buildings might not have been repaired due to the status of the city at that time. The acropolis hill was converted into a fortress as part of the defensive measures against the Persian or Arabian attacks at the same century during which the theater also underwent some modifications [Erim 1986:79-84, 87-88]. Stadium: It is located to the north of the city. The north, east, and west sides of the building was enclosed by fortifications. An arched gallery rises on the northeast section. The barrel vaulted entrance to the west was closed by walls, while the one to the east was probably left open to allow entry-exit from/to the city through the gate from northeast. It is 262 m long and about 59 m wide. The longer sides are not parallel to each other, but are bowed out in the middle, which gives the shape of an ellipse, most probably built in order to provide better view for the spectators. It has approximately 30 seating rows and a capacity of 30.000 spectators. It is believed that it was built during the 1st or 2nd century AD. In general, it was used for athletical activities and competitions. Besides, it might have been used as a meeting point for the people or for festival activities. It is believed that it was used for gladiator games and animal shows after a few modifications during the Byzantine Period [Erim 1986:67-70]. As in earlier seasons, research in 2002 concentrated on the architecture of the south side of the building; the main excavation project was a trench dug at the southeast corner of the building in order to examine a vault which ran under the seats at this point. Excavation showed that this vault simply a supporting structure, like a number of blind vaults visible further west on the south side of the Stadium and it was an access tunnel, like the tunnels at the east and west ends of teh building. It was originally built as a blind supporting vault in the early roman period, and then converted to an access tunnel during renovations in late antiquity, probably associated with the transformation of the east end of the building into a Roman arena in about AD 400 [Smith - Ratte 2004:388]. Excavation in the stadium consisted of further investigation of the staircase partially exposed on the south side of the building in 1999 and 2000. Earlier excavation had uncovered the east side of the stairway and east of the stairway, the remains of a portico that ran along the north side of the street in front of the Stadium. The goals of the new trench (Trench 16) were to uncover the west side of the stairway, to determine whether the portico continued to the west, and if so, whether the approach to the stairway itself was open to the air or whether the portico structure continued across it in some way for example by means of a monumental arch. To this end an area of 5.3 bby 16.4 m was opened up on the west side of the earlier excavations together with an area of 2 by 10.5 m on thye south. The stratigraphy of the trench was straightforward the uppermost stratum below the topsoil was a layer of nearly sterile reddish-brown gravely earth present in thickness of 0.5 to 1.5 m throughout the trench. Excavation through this layer quickly revealed two column pedestals marking the resumption of the portico on the west side of the stairway, together with the fallen columns and entablature blocks. Above the stairway and in the area of the portico where this reddish gravel was thinnest it lay directly on stone and tile debris, clearly coming in the area of the portico from the collapsed portico-roof. It is less clear where the debris on top of the stairway came from, possibly from the enclosed spaces behind the porticos on either side of the stairway. South or in front of the portico the reddish gravel lay directly on the hard-packed earth surface on which the architectural remains of the portico had fallen (1.4 to 1.5 m below the present ground surface). The entablature of the portico on the west side of the stairway differs from that on the east. Here the architrave and frieze have been replaced by large architrave blocks apparently reused from an earlier structure. Small soundings were dug at the base of the back wall of the pportico just west of the stairway and north of or behind the first column pedestal of the portico west of the stairway. The former reached the bottom of the foundations 1.3 m below the base of the wall. The latter sounding revealed a pipe running east-west along the bottom of the pedestal. The architectural ornament of the portico would suggest an Antonine or Severan date. It remains unclear whether there was an earlier portico in the same position [Smith - Ratte 2005:331-332]. The main focus of recent research on the Stadium, has been to examine the architecture of the south side of the building. The stairways that projected from the exterior façade of the Stadium (leading from ground level up to the back of the seating area), and the portico that ran along the base. There were six stairways, situated opposite each of the streets running up to the stadium from the south and they are integral to the original construction of the building in the mid- or late first century AD As preserved the portico is alater addition datable by its architectural decoration to the late second century AD. Although it is possible that the extant portico replaces an earlier predecessor. In previous years one of these stairways (the third stairway from the west) was fully exposed, together with a large area in front of it. The remains of the portico were uncovered on both the east and west sides of the stairway, but the portico apparently did not continue across the front of the stairway. The approach to the stairway and the stairway itself was thus open to the air, as if the stairway was a continuation of the street to the south. In 2004 a new 6x6 m trench was laid out (Stad 20) in front of the next stairway to the east, to see if the same arrangement was repeated there, or if the entrance to the stairway was partially closed off either by a continuation of the portico or by an arch or other monumental feature. Excavation through 0.5-1.0 m of the same hard red gravelly earth that buries the portico in other areas revelaed a corner-entablature on the east side of the stairway (at 523.3 m asl), together with one well-preserved Corinthian capital. The corner shows that the portico was indeed interrupted at this point and there were no signs, either fallen blocks or cuttings in the top of the cornice, that it supported an arch or other feature crossing the area in front of the stairway [Smith - Ratte 2006:20]. During the 2015 studies, the old trenches were cleaned in the south of the stadion and the fences around them were repaired [Smith-Ögüs 2017:19]. Library: Some of the inscriptions related with constructions and repairworks refer to a porticus and a library while another records the name of Eudamion, who worked for Hadrian as the procurator of the Greek and Latin libraries. It is proposed that the library in Aphrodisias was a public building, consisting of Greek and Latin sections and possibly connected with the porticus. Although it was dated to the Hadrian Period (117-138 AD) lack of sufficient archaeological data impedes to make any conclusion [Yildiz 2003:243-244]. Palaistra: The Tiberius Portico is located to the immediate east of the Hadrianic Bath, south of the agora. There is a gate between the Portico and the columned ambulacrum in the Hadrianic Bath. It is proposed that the portico might have served as a palaistra or an open place for public use [Yegul 1992:307]. The restorations took place in 1983 [Erim 1986:98]. Baths: Hadrian's Bath: It is situated to the west of the agora. It consists of a large hall flanked with two large galleries. The large room is possibly the calidarium. The hypocaust system was used. It includes water channels, heating chambers, barrel vaulted tunnels and underground service corridors [Erim 1986:95]. The tepidarium lies to the north of calidarium. To the east is the sudatorium with a round and shallow pond in the middle. To the north of the sudotorium lies the apodyterium which was used as a changing room. Three monumental statue heads were found in this room, where two were believed to have belonged to Aphrodite and Apollo, and the other to a noble woman with diadem. They are dated to the 2nd century AD. Although it is thought that the room to the north of the apodyterium might have been used as a dressing room, it is uncertain yet [Erim 1986:96]. The frigidarium lies to the west of this room, north of the apodyterium. There is a rectangular pond at the center with monumental columns in each corner. Fragments of many statues were uncovered here. One of them is of a statue group of Achilles and Penthesilea dating from the Late Hellenistic Period. It is believed that this group stood over one of the platforms located on both sides of the pond while on the opposite platform stood probably a statue group of Menelaus and Patroclus. To the east of the building lies an ambulacrum. It is likely that the area enclosed by columns might have been used by athletes to work out or it might have been used as a congregation/ceremony hall. The Hadrianic Bath is dated to the 2nd century AD [Yegül 1992:273, 278]. In 2015, the studies were carried out in the Hadrian Baths. The conservation studies were concentrated on the hypocaust, pavements and walls of the caldarium of the complex. The debris in the pool was cleaned and the marble covering fragments of the stairs in the form of a seat were joined with epoxy and stainless steel dowels. The tile and mortar layer exposed at the back of the covering stones and the damaged mortar fragments were consolidated and covered with a protective layer of pink tile dust and lime mortar. Since the hypocaust columns built from schist of poor quality were damaged, they were fixed with screws. During the excavations carried out in the back of the structure with a niche, a brick arch integrated with the west wall was found. Wall coating pieces and tubuli fragments were found in situ at the back of the arch. It is suggested that these fragments might have belonged to a bath called Gerousia that was mentioned on the pedestal of Myon Eusebes. In this area, a woman's head that is larger than a human-size was found. It is believed that it was left here with the debris after the Gerousia Bath was abandoned. The woman wears a scarf and a stephane crown and she turns her head to the side. It was repaired with two small iron dowels in the antiquity [Smith-Ögüs 2017:18, 23]. Theater Bath: It is located to the south of the tetrastoon. The investigations inside the building blocks revealed many rooms containing pipes. One of them is presumably a Nymphaeum. There is a very well preserved circular room to the west of the Nymphaeum, with well preserved walls up to 10 m high. It consists of four main niches in semi-circular shape, and four small niches close to a rectangular form in between. Two of the main niches contain vaulted gateways; there are three similar gateways in the one to the southeast. One of them has access to the Nymphaeum, and the other to the hypocaust system to the south. The northeast niche interconnects with the Nymphaeum through another gateway. There are two ponds inside the building separated by a low wall. The western one is a polygonic and shallow pond while the other one is rectangular and deep, covering more than half the size of the room. The vertical terra cotta pipes on the eastern edge and vapor-transferring-bricks indicate that it is a calidarium. Presumably a big part of the pond area was arranged during the Byzantine Period [Erim 1986:91-93]. Temple/Sanctuary: Temple of Aphrodite: It is situated to the north of the agora. To the east lies the tetrapylon, to the north the Northern Temenos, and to the south the Odeion and the Bishop's Palace. It overlaps with the basilica which was built during the Byzantine Period. It is an octastyle-peripteral temple with 13 columns along the longer edge. The main façade faces east. It is thought that there used to be a altar or an early temenos wall at that side, and it was used to support the apse during the Byzantine Period. It has no opisthodomos. As a result of excavations, it was found out that the pronaos foundations were built on top of a mosaic floor, which might have been related to a building dating to an earlier period than the 1st century BC, such as a temple or an altar. Three coins were uncovered from the mortar of the floor, all dating to the 3rd century BC. The excavations revealed that the temple was founded in the 1st century BC. It was converted into a church possibly during the 5th century AD; and the basilica was dedicated to St. Michael probably in 443 AD. The renovations that took place during the Byzantine Period, particularly some graves that were placed inside the basilica, and the large cemetery outside the basilica, resulted in overlapped and mixed up archaeological material. Furthermore, the levelling work that was performed during the construction of the temple in the 1st century BC, and displacement of some of the foundations has a negative impact on the query of the relationship between the foundations and the three coins. The soundings in front of the pronaos didn't help to elucidate it, either. Although some potsherds suggest that some of the wall fragments previously regarded as belonging to foundations, might have been dating from the Archaic Period, and the Hellenistic material recovered concurrently with these potsherds are complicating [Erim 1986:56-58]. The deep trenches in the east of the Temple of Aphrodite were filled in 2014. In 2015, the blocks in the southeast section of the Church were removed [Smith-Ögüs 2017:19]. Other finds: The water spout with a lion head found near the temple by Gaudin in 1904, and the three fragments of the marble monumental Aphrodite statue uncovered in 1962 are significant indications for the presence of a temple from an early or Archaic period. The fragments are depicted with the Three Graces, next to Zeus and Hera; Helios and Selene, Aphrodite riding on a sea-goat, accompanied by a dolphin and a winged Triton; and Erotes offering votives in an altar [Erim 1986:58]. Tetrapylon: It is situated a couple of hundred meters to the east of the Temple of Aphrodite. It is a monumental arch with four columns to each direction. The columns stand on pedestals. Viewed from east, the first three columns on the edge look spirally fluted while the last row (far west) of columns are plain. The main façade faces east, with a triangular pediment standing on the columns. A similar application can be traced on the west side of the monumental gateway. The sides of the pediment was depicted with figures of Eros and Nike hunting oar and deer. A paved road, basically heading north-south, passes through the second and third rows. The road leads to Sebasteion and the theater to the south. The relationship between the tetrapylon and the Sacred of Area of Aphrodite to the west is unknown. It might have been built as an entrance to the Sacred Area. Although there is a propylon on the temenos wall of the Temple of Aphrodite, the stylistic similarities between the two buildings suggest that both buildings, the propylon and the tetrapylon were built at the same period, c. mid 2nd century AD [Erim 1986:60-61]. Synagogue: One of the inscriptions records the names of a Jewish community. It may have belonged to a synagogue at an uncertain location. It is reported that a Jewish population lived in Aphrodisias at the beginning of the Christianity Period [Erim 1986:130-131]. Siraharmanlar Farmstead: The remains of a large building measuring about 27 m long and 11 m wide were found in the trenches that were opened to understand the relationship between the grave and the walls recovered in the illicit digging pits on the hypogeum graves in Siraharmanlar Mevkii. The walls of the building were built with undressed local stones with earth mortar. The almost complete mud brick blocks found in the rooms M1, M2 and M4 suggest that the building were built with mud brick blocks on the stonewalls. The farmstead is similar to the workshop/farmstead grave mentioned in the inscription of Adrastos who lived in the 1st century AD [Dogan et al. 2017:194, 199]. Heroon: To the south of the Temple of Aphrodite lies another building among the ruins, probably of a gymnasion, where the odeion is located. A section of the northeastern part of the building which consists of a three-stepped platform was covered with the odeion wall. Some remains were found on the platform ornamented with lion feet. Inside there is a stone sarcophagus ornamented with garlands on the sides, topped by a plain closure. A round altar rises next the sarcophagus. It is ornamented with smiling Eros figures carrying fruit and garlands of flowers. It is believed that it is a grave belonging to one of the leading persons of the city, and it is dated to the 1st century AD [Erim 1986:64]. Residence: The houses uncovered near the southern wall are dated to the Early Byzantine Period [Erim 1986:53]. Necropolis/Graves: There are extramural necropolises including sarcophagi to the east, south, and west. The grave inscriptions provide information about the burial, and curses or penalties against anybody who destroyed the grave [Erim 1986:51; Bean 2000:247]. The investigations in the eastern necropolis yielded numerous sarcophagi. However, they were all disturbed by the illicit diggers. One of the sarcophagi dating to the 3rd century AD is decorated with a depiction of Ganymedes abducted by an eagle [Atici 1994:102-104]. A white marble sarcophagus was recovered during the investigations in the southern necropolis. It is decorated with two figures, probably of Eros, carrying a garland made of bunches of grapes. The grave goods included a golden ring as well as a small open jug with a flat round bottom, large body, short neck, and single handle, and another small single handed jug with an open mouth, closing through the neck, and a flat bottom and large body. Based on the potsherds, the grave can be dated to the 4th century AD [Atici-Akkan 1995:281-283]. The Hypogeum Grave (started to be excavated in 2015): It consists of a burial chamber with three galleries and a narrow corridor with inclined stairs in the south. The entrance of the grave is in rectangular plan. The 12-stepped corridor extending between the burial chamber and the entrance is bordered with walls. The corridor was built with roughly worked local stones with a dense mortar. The burial chamber was carved into the mainland [Dogan et al. 2017:187-188]. Sebasteion: It is situated to the southeast of the city, east of the agora [Erim 1986:106-107]. The Sebasteion complex includes two galleries, approximately 80 m each extending parallel to each other in the east - west direction [Erim 1986:107]. The South Gallery consists of three stories supported by Doric at the lower, Ionic in the middle, and Corinthian columns at the upper. Semi-columns were used at the upper stories, and the total height of the building reaches up to 10 m. Most of the columns at the lower story were recovered in situ. It is believed that there were relief panels between the collapsed columns on the second and third stories. The intercolumniation was in a certain order (each narrow intercolumniation siding the large intercolumniation indicates the presence of a door and two windows), to allow a sequence of rooms with unknown function [Erim 1986:108]. However, the separation walls between the rooms are possibly from the Byzantine Period. The plan of the North Gallery is also similar to the South Gallery, in general. Some of the differences include the fluted Doric semi-columns at the lower story, and the equal intercolumniation. Additionally, the crepis and the stylobate are higher. Similar to the South Gallery, there are rooms dating from the Byzantine Period at the lower story. The eastern section with two semi-fluted Doric columns, surrounded by two antae has a propylon-like façade [Erim 1986:109-110]. The 14 m wide area between the two galleries was paved with stones; this was possibly a cortege road. To the west lies a propylon positioned in an inclining position to the galleries, and to the east a platform accessed by stairways. The traces of a stylobate and crepis uncovered on a platform over a high ground as well as the drum of columns, the Corinthian capitals and fragments of a frieze suggest the presence of an altar or a temple. The temple overlooks the entire complex [Erim 1986:107]. Depending on the architrave fragments revealed during the researches it is suggested that it was a large temple in Corinthian order, probably built by Tiberius in the 20's AD. It is presumed that the temple was dedicated to Augustus and his family [Erim 1986:122]. A stairway between the two pylons to the west provides access to a street in the west and the agora, where rises a two story propylon with a façade architecture ornamented with aediculae. The lower story is in Ionic order while the upper one used Corinthian order. The east side of the propylon is smooth and uninterrupted while the west side has a broken pediment in line with the discontinuity of the aediculae. Once stood statues of the two grandsons of Augustus, Lucius and Gaius Caesar, son of Emperor Tiberius, Drusus Caesar, Aphrodite, and Aineas on the niches. All the pedestals have inscriptions. Aphrodite was depicted as the mother of the divine Augustus dynasty [Erim 1986:111]. The frieze on the first story is decorated with theater masks. It records both on the east and the west sides that the propylon was dedicated by Eusebes and Menander, and their sister Apphias and Apphias' daughter, and their grand children to Aphrodite, the Augustus dynasty and demos. The gate may be one of the earliest examples of the aedicular façades in Asia Minor. It was revealed by the inscription to the west of the gallery that the same persons were also responsible for the repair of the northern gallery. The south gallery was built by Tiberius Claudius. Based on the inscriptions, the building is dated to the first half of the 1st century AD between Tiberius (14-37), Claudius (41-54) and Nero (54-68). Traces of some repair work apparently performed following an earthquake in the 1st century AD were found during the researches in the north of the gallery. Additionally, the earthquake in the second half of the 4th century AD destroyed the building completely (the odeion and the theater were also destructed during the same earthquake), and the sewage system partly along with the water channels. New discharge channels were installed in order to prevent the accumulation of water inside the eastern platform and the road between the porticoes, and also the stairway to the platform was constructed to hide the channels helping to discharge the water threatening the temple during the same period [Erim 1986:110]. Among the finds are two figures; a woman and and a man on a large relief panel. The woman figure represents Agrippina Maior, holding a cornucopia in her hand and crowning the man to her left. It is likely that the man figure may be one of the Agrippina's sons; Drusus, Nero Caesar or Gaius. Sebasteion possibly had a different function after the 4th century AD, and served as a market place. Another earthquake probably in the first half of the 7th century AD greatly destroyed the building [Erim 1986:111]. In addition to the statues in the propylon, the sculpture used in the complex includes the reliefs covering the intercolumniations in the gallery. Among those are mythological figures, emperors and their dynasties while the works of the northern gallery include personified depictions [Erim 1986:120-122]. One of the inscriptions found inside the niches in the propylon records as follows: "The mother of the divine Augustus Dynasty". Depending on that inscription, the researchers suggest that the complex may be a sanctuary of Aphrodite, i.e. Venus Genetrix, who is the mother goddess of the Roman people and the family Iulius. It emphasizes the mythological and historical relationship between Rome and Aphrodisias, even engages in the propaganda of the Roman sovereignty. Additionally, the researchers believe that the building had a significant impact on the Roman Imperial art and architecture in the Asia Minor and the Eastern Mediterranean [Erim 1986:122-123]. During the 2015 season, the studies concentrated on the anastylosis of the propylon in the west of the Sebasteion. The studies were carried out in the south and the north aediculae in the first storey in Ionic order. The blocks that were temporarily placed in 2014 were removed in order to sit the stylobate, columns and architraves into their original locations. First, the stylobate blocks were repaired and then the column bases were placed with stainless steel dowels. The fragments of upper structure, the column drums, the column heads, the architraves and friezes were placed in their original locations. A steel pier was added to the back of the restored façade of the Ionic storey [Smith-Ögüs 2017:20]. (...) ____________ Continue under the "Interpretation and Dating"...
Interpretation and Dating: REMAINS (Continue): Workshop: Sculpture's Workshop: Many unfinished sculptures were uncovered to the south of the Sanctuary of Aphrodite. Such finds are intense, particulary in two rooms found during the excavations. Among the statues are two figures, one lifesize, and the other smaller of a Satyr holding the Baby Dionysus; a young Heracles; a small Artemis, and an unfinished Europa sitting on the Zeus' bull, made of white-blue marble. In addition to those numerous finished statues, fragments scattered around indicate that they were produced and also stored here. Three iron blades used for marble chipping and a lot of marble chip also suggest the presence of a sculpture workshop. It is presumed that the workshop was possibly demolished during the 4th century AD [Erim 1986:64-67]. Miscellaneous: In 2006 NYU research team carried out a program of archaeological excavation, documentation, and restoration of Aphrodisias. Excavation and Architectural Recordings: Major new excavation was carried out to the north of the Aphrodisias Museum. An important feature on the site was part of a drainage channel that carried runoff water from the hills to the northeast of the site around the back of the museum site. On the surface this channel was lined with concrete panels, and below these was a deep trench filled with rubble. This rubble-filled trench about 2 m wide and over 3 m deep cut through almost the entire excavation area from southeast to northwest, only the western 16 m was spared. Beneath the extensive remains of modern houses of the old villag of Geyre the main features uncovered were further parts of a Roman and Late Roman residential and artisanal quarter of relatively modest level. The most interesting finding in the excavation area is perhaps the orientation of the primary Roman walls. The grid of the main part of the city plan discovered in the 1990s is now well known and was oriented slightly west of north. The nature of the city plan in the northeast quarter of the city in the area from the Sebasteion to the new museum excavation is however less well understood. The common orientation of the newly excavated walls together with the related axis of the Sebasteion may suggest that this part of Aphrodisias was organized on a different grid, oriented to the northeast. This interesting possibility requires further investigation [Smith 2008:157-158]. Sarcophagi: Three new sarcophagi found in rescue excavation by Aphrodisias Museum near a chamber tomb in the southeast necropois area in September 2005 were recorded [Smith 2008:160]. In 2011, the potsherds collected under the street and the surface of the street demonstrate Early Imperial and Late Imperial periods of Aphrodisias. The paved road was probably built in Early Imperial period and used till 7th century. One of the coins found on the street is dated to Justinianus period and the other one belongs to Heraclius period. And this coin shows the last period that the street was used. Another important find recovered from this area is a poorly preserved marble head of a young boy belonging to Early Imperial period. The head was found among the east-west feed tubes on the southernmost. It probably represents an ephebe in the form of a herm [Smith-Uzun 2013:78]. In 2015, a statue bust wearing a himation was found in the south of the street dated to the 9th century. The statue was found with the body face down and feet facing south. It was dated to the Middle Imperial Period. It depicts a boy wearing a chiton and himation. There are also two headless statues wearing a himation and a togatus in the west street wall [Smith-Ögüs 2017:24]. In 2015, the hypogeum grave yielded various finds. Lamps: It consists the majority. The lamps with dimond shaped body, the ones with a high lug and a long round nose, the ones with an arrowhead shaped nose and the ones with a palmette lugs were dated to the 1st century AD. The ones with elliptical body and a point decoration border were dated to the 5th-7th century AD. Glass unguentaria: They were found in the fill and selected as study material. The green slipped glass unguentaria that were produced with free-blowing technique have flat or everted rims, long necks and conical body (in one example only). The forms are the ones commonly seen in Anatolia-Syria-Cyprus during the 1st-3rd century AD. Ceramic finds: The baked clay unguentarium, and a large-mouthed cooking pot and a small pitcher that were probably related to a funerary feast were dated to the 2nd-3rd century AD. Metal Objects: The iron strigils that were hardly identified due to the high corrosion were found on the floor of the gallery and in the niches of the west gallery. The finds probably belonging to the earlier phase of the grave show that some of the graves reserved for gladiators or sportsmen. A probe handle made out of copper alloy was also found. The probes were categorized based on the mouth and handle shapes such as spatula probe, ear-shaped probe, probe with an olive tip and so on. The copper alloy plates found as small pieces in the fill of the chamber burial probably belong to the rectangular mirror pinned on wooden boxes and the appliques used on wooden boxes (kista) that were used as grave offerings. Coins: 8 coins were found. They were dated to the 1st century AD. So, Siraharmanlar Hypogeum Grave might have been dated back to this period. Although the examples dated to the Roman Imperial Period are common, there are also Byzantine graves. Farmstead Finds: The metal objects are common. In addition, baked clay lamp fragments, marble mortars and pestles, pttery sherds, and three bronze coins were found. Metal Finds: The number of the iron nails is high. The "handles" used on the body of doors, windows and wooden boxes were found near the window opening in the rooms M1 and M2. Among the metal finds recovered from the floors of the rooms, there are blades for daily use that were commonly seen in the 5th-6th century AD, two cutters belonging to a broken scissors consisting of a handle and a spring made out of copper alloy (?). Also, a sickle blade with a narrow mouth and a long handle was found. Vessels and lamps: They were found on the floor or at the floor level. The cream colored, medium fired, and cream slipped vessels are common. The paste contains lots of mica temper. There are body sherds belonging to amphorae with horizontal grooves and bowls. Three lamps found inside the structure was dated to the 6th century AD based on their typological features. Coins: Three bronze coins were found [Dogan et al. 2017: 188-191, 194-197].


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