A sacred area reserved for priests and closed to public access is being brought to light through ongoing archaeological excavations at the North Temple in the ancient city of Blaundos in the western province of Uşak.
Often referred to as a garrison city founded by soldiers from Macedonia during the campaigns of Alexander the Great in Anatolia, Blaundos still retains the appearance of a natural fortress. The ancient settlement, which has only one entrance, is surrounded by the deep valleys of the Ulubey Canyon.
At the center of the city stands a 2,000-year-old temple dedicated to Demeter, the goddess of agriculture and fertility in mythology. About 200 meters from the city gate is the 1,900-year-old North Temple.
Excavations conducted by the Uşak Museum Directorate since 2018 are continuing at the site. During the previous excavation season, archaeologists uncovered a marble structure measuring 12 meters in length, 10 meters in width and nearly 2 meters in height, built atop the North Temple.
This year, work has shifted to the temple’s sacred area, where priests once lived and where offerings and prayers were made.
“The ancient city functioned as a military camp and headquarters,” said İlhan Çavuş, director of the Uşak Museum and head of the Blaundos excavations.
He noted that Blaundos was established by Macedonian soldiers for defensive purposes under Roman authority and occupied a strategic location in antiquity.
‘We aim to make significant discoveries’
Çavuş said the ancient city contains two major temples and that excavations last year focused on the naos, the innermost sanctuary where statues of gods and goddesses were placed.
“This year, we began excavations with a team of 25 in the sacred area known as the temenos, which was reserved for priests, separated by walls and closed to civilian use,” he said.
“At that time, priests lived within the temple. The temenos was a section that ordinary people could rarely enter. Since worshippers could not directly approach a deity through prayer, they first had to come to the temple. Paganism was widespread and people worshipped multiple gods. There was a deity for fertility, health, war and many other aspects of life. Depending on their needs, people visited temples and made offerings.”
He explained that altars located within the temenos were used for leaving gifts and offerings in an effort to reach the gods.
“That is why we hope to uncover important finds and remains at Blaundos,” he added.
Çavuş also said archaeologists have encountered Byzantine-era structures within the sacred area.
After the Hellenistic settlement phase, Roman layers became visible in the ancient city, he noted. He explained that while the Romans placed great emphasis on architectural style, Byzantine builders often reused Roman materials to construct workshops, shops and other structures.
“As a result, the Roman and Hellenistic layers suffered significant damage,” Çavuş said. “Our goal is to reach the earliest levels and document all layers in detail. We are first recording and removing Byzantine remains before documenting the Roman and Hellenistic strata beneath them. Once excavations are completed, restoration work will also be carried out in the area.”
