Ancient olive economy leaves female imprint in Antalya

ANTALYA

Excavations reveal an important olive oil production center containing dozens of workshops.

Lyrboton Kome, an ancient settlement in Antalya that was a major olive oil production center during the Roman period, is shedding light on not only the region’s ancient olive economy but also the prominent role women played in economic life. Arete, a priestess of Demeter, used her own money to have an olive oil tower built and established a foundation whose provisions protected olive trees and supported religious festivals.

Located in Antalya’s Kepez district, Lyrboton Kome was the subject of the first comprehensive excavations and research beginning in 2016 under the leadership of the Antalya Museum Directorate.Excavations led for four years by Nevzat Çevik, a professor at Akdeniz University’s Department of Archaeology, revealed an important olive oil production center containing dozens of workshops.

The ancient settlement, which was affiliated with Perge, has provided evidence not only of large-scale olive oil production but also of women’s significant role in economic and social life. Arete’s decision to finance the construction of an olive oil tower and establish a foundation with her own wealth is among the clearest examples of women’s economic influence at the site.

Çevik said Lyrboton Kome was essentially an olive-producing farm in antiquity.

“Another name for Lyrboton Kome was Elaibaris. ‘Elaia’ means olive and ‘baris’ means farm. So the name actually means ‘olive farm,’” he said. “Although this was not a large urban settlement but a village, its most important feature was that it was one of the largest olive oil production centers you could see. Dozens of workshops and mechanisms indicating large-scale production show that very large quantities of olive oil were produced here.”

Antalya and its surroundings were an important export center in antiquity, particularly during the Roman period, Çevik said, adding that the region generated substantial revenues from olive oil production.

“So much income was generated that monumental buildings in Perge and many structures along its main street were built with money earned from this production,” he said.

Çevik said some structures in Perge were financed by the economic wealth generated by the olive production center.

“Lyrboton Kome belonged to the maternal family of the brothers Demetrios and Apollonios, who commissioned buildings in Perge. One of the family’s grandmothers was named Arete, a name meaning virtue or excellence,” he said. “After Arete, her sons and grandchildren continued producing olive oil here and made enormous amounts of money. Then Kille came into the picture, and she was also a woman. So we see that women had a very strong place in the history of this settlement.”

Women played active role

Women played active roles in both production and administration during the period, Çevik said.

“Arete was an important woman in the family. Later came her granddaughter Kille, also a woman. And this was not an independent foreign settlement separate from Perge; it was Perge’s village,” he said.

“Perge also had Plancia Magna, the daughter of an important Roman family, who was an extremely influential woman in the city’s administration. So we see women taking active roles. Moreover, where women were present, strong economic activity and solid, productive enterprises also emerged.”

Lyrboton Kome contains numerous documents relating to the ancient practice of establishing foundations, Çevik said.

“Arete had the olive oil tower, bearing inscriptions, built with her own money. Her son, granddaughter and other family members continued this tradition,” he said.

An inscription on the monument established rules intended to remain in force indefinitely, he added.

“It says that these trees can never be cut down, sold or used for another purpose. It is as if they wrote on the wall a law explaining how this place should be protected, almost as a message to us today.”

Çevik said the relationship between urban centers and rural production was crucial to the ancient economy.“Cities do not produce; they largely consume and spend. The countryside produces the city’s wealth. Perge’s economic power was actually supported by rural production centers such as Lyrboton Kome.”

The economic importance of olive oil production was also reflected in religious and social life, Çevik said.

He noted that the site’s foundation provisions required annual festivities in honor of Apollo on the 20th day of the first month, financed by revenue from olive oil production.

“The entire village population was to be properly hosted, entertained and fed during these festivities. In other words, the Apollo festivals were organized with income from olive oil production,” he said.

Archaeologists have also uncovered an area dedicated to Apollo at the site, Çevik added.

He said Arete dedicated the tower to Artemis of Perge after having it constructed, adding that Turks arrived in the region in later periods but did not settle at the site immediately.