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Archaeologists are restoring an 1,800-year-old monumental fountain in the western province of Denizli’s Tripolis, meticulously piecing together 400 stone blocks to bring it back to its original glory.
Excavations and restoration work at the ancient city in the Buldan district are being carried out under the direction of Bahadır Duman, a faculty member in the Department of Classical Archaeology at Pamukkale University.
The monumental fountain, measuring 31 meters long, seven meters wide and approximately 15 meters high, was identified in the city center in 2018. Excavations were followed by restoration work to reconstruct the structure.
A team of specialists, including two Italian archaeologists, has been examining the architectural blocks and layers of the structure to determine how the fountain originally looked.
The restoration project for the fountain’s first level has been completed, while work continues to reassemble 400 stone blocks belonging to its second and third levels. Returning the blocks to their original positions is expected to help restore the monument’s historic appearance.
An international research process
Tommaso Ismaelli, an archaeologist from Italy’s National Research Council who is taking part in the project, told Anadolu Agency that the work at Tripolis goes beyond restoration, bringing together different scientific methods and technologies as part of an international research effort.
Turkish and Italian archaeologists live and work together at the excavation house, Ismaelli said, describing the team as a family.
“We are the same team; we live together and work together. We live at the Turkish excavation house and are like a family,” he said.
Ismaelli noted that Tripolis was particularly important during the Byzantine period, adding to the significance of the research. He also highlighted the remarkable state of preservation of structures, sculptures and other artifacts uncovered at the ancient city.
A new project will be prepared after the fountain’s restoration is completed, he said.
Reassembling the 400 blocks will allow researchers to better understand the monument’s architectural features, Ismaelli said, adding that the aim is to make the structure accessible to visitors.
He also said the team hopes to establish an open-air museum at the site to introduce visitors to Roman and Byzantine architecture.
Duman said the restoration work on the fountain is scheduled to be completed by the end of the year.
