Uninterrupted digs at Kaunos enter sixth decade

MUĞLA

Excavations at the ancient city of Kaunos, listed on the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List, have been continuing without interruption for six decades, revealing layers of history spanning thousands of years.

Archaeological work in the ancient city, located in the Köyceğiz district of Muğla, has uncovered structures and artifacts belonging to multiple periods. The site draws attention with its rock-cut tombs, a 5,000-seat theater, basilica, bathhouse, agora and sanctuaries dedicated to Demeter, Apollo and Artemis, as well as remains from the Turkish and Ottoman periods brought to light in recent years.

Excavations at Kaunos began in 1966 under the leadership of Professor Baki Öğün and have continued ever since. Professor Cengiz Işık, who served as head of excavations from 2000, handed over the role in 2021 to his student, Associate Professor Ufuk Çörtük.

Recent work under Çörtük has focused particularly on the monastery complex within the archaic city walls, where materials and structures rarely encountered in other cities have been unearthed.

Speaking to Anadolu Agency, Çörtük said he was proud to continue the legacy of his predecessors as the third-generation excavation head. Noting that this year marks the 60th anniversary of the digs, he stressed the significance of uninterrupted archaeological, restoration and conservation work carried out annually.

Çörtük highlighted that numerous important historical structures have been uncovered at Kaunos over more than half a century, with ongoing support provided by the Culture and Tourism Ministry, the General Directorate of Cultural Heritage and Museums, the Turkish Historical Society, the Muğla Governor’s Office and local authorities.

Complex structure under excavation
The team will continue excavations this year in the monastery area within the archaic walls, first cleared of vegetation in 2022. Çörtük said the site covers a complex of approximately 3,250 square meters.
The area includes cisterns, vaulted spaces, clusters of rooms and narrow streets.

“The data we have obtained over the past three years in the monastery area within the archaic walls has provided valuable insights into both the early history of the city and its later phases of use,” Çörtük said.
“Let’s see what 2026 will reveal beneath the soil. We are eagerly awaiting the excavation season to uncover new finds and share fresh data with the world of archaeology,” he added.

Çörtük also noted that while many significant structures have been revealed at Kaunos over the past decades, the most recent discoveries have brought renewed excitement to the city’s historical narrative.

The ancient city of Kaunos draws attention with its rock-cut tombs, a 5,000-seat theater, basilica, bathhouse, agora and sanctuaries.