Tombs Found During Construction Work in the Gümüşlük – Karakaya Area

The down side is that Bodrum Museum Archaeology carried out the rescue evacuation and it is very difficult to find any of their reports online.

https://www.sabah.com.tr/yasam/2019/02/28/sondaj-calismasi-sirasinda-kaya-mezarlari-bulundu?paging=2

Amphora Finds and Stamps - Myndos Excavations 2006-2013

A detailed paper (125 pages) in Turkish, by Gonca Gülsefa, research assistant at Uludağ University, on the amphora sherds excavated at Gümüşlük and available to read or download from academia.edu    

2006-2013 MYNDOS KAZILARINDA BULUNAN AMPHORALAR VE AMPHORA MÜHÜR BULUNTULARI

ÖZ

 Karia kentlerinden biri olan Myndos Antik Kenti, Antik yazarlarında sıkça bahsettiği gibi, Ege Denizi ile Akdeniz’in kesişme noktasında bulunmaktadır ve coğrafi konumu itibariyle önemli bir yapıya sahip kentlerden birisidir. 2006-2013 yılları arasında yapılan kazı çalışmaları sonucunda ele geçen 157 adet amphora par- çası değerlendirilmiştir. Bu amphoralardan 40 tanesi üzerinde ise mühür baskıları yer almaktadır. Bu parçaların ışığında, kentte hangi tip amphoraların kullanıldığı, kentin amphora üretimindeki yeri ve kentin ticari boyutu belirlenmek istenmiştir. Kazı çalışmalarında tespit edilen ve kökenleri belirlenerek gruplandırılan amphora buluntuları ve mühür baskılı kulpların, yerleşim alanlarında hangi dönemden itibaren ne oranda kullanım görüldükleri, üretilen ve tüketilen, ticareti yapılan malların ve bu alanların sosyo-ekonomik durumları tespit edilmeye çalışılmıştır. Amphora buluntuları içerisinde, İ.Ö. 6. yüzyıldan başlayarak, İ.S. 7. yüzyıla kadar olan dönemi kapsayan tipler yer almaktadır. Anahtar Kelimeler: Karia, Myndos, Amphora, Amphora Mühürü, Dressel 2-4, Kos.

Amphora Finds and its Stamps which Were Found between 2006-2013 Myndos Excavation

Abstract

The ancient city of Myndos, which is one of the Carian cities, mentioned frequently by the ancient authors. It is located at the crossroads of the Mediterranean Sea and the Aegean Sea. It has an important structure with its geographical location. 157 pieces amphora sherds are evaluated which were found during the excavations carried out between the years of 2006-2013. There are seal impressions on 40 pieces of these amphorae. In the light of these sherds, the types of amphoras which were used in the city, the position of the city in terms of producing amphorae and the commercial size of the city wanted to be determined. Also, of amphorae finds and seal impressions which are defined by the excavations and grouped by identifying their origin, from what period and what extent they were seen in the residential areas, the produced, consumed and traded goods and socio- economic status have been tried to be determined. Amongst the amphorae finds, there are types which are covering the periods from 6th century BC and 7th century AD. Keywords: Caria, Myndos, Amphora, Amphora Stamp, Dressel 2-4, Kos.

One to look out for in 2018

A paper by Asst Prof Dr Oktay Dumankaya titled “2014 Myndos Eastern Harbour Bathymetric Study and First Assessment” is due to be published in March 2018’s edition of the International Journal of Nautical Archaeology. The paper is available to preview now (pay to view) at onlinelibray.wiley

I was fortunate enough to see an early draft of the paper, it compares the bathymetric features surveyed by Lt Cdr Graves RN in 1837 (UKHO chart 1531) and the results of digital bathymetric survey of the harbour in 2014.

Additionally but not directly associated with Gümüşlük or Myndos is another paper (which I missed first time around) by Dr Dumankaya describing five harbour structures, six piers, and a breakwater on Salih Island (north of Torba opposite Güvercinlik and Kuyucak Mevkii.)

Google Maps (pointer identifies the island not the site of the reported harbour structures)

The paper (in Turkish) was given at the 2nd International Symposium Of Turgut Reis And Turkish Maritime History in Nov 2013 and titled “Salih Adasi (Karyandaantik Kenti ?) Liman Araştirmasi” “Salih Island (The Ancient City Of Karyanda?) Harbor Research” and is available to download as a PDF from  academia.edu and researchgate.net

Özet:

Bu makalenin konusunu Muğla ili, Bodrum ilçesi idari sınırları içerisinde yer alan Salih Adası (Karyanda Antik Kenti ?) limanyapıları oluşturmaktadır. Söz konusu adanın kıyı hattında, ada limanı ile ilişkili birçok yapı kalıntısı tespit edilmiştir. Bu yapı kalıntılarının Hellenistik ve Geç Antik Çağ’a ait olduğu görülmektedir. Tespit edilen liman yapılarının bölgedeki diğer örnekler ile karşılaştırmaları, tarihlendirmeleri ve bu yapı kalıntılarının hangi kente ait olduğunun sorgulanması makalenin konusunu oluşturmaktadır.

Abstract:

This article concerns with the harbour structures that Salih Island shoreline located in the Province of Muğla, district of Bodrum (The ancient city of Karyanda ?). Many remains of structures associated with the harbor have been identified at the costal line of the island. These structures might be dated back to the Hellenistic and late ancient period. Comparisons of identified harbor structures with other harbor structures in the region, dating of the structures and questioning of which city they belong to are the subject of this article.

Amphorae and Amphora Stamps of Myndos in the Hellenistic Period

Link to a poster titled Amphorae and Amphora Stamps of Myndos in the Hellenistic Period  on academia.edu

The poster was presented by Gonca Gülsefa of Uludağ University at the International Association for Research on Pottery of Hellenistic Period (IARPotHP) conference in June this year.

Amphorae_and_Amphora_Stamps_of_Myndos_in_Hellenistic_Period

The Basilica Mosaic on Asar Island at Myndos

A 23 page article from the Journal of Mosaic Research JMR Vol 8  2015 is available to view and free to download from academia.edu

https://www.academia.edu/23614036/_The_Basilica_Mosaic_On_Asar_Island_At_Myndos_Myndos_Asar_Adas%C4%B1_Bazilika_Mozai%C4%9Fi_

The article (in English) contains a detailed description of the mosaic and also includes a comprehensive summary of the excavations in area between 2009 and 2011

Myndos Excavations and Research 2004 – 2013: The Coins

One for the numismatists, a summary of the coins found during the excavations.

Geç Antik ve Bizans Çağina Ait Myndos Sikkeleri

Myndos Coins Dated to Late Antiquity and Byzantine Era

Prof Mustafa Şahin

Abstract:

This study is the preliminary examination of resilience and edition of total 106 coins found in the excavations between 2005 and 2010 in Myndos ancient city located in the Gümüşlük town of Bodrum district of the Muğla city. Ayça Güzelsoy, post graduate student, is contributed to this project as scholarship student. 14 of the coins found in the Myndos are dated 4th or 5th century AD, and 72 of them are dated to Early Byzantine period. The earliest coin found in the Myndos Ancient city excavations is the Kos Island coin dated 2nd-1st century BC. The latest coin is the Middle age crusader coin dated 13th century AD in the settlement stratigraphy. The latest finding in Myndos is a Greek lepton dated to 1878. Thereby, we find that the housing in Myndos is continued till 13th century AD with the help of the coins found during the excavations

https://www.academia.edu/31082670/Ge%C3%A7_Antik_ve_Bizans_%C3%87a%C4%9F%C4%B1na_ait_Myndos_Sikkleri

Myndos Excavations and Research 2004 – 2013 – Two More Papers

Two more links to papers published in Myndos Kazı ve Araştırmaları, Myndos Excavations and Researches 2004-2013.

Both a co-written by Dr Oktay Dumankaya, Dr Serkan Gündüz and describe the research into the two ancient harbours.

Myndos Antık Kenti’nin Doğu Limanı ve Yapıları

The Eastern Harbour of Myndos Ancient City and its Structure

Dr Oktay Dumankaya, Dr Serkan Gündüz

ABSTRACT

Myndos was one of the important coastal settlements in the region of Caria, which had kept its importance through every era with its large scaled and sheltered harbors. It was one of the eight Lelegian settlements in the Bodrum peninsula. While, later it appears to be one of the cities in the Delian League. At the period of Mausolus, it became an important gathering-place in the region. During the underwater archaeological research, some harbor structures dating back to different ages, were detected at the east harbor area. Mole, hagiasma and quay structures are some examples of the featured archaeological remains. Archaeological evidence found both in the excavation and underwater excavations shows that the harbor functioned uninterruptedly from the Ancient Period to the Modern Era.

https://www.academia.edu/30909148/The_Eastern_Harbour_of_Myndos_Ancient_City_and_its_Structure_Myndos_Antik_Kentinin_Do%C4%9Fu_Liman%C4%B1_ve_Yap%C4%B1lar%C4%B1

Myndos Sualtı Araştırmalarında Yeni Bir Keşif: Batı Limanı 

A New Discovery in the Myndos Underwater Research: West Harbour

Dr Oktay Dumankaya, Dr Serkan Gündüz

ABSTRACT

Myndos was one of the important harbor settlements of the Caria Region and according to many ancient writers it had only one harbor. However, during the researches carried out by us in 2012, it was discovered that it had a second harbor. At this second harbor, many stone blocks, which belonged to the citadels and harbors structures, could be observed. As a result of the researches, a harbor, a breakwater for protecting harbor structures and a wreck dating back to Roman period was found. This wreck had given a lot of important information about the harbor.

https://www.academia.edu/30909246/A_New_Discovery_in_the_Myndos_Underwater_Research_West_Harbour_MYNDOS_SUALTI_ARA%C5%9ETIRMALARINDA_YEN%C4%B0_B%C4%B0R_KE%C5%9E%C4%B0F_BATI_L%C4%B0MANI

Myndos Excavations and Research 2004 - 2013

A collection of Myndos related papers titled Myndos Kazi ve Araştirmalari, Myndos Excavations and Researches 2004-2013, edited by Dr Derya Şahin, was published in 2016 and a number of the authors have been posting their papers over the last few weeks on academia.edu

All of the papers are in Turkish, below are links to two of them

Myndos Asar/Tavşan Adasi Geç Antik Dönem Kandilleri

Myndos Asar Island Late Antique Lamps

Dr Sinan Mimaroğlu of Mustafa Kemal University.

ABSTRACT

Myndos ancient city which was one of the ancient Caria cities in the ancient geography, is today located in Gümüşlük town of Bodrum district in Muğla province in southern Turkey. Locating right across Myndos ancient city Asar/Tavşan Island has a crucial place to protect the harbor of the city. Structural layers came to light as a result of the excavation digs belong to early Hellenistic period in Asar Island. Some settlement relevant to the topography of the island had been located around the church that built on the hill in the late antiquity and dates back to A.D. 5th. It is determined that new settling had been planned in a new placement settlement pattern on the old layers. It is considered that these unearthed place-ments settlement was were not for civil uses but directly related to the church and it is a monastery complex. historical findings empower the idea of the monastery complex. The last layer is composed of the fortification walls that date back to Late Byzantine period. Terra-cotta lamps dealt in this essay were found during the excavation carried out between 2009 and 2013 in Myndos city on Asar/Tavşan Island that protects the ancient city harbor. The most of lamps are Asia Minor type (Ephesos). There are only two African Red Slip type lamps. Terra cotta lamps indicate the presence of a trade in the Myndos/Asar Island. It is suggested that the lamps were in use between A.D. 6-7. th century depending on their analogy.

Academia.edu

Asar / Tavşan Adasi Ekmek Mühür Kalıbı ve Hacı Pulları

The Bread Stamp and Pilgrim Tokens from Myndos Asar / Tavşan Island

Dr Derya Şahin and Dr Emine Tok

ABSTRACT:

The subject of the study is the bread stamp and the two pilgrim tokens found at Myndos Asar/Tavşan Island during the excavation campaign of 2013. As a result of the evaluations made, it is determined that the descriptions on the bread stamp mold and the pilgrim tokens belonged to the saints martyrized for religion and they were used during the Eucharistic Liturgies. These findings, which also made the architectural pattern of the island more meaningful, indicate that the island was used as a cult center during the Early Byzantine Period.

Academia.edu

Tubaked.tuba.gov.tr

The latter is a direct link to a PDF and requires no login details.

Myndos Excavations to Recommence, Maybe.

A piece in Friday’s Haberler reporting on a meeting of representatives from across Muğla with the Deputy Minister for Culture & Tourism, appears to suggest that the recommencement of the Myndos excavations along with a number of other archaeological projects in the province, including the Bodrum Hippodrome, are under review.

http://www.haberler.com/tarihi-alanlarin-turizme-kazandirilmasi-8361030-haberi/

I wouldn’t expect to see any activity this year; by coincidence I received an email, on Friday, from one of the archaeologists who has worked on the Myndos project and as far as they were aware the excavations were still suspended.

Die Haefen von Myndos und ihre Handelseziehungen im Speiegal der Amphorenfunde. Ein Vorbericht

For those who read German, Professor Mustafa Şahin has posted a copy of a paper presented at workshop in Hamburg Feb 2014 titled Die Haefen von Myndos und ihre Handelseziehungen im Speiegal der Amphorenfunde. Ein Vorbericht on Academia.edu

There is an abstract in English which reads:

Between the Asar island and Kocadağ-Aethusa the archaeological excavations succeeded finding the port structure of ancient Myndos. The entrance was protected by these natural structures. As a member of the Dealian League, Myndos had a fleet of 200 ships. In the 5^th century BC the harbour was mostly used for military service. Strabo remarks only one port of Myndos. Later surveys during the 2005/6 campaign showed several new buildings. These structures seemed to belong to a second harbour. Remaining breakwater-structures were also discovered, lying beneath two newly discovered shipwrecks with Egyptian amphora. The expansion of the port-structure until late antiquity prove the importance of the harbour. Myndos seemed to be one of the important trading partners Mediterranean Sea.

I’m assuming the comment regarding a Myndian “fleet of 200 ships” is a typo, or error in translation. In the body of the text there is a reference to Herodotus 5.33, which, in the translations I’ve seen, only mentions a single ship from Myndos being a part of Megabates fleet.

Die Haefen von Myndos und ihre Handelseziehungen im Speiegal der Amphorenfunde. Ein Vorbericht on Academia.edu

Herodotus The Histories 5.33.2 - 5.35.1 on Perseus.uchicago.edu

2015 Excavations, Hiatus or Termination of a Fractious Relationship

Is it possible that Prof Şahin and the archaeologists from Uludağ University have given up on the Myndos excavations at Gümüşlük?

A press article earlier this month may suggest that they could have moved on to pastures new:

Hürriyet Daily News 10-08-15 – Swimming Through an Ancient Basilica

Maybe Prof Şahin and the UU Archaeology Dept have finally decided to give up on Gümüşlük and its public & political machinations and move to a site where their efforts will be better appreciated.  

Initially there was a good relationship between the archaeologists and the residents, businesses and the Municipality but by 2007 the excavations had been suspended. When excavations recommenced in 2009 the official line was that the majority of the ancient city identified in 2005-2006 was on private land, and Rabbit Island was the only publicly owned land available to continue the research.

An alternative view could be that the locals, who originally thought that the archaeology may have been a way to boost the tourism, became concerned when they realised the extent of the remains and the consequences that increased protection orders would have on any plans for developing the area, considered Rabbit Island to be a safer bet. After all none of the historians and antiquarians who had previously visited the area e.g. G E Bean, J M Cook, W R Paton, C T Newton etc had ever suggested that there may be anything of interest on the island, other than the remains of a much later fort. I doubt even Prof Şahin envisaged the extent of the archaeological remains he was to uncover in the subsequent 5 years.

However the success of the excavations and the publicity regarding this previously little known period of the village’s history brought about a further rift in the relationships between the archaeologists and the residents.

For years people had been wading across to the island having heard of the local legend of the “Kings Road” and tales of King Mausolus and his Queen crossing to watch the sunset from the island. Residents associated with the tourist industry must have been rubbing their hands as the press covered stories of burials, skulls with nails driven in to them, the remains of a previously unknown early Christian church, a pre Christian temple and a dedication to a Roman Emperor. But unfortunately all that greeted the visitors was a barbed wire fence and keep out signs.

Whist it is understandable that the archaeologists needed to protect the exposed features, (and the open trenches and excavated structures such as the cisterns would be a public liability nightmare), I do think that more effort could have been made to provide information boards with photographs, perhaps even a small exhibition of some of the finds. 

In 2013 an association was launched by Turkish film star Salih Güney, with Prof Şahin as president, to promote and protect the ancient city of Myndos. This was a short lived alliance which ended acrimoniously after approximately 12 months. This time the disagreements were centred around the perceived slow rates of the excavations, disagreements over the protection of tombs and the alleged failure to secure funding for the excavation of the theatre. Reports in the Turkish press appear to suggest that Mr Güney referred to the Professor as the Mole of Myndos, digging little holes everywhere; in his reply Prof Şahin apparently likened Mr Güney to the adventure film character Indiana Jones.

The reasons for this year’s cancellation are unclear but the animosity between to the two sides cannot be helping the situation. Let’s hope that they can kiss and make up, and that this is just a temporary suspension of activities in Gümüşlük

Links to reports describing some of the disputes

Hürriyet Daily News 01-07-08 - Excavation Stops Because of a Parked Caravan

Hürriyet Daily News 17-08-09 - Myndos Works Fuel Dispute Between Municipality and Foundation

Hürriyet Daily News 30-12-13 - Centuries Old Tombs to Remain Under Road

You Tube 17-03-15 - Turkish Museum Director Accused of Having “ISIL mentality”

2015 Excavations Cancelled

There have been two articles in the Turkish press over the last few days regarding the cancellation of the excavations in 2015 

18-Aug-15

http://www.yeniasir.com.tr/kenthaberleri/2015/08/18/myndos-kazilarinin-yeniden-baslamasini-talep-ettiler

22-Aug-15

http://www.yarimadagazetesi.com/haberler/guncel/myndos-kazilari-durdu/

Neither appears to say why, and there are no comments on the Uludağ University web site or the Myndos Facebook page.

Rabbit Island Excavations

As the excavations on Tavşan Adasi / Rabbit Island start to wind down, I’ve attempted a brief summary of the findings.

Tavşan Adasi / Rabbit Island Excavations

Campaign to Preserve Part of Myndos’ Necropolis Fails as Road Reopens

Under pressure from residents and local shopkeepers the local authorities have backfilled the tomb excavation and reopened the Gümüşlük to Yalikavak road.

Hurriyet Daily News 17 Mar 15

An artist impression of what might have been

Bodrum Haber Merkezi 12-Mar-15

What the site looks like today

Haberler.Com 16-Mar-15

Geophysical Surveys

In an earlier post it was mentioned that Professor Şahin had published an article “Eine karische Hafenstadt an der kleinasiatischen Westküste” (Myndos. A Carian Port on the West Coast of Asia Minor) in a German journal “Antike Welt”

The article contains the results of a series of geophysical surveys conducted during 2011 to 2013. A new page has been added with a summary of the findings which include a building on Kocadağ and the possible location of one of the Myndos' city gates.

Geophysical Surveys

Myndos. Eine karische Hafenstadt an der kleinasiatischen Westküste (Myndos. A Carian Port on the West Coast of Asia Minor)

Professor Şahin has recently posted an eleven page article titled Myndos. Eine karische Hafenstadt an der kleinasiatischen Westküste (Myndos. A Carian Port on the West Coast of Asia Minor) on Academia.edu.

https://www.academia.edu/10015417/Myndos._Eine_Hafenstadt_an_der_kleinasiatischen_Westk%C3%BCste

The article by Prof Şahin was originally published in current edition (6/2014 dated 21-11-14) of “Antike Welt” (Ancient World) a German journal of archaeology and cultural history.

I had trouble viewing the article but it is available to download.

Presentation to the Bodrum Chamber of Commerce 26 Sep 14

Bodrum Kent TV have reported on a presentation to BODTO, the Bodrum Chamber of Commerce, by Prof Mustafa Şahin, the lead archaeologist, working on the Myndos excavations at Gümüşlük.

During the presentation, which detailed the work to date, the Professor stated that results from a series of geophysical surveys identified features below the present ground surface which indicted that footings, wall lines and roadways of the ancient city still remain, relatively undisturbed, across a large area of the site, furthermore recent research suggested that the site may be much older than originally thought.

Prof Şahin went to say that once the excavations were completed the site could offer a huge boost to the local tourist trade, increasing the season from 3 to 10 months; however it would take many years to complete the excavations under the present regime where the work was limited to a short period each year during the University summer recess.

When asked by a local councillor how much it would cost to employ a team to work on the site for 12 months a year Prof Şahin estimated a cost of 400 – 500 thousand Turkish Lira (approx 174,000 to 217,000 US $) per annum.

Whilst this may seem a large sum, Prof Şahin described how the archaeology team excavating the site of Laodicea (on the Lycus) near the village Eskihisar in the province of Denizli receive an annual budget of 1.5 million TL.

It’s not clear from the article if the professor was attempting to secure funding from individual members of the chamber of commerce or if he was soliciting the chamber’s support to lobby the Bodrum / Muğla Municipalities for additional funding.

Link To The Original Article

Kazı Başkan'dan Açıklama – Explanation from the Chairman of Excavation

Yesterday (02-Sep-14) an article on Bodrum Kent TV’s web page reported that Prof Şahin has issued a written statement in response to Mr Salih Güney’s allegations.

Bodrum Kent TV 02-Sep-14

Like Mr Güney I would also like to see the theatre excavated, but it has been there for over 2000 years so having to wait a for a few more years won’t hurt. After all UU Archaeology are planning a systematic excavation, not a treasure hunt.

Başkan Dernek Kapattırdı - Update

For those, like me, who have to rely on software to translate Turkish to English, below is a link to Jack Snowden’s blog “Turkish News Tuhaf” which contains a translation of the article reporting the rift between the local association and Prof Şahin.

Turkish News Tuhaf Blog 

I’ve been in touch with an acquaintance who has close ties with the UU Archaeology team. In his opinion the withdrawal of support is not viewed as a serious issue, and will not affect future excavations. He also added that the biggest setback to work commencing on the theatre, referred to in the article, is that the proposed excavation site is on privately owned land.

Access to the archaeology on the mainland has been an issue since 2006. The excavations in 2005 & 2006 and the subsequent geophysical surveys strongly suggest that a considerable portion of the ancient city may still remain, relatively undisturbed. Unfortunately the majority of the features are on privately owned land and there seems to be reluctance on the part of the local landowners to grant access.

Başkan Dernek Kapattırdı

An article in yesterday’s Canli Haber described a disagreement between Prof Şahin, the leader of the Uludağ University Archaeology team, and the president of the local association formed to protect and promote the ancient city. This rift seems to have resulted in the termination of the ties between the two groups.

Canli Haber -.Baskan Dernek Kapattirdi 

There has been no statement posted on the association’s website or on UU’s Myndos Facebook page so if anyone has any information of what happened at the meeting, please email or post a comment.