Archaeologists excavating the ancient city of Amos, nestled in the western province of Muğla's Marmaris district, have uncovered a silver necklace believed to depict the Assyrian goddess Ishtar, dating back some 2,200 years.
The necklace, discovered during ongoing excavations at the site, features a lion figure and an eight-pointed star, both associated with Ishtar, according to the excavation team.
Amos, located on Asarcık Hill, was granted official excavation status in 2022 by a presidential decree. The work is carried out with support from the Culture and Tourism Ministry’s Heritage for the Future project.
Excavations have been conducted uninterrupted throughout 2025 under the leadership of Associate Professor Mehmet Gürbüzer from the Archaeology Department of Muğla Sıtkı Koçman University’s Faculty of Letters.
This year’s work focused on landscaping in the orchestra area of the ancient theater, alongside studies in the residential quarters. Clearing of vegetation and debris was also carried out at the Temple of Apollo Samnaios.
Speaking to state-run Anadolu Agency, Gürbüzer said the excavations yield exciting discoveries every year. He noted that the newly found necklace bears the symbolic attributes of Ishtar, adding that the goddess was known as Inanna in Sumerian tradition and later as Ishtar in Assyrian culture.
“The new find is considered an indication that Amos possessed significant cultural, economic and commercial power,” Gürbüzer said.
He underlined that from the seventh century B.C., elements of advanced Near Eastern cultures began to spread into the Mediterranean world through trade and military relations, describing Amos as a strategically important port city that was well integrated into the world of its time.
Early-period finds, Gürbüzer added, provide important clues about the city’s history and underscore its notable economic and cultural strength. He said excavations in 2026 will continue in the residential areas and at the Temple of Apollo Samnaios.
Excavations at Amos were first carried out in 1948 by G.E. Bean, whose discovery of land lease contracts brought the city to scholarly attention. Dating back around 2,000 years, these contracts shed light on Amos’ economic structure. Excavations resumed in 2021 and have been continuing throughout the year.
