Excavations in Black Sea’s Zeugma to continue all year round

KARABÜK

Excavation works in the ancient city of Hadrianapolis, in the Black Sea province of Karabük, will continue throughout 2020, the Karabük governor has said.

Dubbed as the “Zeugma of the Black Sea,” excavations in Hadrianapolis will be carried out by a team of 45 people, including experts and students. The excavation team will be headed by Dr. Ersin Çelikbaş, a faculty member in Karabük University’s archaeology department.

Speaking to state-run Anadolu Agency, Governor Fuat Gürel said the archeological site will become a very significant center for attraction and findings.

Gürel added that the ancient city is very extensive thus excavation works take place part by part. In 2019, a team of 30 carried out excavations at Church C and Necropolis areas, in which new mosaics were revealed, he said.

“Findings dating back to 4th-5th century A.D. were unearthed in the Necropolis area. A tomb from 2nd century and an 1,800-year-old votive plaque have been found,” he added.

The governor also said that the mosaics revealed last year were put under protection and the areas they were discovered at - Church C and Necropolis- will be opened up even more.

“Other areas of the Hadrianapolis Ancient City have also been detected. Significant findings will be collected from here,” he said.

Located three kilometers to the east of Karabük’s Eskipazardistrict, Hadrianapolis had settlements in the late Hellenistic, Roman and early Byzantine periods. Archaeological surface surveys have uncovered 14 public buildings and other structures in the ancient city.

Among these public buildings are two baths, two churches, a defense structure, rock tombs, a theater, an arched and domed structure, a monumental cultic niche, walls, a villa, other monumental buildings and some religious buildings.

The church floors are decorated with mosaics and have images of the rivers of Geon, Phison, Tigris and Euphrates imprinted on them, which are mentioned in the Bible. Various animals are also depicted in the mosaics of the ancient city, which has been likened to the ancient city of Zeugma.

Excavation works in Hadrianapolis started in 2003 and have been continuing with intervals.