The area provides important information about the transformation of the sanctuary after the end of pagan worship.
Unearthed at the ancient Sanctuary of Apollon Smintheus in the northwestern province of Çanakkale’s Ayvacık district, a 1,500-year-old stone mortar and 1,300-year-old storage jars offer a compelling glimpse into the early Christian communities that settled the post-Roman site.
Since 1980, excavation and restoration projects have been active in Gülpınar village at the Sanctuary of Apollon Smintheus, famously regarded as the sacred site of Apollo Smintheus.
The excavations are being carried out under the direction of Professor Davut Kaplan from Samsun Ondokuz Mayıs University’s Department of Archaeology.
The 2026 excavation season began approximately two weeks ago at the western section of the sanctuary, in an area known as the “Western Bath.” During excavations at the third bath structure in the complex, archaeologists discovered remains belonging to two different phases of the Christian period.
Detailed excavation works have been continuing in the bath complex, where archaeologists previously identified Roman architectural remains. During the studies, they uncovered a nearly 1,700-year-old caldarium, a hot room in Roman baths, along with its heating infrastructure.
The excavation team also identified a hypocaust system, a Roman underfloor heating technique that circulated hot air beneath floors to warm bath areas. Researchers said the discovery demonstrates that a heating method similar to modern underfloor heating systems used in luxury residences today was already being applied by Romans nearly 1,700 years ago.
Speaking about the latest findings, excavation director Professor Davut Kaplan said the area provides important information about the transformation of the sanctuary after the end of pagan worship.
“We continue excavations at the third bath in the Western Bath area of the Apollon Smintheus Sanctuary. Excavations in this bath actually began last year. We stopped work in the autumn and have now resumed studies in the entrance section of the bath,” Kaplan said.
He explained that the team carried out a survey excavation in the apodyterium, the changing room section of the bath and reached the original floor level.
“The entire architecture and materials of the Apollon Smintheus Sanctuary were later reused by Christians after pagan beliefs were prohibited. A new settlement belonging to Late Antiquity emerged here,” Kaplan said.
According to Kaplan, archaeologists identified two different Christian-era occupation layers above the Roman bath.
“One of these belongs to the first Christians. Their living area also contains mortars. This was a settlement where agriculture was dominant. This layer directly sits on the original floor of the bath. Above it is a filling layer, and on top of that are the later Christian settlements of Late Antiquity,” he said.
Kaplan noted that the later settlement remains are difficult to detect because the area was damaged by agricultural activities over time.
“The first Christian occupation layer is directly connected with agriculture. We found evidence related to the production and storage of agricultural products as well as materials associated with food preparation and daily life. The mortar discovered here is one of these examples,” he said.
The archaeologist said the early Christian community lived in the area around 1,400 to 1,500 years ago, engaging in agriculture while also constructing churches.
“However, the region was invaded from time to time. These communities sometimes experienced economic difficulties. There were also periods in the eighth and ninth centuries when Christianity weakened in the region. During the later period, people settled here again, but archaeological evidence from this phase is limited,” Kaplan said.
He added that the team had also uncovered large storage jars, known as pithoi, belonging to the final Christian settlement phase.
“We found storage jars belonging to the last Christians, dating back approximately 1,200 to 1,300 years. We have started cleaning them,” he said.
Kaplan explained that the Roman bath complex was actively used during the Roman era, but its function changed after Christian communities settled in the area.
“The Romans operated the bath extensively and used these spaces for cleaning. However, we cannot say that Christians had the same bathing culture as pagans. Their bathing habits were not as widespread. Therefore, we understand that the baths lost their original function and that the area later became a settlement of a Christian community engaged in agriculture and animal husbandry,” he said.
The Apollon Smintheus Sanctuary, dedicated to Apollo Smintheus, meaning “Apollo the Lord of Mice,” continues to provide archaeologists with valuable information about the transition from the Roman world to the Christian era in Anatolia.
