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.

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”

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

New Page Added – Excavations in 2005 and 2006

The new page contains an interpretation of Uludağ University’s web reports of the 2005-2006 excavations cross referenced with an earlier version of the same reports downloaded in 2007; I’ve also added a few photographs of the area taken in 06 & 07.

New Page - Excavations in 2005 and 2006

The web reports only contain brief descriptions of the findings and I would love to get access to the full excavation reports as there are more tantalising references to finds which suggest a possible earlier period of occupation, but there is no detail of the context in which they were found e.g. were the fragments of obsidian tools, and the sherds of pottery dating from 740 – 700 BC found below undisturbed layers of Hellenistic deposits. 

The Western Harbour

Professor Şahin of Uludağ University has recently uploaded an article onto Acedemia.edu titled “A New Discovery In The Myndos Harbour Survey: The West Harbour”

https://www.academia.edu/6949173/The_West_Harbor_in_Myndos

In the article, originally published in the TINA Maritime Archaeology Periodical, Prof Şahin proposes that the Western Harbour may have been a later addition to the original city. The piece includes some interesting underwater photographs by Dr Oktay Dumankaya of deposits of pottery on the breakwater which are suggestive of two shipwrecks.

Proposed Theatre Location

In 2011, following a joint project with the University of Hamburg, Uludağ University Archaeology Department announced that they had identified the possible site of the theatre.

http://gumuslukhistory.blogspot.co.uk/p/the-theatre.html